Matzo meal pancakes are perfect for Passover or any time of the year. Also known as a bubula (bubaleh), this recipe honors my grandma Annie, or my bubbe, and shares the special story of this family legacy recipe!
This post contains Amazon affiliate links – if you click on one and purchase something, I receive a very tiny percentage of the sale. Your price is never affected.
Jump to:
What is a matzo meal pancake? It's a matzo meal and egg based pancake usually eaten on Passover. My bubula version looks more like a puffy Dutch apple pancake that you bake in the oven. But it's cooked stove top and is ready to eat in minutes. Some people refer to these pancakes as chremslach - an Eastern European word that refers to matzo meal pancakes, sometimes potato pancakes and on occasion cheese pancakes like the ones my dad used to make for me! If you skip whipping the whites, these matzo meal pancakes will look more like a traditional pancake in form.
Why you'll love this family recipe!
- "Bubula" or "bubaleh" is also a Yiddish word that is a term of endearment. Imagine my grandma with her thick glasses, denture-filled smile, and short, stubby hands making this for you in her tiny Brooklyn apartment. When it's ready, she'd call you to the kitchen table by saying with a Polish Yiddish accent “come here, bubula, eat (ess) your bubula while it's hot.”
- This version of a matzo meal pancake is almost like a quick souffle because of the way you separate the eggs and whip the whites. Change up your egg game and give this a try! Easy to make and fun to eat!
- The toppings can change it up - my mom and grandma always used cinnamon sugar. I like fruit compote as you can see in the pictures. My cousin likes a little kosher sweet wine on it. You can have it your way!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Eggs: I designed this recipe for a single serving with 2 eggs. Separating them and whipping the whites gives this bubula or matzo meal pancake it's distinctive fluffy texture.
- Seltzer: Carbonated water was my grandma's trick for helping her matzo balls and this pancake stay light and fluffy. Obviously the whipped egg whites do the lion's share of the work here but I just can't make this recipe without bubbly water because that's what bubbe would do!
- Matzo meal: Matzo meal is a derivative of matzo. When you coarsely crumble the matzo, it becomes matzo farfel. When it's more finely ground but still with texture, it becomes matzo meal. Finely ground -- it becomes matzo cake meal, like a substitute for flour. (for more info on matzo, check out my All About Matzo page) For this recipe, I use matzo meal. On Passover, be sure it is marked Kosher for Passover on the can.
Let's make a matzo meal pancake step-by-step
(Printable recipe card is at the end of the post with ingredients, measurements and step-by-step instructions. This section includes more and larger pictures and high level explanations of the process.)
Jump to Recipe
- Separate the eggs into two bowls – one big enough to whip the egg whites, the other big enough to hold all the ingredients.
- Add the matzo meal, seltzer, and salt to the egg yolks and mix well.
- Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and then fold them gently into the egg yolk mixture.
- Pour into a medium-sized frying pan greased with oil or butter. (my mom always used oil) Fry on one side and gently turn over to brown on other side. My mom says it’s ready when you stick a fork in and it doesn’t fall apart. (my mom is in her 90's so pay attention to her wise tips!)
Serve with toppings of your choice. In this picture we ate it with my simple but delicious fruit compote and a cup of tea!
Email this recipe to me!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Beth's expert tips and recipe FAQs
- I always top my bubaleh with cinnamon sugar. Some people like powdered sugar. My son liked syrup. Some prefer yogurt, sour cream, or whipped cream and berries. And my friend Laura from the blog Family Spice (who took the stunning photos for this post) discovered that my fruit compote is the perfect topping for her. And if you are Jewish (or just adventuresome), you might even try a bit of Manischewitz wine – yup – that’s how my cousin Alan used to eat it.
- Butter or oil will work for the frying pan - my mom always used a little oil.
- The whipped egg whites are doing the lion's share of the work to make this matzo meal pancake fluffy. So if you don't have fizzy water, do not despair! Might even be good to sub in some orange juice or apple juice instead! (Haven't tried it but I would!)
I don't recommend doing this. I find a bubaleh to be best fresh out of the frying pan!
I love making this recipe just like my grandma did but truly the whipped egg whites are doing most of the work of making this pancake puffy. So just add some water or maybe even some orange juice or apple juice instead.
Think of matzo meal like bread crumbs and use them anywhere you might use bread crumbs - like coating chicken or fish, for example.
Bubbe's bubula stories - optional but fun!
Beth's family's matzo meal pancake stories:
--- from my cousin after reading the original blog post in 2011
“I wanted to thank you for making available Grandma's pancake recipe. I have looked for that recipe in every Jewish cookbook around and never found it--of course I never thought to do the obvious---ask the family. My wife made the pancakes tonight and they were great---topped with sugar, or a little Manischewitz Concord Grape wine, as we did in our house in Brooklyn.
Of course, the greater significance beyond the tastiness of the pancakes were their emotional and nostalgic value. For the duration of the meal tonight, I was 10 years old again and back at Avenue N with my mommy and Grandma in the kitchen. It was a truly wonderful and sentimental moment for me.
Thank you for giving me the venue to return, at least in my mind's eye, to those wonderful years in a world that now seems all too distant.”
--- from my mom when I first wrote this blog post in 2011
When I first wrote this post, I emailed my mom, who has turned out a few good bubulas over the years, to help with the recipe. And she actually emailed me back a rough write-up. Here are her directions verbatim from the email:
“I used to make one with two eggs separated. Beat the egg whites to stiff peak and then gently add the yellow of eggs together with some matzoh meal. Just enough to give it some body and add some seltzer water to help it rise. Mix very gently and pour into frying pan. I always used oil instead of butter. Fry on one side and gently turn over to brown on other side. Should come out so that when you put in fork it doesn’t fall apart. Put sugar on top {sprinkle as you like} and enjoy with coffee, wine or any way you wish.”
I think my mom missed her calling as a recipe writer. But please don't miss your chance to experience this simple treasure of a family recipe.
More Passover recipes on OMG! Yummy
You might also also enjoy my recipe for cheese latkes made with matzo meal!
For ease of browsing, find all my Passover recipes in one place.
Buy my cookbook now!
P.S. If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or a review in the comment section below. I so appreciate your feedback! AND find more inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Signup for my email list, too!
Matzo Meal Pancake (bubaleh)
Beth LeeIngredients
- 2 eggs separated
- 2 tablespoons matzo meal
- 1 tablespoon seltzer water
- pinch of salt
- canola oil
- sugar
- cinnamon
Instructions
- Separate 2 eggs. Put the whites in a medium bowl, big enough for whipping them. Place the yellows in a similar size bowl.
- To the yolks, add 2 tablespoons of matzo meal, one tablespoon of sparkling water (seltzer), and a pinch of salt. Combine, using a small whisk or fork.
- Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and then fold the egg whites into the yellow mixture.
- Heat a small skillet on medium to medium-high. Once heated, add one tablespoon of oil, then add the matzo meal mixture.
- Cook until you see it sizzle around the edges and firm up. Then, depending on your skill in the kitchen, you can either flip the pancake like a pro or grab a spatula to turn it over. (Dormant chef flipped, I used a spatula) It should be nicely browned.
- It only needs to cook briefly on the flip side to brown and finish firming up the interior.
- Flip the bubula onto a plate, sprinkle with granulated sugar and cinnamon of a topping of your choice!
Notes
- I always top my bubaleh with cinnamon sugar. Some people like powdered sugar. My son liked syrup. Some prefer yogurt, sour cream, or whipped cream and berries. And my friend Laura from the blog Family Spice (who took the stunning photos for this post) discovered that my fruit compote is the perfect topping for her. And if you are Jewish (or just adventuresome), you might even try a bit of Manischewitz wine – yup – that’s how my cousin Alan used to eat it.
- Butter or oil will work for the frying pan - my mom always used a little oil.
- The whipped egg whites are doing the lion's share of the work to make this matzo meal pancake fluffy. So if you don't have fizzy water, do not despair! Might even be good to sub in some orange juice or apple juice instead! (Haven't tried it but I would!)
Nutrition
Enjoyed this post?
Sign up for my email list.
Hi! I'm Beth
Cookbook author, cooking teacher, preserved lemon lover. My family is a mix of Jewish, Hawaiian and Korean heritage. My virtual multicultural kitchen is always open.
Jenni says
Wow, this is straight up comfort right here! And when deliciousness is wrapped in treasured memories? Magic! The perfect intersection of food and memory. Wonderful!
Beth Lee says
Yes! So simple but such a special family recipe for us.
TIsha says
Such a sweet post about your grandmother! I've never had matzo meal pancakes and I am definitely intrigued to try one! They look delish!
Beth Lee says
It's a simple recipe but a different way of putting eggs together and I find it so comforting! especially with the cinnamon sugar.
Laura says
What a great tribute to your grandmother! She really did perfect the matzo meal pancake! Delish!
Beth Lee says
And it's one of the few things my mom carried on making in the kitchen. My grandma has 6 kids - 4 daughters and not one of them was much of a baker as she was. But a good bubula, my mom can make!
Samantha says
Thank you for sharing such a special, delicious recipe. Memories always make food better! <3
Beth Lee says
Exactly! Sometimes I call them memory flavors.
wilhelmina says
I love this post! This looks so delicious!!!
Noelle says
You can never go wrong with a grandmas recipe! Love this whole recipe can not wait to try 🙂
Carol Leonard says
Such a great post!
Alexis @ Upside Down Pear says
This looks like the perfect way to use up some of the leftover matzo meal! I love the fact that this is Grandma's recipe. They're always the best 😀 We've actually never had any growing up, but I can't wait to make this!
Hannah says
Such a sweet post, Beth! What a lovely tribute to your Bubbe and it's wonderful to document such a marvelous family recipe. I'm adding this to our Passover breakfasts this week. Love your step-by-step directions, too. Thanks for sharing!
thefolia says
Bubula here we try! We love pancakes in our nest. We usually use Pamela's as the base and then add whatever fruit or vegetables we have on hand. Simply saying Bubula and my little ones break into laughter!
Harri says
Was making them for years and completely forgot the receipe. Just found it in your blog. Thank you Harri
omgyummy says
Oh you are so welcome. It is comments like this that make every minute I spend creating this blog so worth it! Hope it came out just the way you remembered it!
Mindi says
Yummm!!! Need to make these. I love that your mom uses e-mail and texts at 81. Awesome!
omgyummy says
I love that too! She definitely has lots of chutzpah!
Carol Sacks says
What a sweet post! Reminds me of watching my grandmother make matzo brei. Glad you re-posted!
omgyummy says
aaahh - matzo brei - it's almost Passover time isn't it? Getting very hungry sitting here in Starbucks trying to write about food!
Otehlia Cassidy says
I love the way those cakes look so hearty! Yummy, for sure. Love your blog...
Stephanie says
That looks soooo so tasty!!