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Home » Soups and Side Dishes

Matzo Farfel Kugel for Passover

by Beth Lee · Published: Mar 22, 2019 · Modified: Apr 21, 2024

2.6K shares
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Matzo farfel kugel pinterest image with overhead shot of kugel on plate.

Matzo farfel kugel is a perfect side dish for Passover. With a touch of sweetness from apples, cinnamon and sugar, you'll love this classic Jewish recipe.

You might also enjoy my savory matzo farfel kugel, my apple kugel with a crunch topping, or my potato kugel!

For ease of browsing, find more Passover tips and matzo recipes in these two posts.

Matzo farfel kugel on a white plate with a fork and matzo in the background.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. Your price is never affected.

What is kugel?

Kugel is a Yiddish term referring to a sweet or savory pudding usually prepared with noodles or potatoes. Kugels are very common side dishes at many Jewish holiday celebrations. On Passover, when we traditionally remove all products made with flour from our diet, other than unleavened matzo, matzo farfel kugel often replaces a traditional noodle kugel. 

A matzo farfel kugel, like a noodle (lokshen) kugel can be savory or sweet. This post explores a sweet version using apples, raisins, cinnamon and nuts.

This recipe was inspired by the apple kugel from The Jewish-American Kitchen (by Raymond Sokolov).

What is matzo farfel?

Rolling pin and crushed matzo turned into farfel.
So easy to make your own matzo farfel!

Matzo farfel is just matzo broken up into small pieces. For years, I purchased packages of matzo farfel in the Kosher for Passover section of my local grocery stores. When I started researching how to make a matzo farfel kugel, I realized all I needed to do was roll over some boards of matzo with a rolling pin, and voila – I had matzo farfel!

How do you make this recipe?

It's easy to make a matzo farfel kugel - I promise.

Crush that matzo, as instructed, for your farfel.

Matzo crushed by a rolling pin in a plastic bag.

Then the farfel is sauteed in a pan with some of the eggs to crisp it up.

Matzo farfel and eggs in saute pan on stove.

Meanwhile prepare your apples and nuts and whisk the wet ingredients.

Wet ingredients and whisk in red bowl.

Mix the cooked farfel with your wet ingredients.

Cooked farfel mixed with wet ingredients.

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Layer apples, then farfel, then more apples and top with butter or margarine and nuts.

Matzo farfel kugel in glass pan ready to bake.

Moisture in a matzo farfel kugel

Moisture is especially important in a farfel kugel since matzo doesn’t give off any moisture as a potato does or noodle might. Nor does it have any natural starch residue to hold the kugel together.

So please don’t arbitrarily reduce the eggs – they are needed in this recipe as glue and moisture. See my savory kugel recipe and my other sweet kugel recipe for ideas about how to make a kugel with less eggs.

Whole pan of kugel on turquoise tablecloth with serving tool.

Tips to help you make this farfel kugel:

  1. I added cinnamon and my son suggested a hint of nutmeg would be nice too. If you flavor each element – the apples, the farfel, and the nut topping – the kugel really shines.
  2. Adding ½ – 1 cup of raisins and/or dried apricots to the farfel mixture is another way to add flavor, texture, and moisture. Cover the raisins (and apricots) with hot water or some orange juice or sweet red kosher wine – just enough to cover help soften them. Then let them cool and add the liquid and raisins to the farfel mixture. This liquid can replace part of the water called for in the recipe.
  3. I use real butter when I make kugels because I don’t keep kosher and will mix meat and dairy. But if you are keeping kosher, the recipe does call for margarine, not butter and you should substitute accordingly.
  4. Don't buy matzo farfel in a box. It couldn’t be easier to crush up yourself and is much cheaper and fresher. Just put the boards in a plastic bag or between some parchment paper and roll over them with a rolling pin. I found that two standard size matzo boards equal about one cup of matzo farfel.
Close up of one piece of kugel on a white plate with a fork.

Supplies for making matzo farfel kugel

The supplies and tools for making this kugel are pretty basic. Good matzo, a rolling pin, and a square baking dish are key!

Also check out my Amazon shop that includes some of my favorite food and food-related products. I am always updating it – please visit often. And let me know if you need specific product recommendations – I am happy to help!

More Passover recipe inspiration:

Check out my Recipe and Resource Guide for Passover for more seder menu ideas.

  • Pomegranate charoset in a blue bowl with oranges surrounding it and pistachios on top.
    Pomegranate Charoset (Haroset) for Passover and Year-round
  • Large oval red platter of matzo nachos with leftover brisket.
    Matzo Nachos with Leftover Brisket (Vegetarian Option)
  • Flat lay of lots of dairy free macaroons both flat ones and puffy ones dipped and drizzled with a cooling rack and limes and a bowl of ganache plus macadamia nuts.
    Dairy Free Macaroons with Macadamia Nuts, Lime and Chocolate
  • Honey orange cake on a white plate with slices of citrus in the background.
    Honey Almond Cake (Tishpishti) with Citrus Syrup
See more Passover →

Recipes on other blogs:

Sephardic Charoset

Gluten Free Passover Apple Cake

And if you have any beloved favorites that always find their way to your Passover table, please share them in the comments below! Chag Sameach!

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!

Buy my cookbook now!

A whole pan of matzo farfel kugel on a turquoise tablecloth.

Apple Matzo Farfel Kugel

Beth Lee
A traditional kugel recipe for Passover where the matzo farfel (small pieces of matzo) stand in for the usual noodles. The key is enough liquid to offset the delicious but dry matzo farfel.
4.12 from 80 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
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Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Passover Side Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine Jewish Holiday Cooking
Servings 8 servings
Calories 341 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups matzo farfel about 4 boards of matzo
  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted margarine or butter melted and cooled
  • ½ cup water
  • 3 medium or 2 large apples peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup toasted, finely chopped walnuts or pecans
  • ½ cup raisins or dried apricots optional
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 X 8 baking dish or pie pan equivalent to a 1 quart pan.
  • Instead of buying pre-made farfel, simply place a few boards in a ziploc bag and use your rolling pin to break them up into little pieces. 2 boards will yield 1 cup of farfel.
  • Mix the farfel with 2 of the eggs and a teaspoon of the salt and then toast the mixture over low heat in a heavy skillet, mixing frequently to be sure the pieces brown and separate. I found medium low heat worked better than low. Set the pieces aside while you:
  • In a medium bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs with the sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, and 3 tablespoons of the melted and cooled butter or margarine. Add in the toasted farfel mixture and ½ cup of water (and dried fruit if using).
  • In your greased baking dish, layer ½ the apple slices and sprinkle them with the lemon juice and a dusting of cinnamon, then add the matzo farfel mixture and then top with the remaining apples. Then sprinkle with the toasted ground nuts and dust it with a bit more cinnamon and pour over the remaining melted butter or margarine.
  • Bake for approximately 30 minutes. (you should hear it bubbling)

Notes

Adapted from a recipe in The Jewish American Kitchen
Don't buy matzo farfel in a box. It couldn’t be easier to crush up yourself and is much cheaper and fresher. Just put the boards in a plastic bag or between some parchment paper and roll over them with a rolling pin. I found that two standard size matzo boards equal about one cup of matzo farfel.

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 7gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 676mgPotassium: 174mgFiber: 3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 375IUVitamin C: 3.4mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1.8mg
Keyword kugel, matzo farfel, Passover
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.12 from 80 votes (66 ratings without comment)

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  1. Lindsay Cotter

    March 26, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    5 stars
    Looks so delicious! A wonderful addition to the holiday menu!

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 27, 2019 at 8:15 am

      It's a favorite at our family seder for sure!

      Reply
    • Lauri

      March 20, 2021 at 12:58 pm

      Can this be frozen ahead of time?

      Reply
      • Beth Lee

        March 20, 2021 at 4:56 pm

        I don't see why not. Bake it, perhaps just a bit underbake. Let it cool, wrap it well, freeze. Then I would probably let it defrost a bit before putting it in the oven to reheat/finish cooking. I've never done it but I think it would work just fine.

        Reply
  2. Laura

    March 25, 2019 at 10:33 am

    5 stars
    This kugel sounds incredible. I'm only part Jewish so you really helped explain everything for a newbie like me. Can't wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 27, 2019 at 8:15 am

      You'll just be a kugel maven before you know it!

      Reply
  3. Brandi

    March 24, 2019 at 11:45 pm

    5 stars
    Tried this recipe last year and really enjoyed it . Going to cook it again this time !

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 27, 2019 at 8:14 am

      Wonderful - so glad to hear it's a keeper!

      Reply
  4. Samantha

    March 24, 2019 at 9:36 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for all of the detailed tips and information to ensure success! Such a yummy and special recipe. 🙂

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 24, 2019 at 9:53 pm

      Comforting, simple, traditional, and yummy!

      Reply
  5. Jenni

    March 24, 2019 at 7:40 pm

    5 stars
    Totally the best name ever! And I had no idea what farfel is before, and now I do! Thanks for the excellent post, Beth!

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 24, 2019 at 9:52 pm

      Feeling a butterscotch matzo dessert idea starting to form ...

      Reply
  6. Sandi

    March 24, 2019 at 7:24 pm

    5 stars
    What a delicious idea for Passover. I am one of the crazy ones who loves Matzo all year long :-).

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 24, 2019 at 9:51 pm

      You and my mom Sandi! She likes it with lots of whipped butter on it 🙂

      Reply
  7. Marcie Murray

    March 24, 2019 at 5:34 pm

    Do you have a recipe for a savory farfel kugel?

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 24, 2019 at 6:39 pm

      Hi Marcie, so here's what I would do. And when I have time, I'll make it official and add it to my blog. Use similar proportions to this sweet recipe - 2 cups farfel and 4 eggs. Dice an onion and saute it in schmaltz, margarine, butter, or olive oil - your choice until soft and just starting to get color. At this stage, I would add some flavor to the onions -- salt and pepper, maybe some dried thyme or if you have it - za'atar. While the onion is cooking, soak the farfel in some hot water for a couple of minutes to soften it up and drain it well. Beat the 4 eggs. Combine the cooked onions, eggs, and farfel. Here I would add more salt and pepper and more thyme or za'atar if you are using it. Totally optional. Personally, I would also chop up about a 1/3 cup of parsley and add it as well to give it some color. Put the mixture in a square baking dish that has been greased with your choice of fat. Bake at about 350 for 30 - 40 minutes. I am referring to resources to come up with this method but I haven't tried it myself -- yet. I think it would be delicious. You could probably add some sauteed mushrooms too if you have mushroom lovers at the table. Write to me anytime with questions! Hope this helps.

      Reply
  8. Laura @MotherWouldKnow

    April 01, 2015 at 9:51 am

    Beth, I love your advice about the various kugel experiments. We have guests at our seder who keep kosher (at least to the extent of not eating dairy at a meat meal), so I can't use butter - boo hoo. My kugel or matzo pudding as my mom used to call it, is infinitely better with butter. And I'm totally with you on making farfel instead of buying it.

    Reply
  9. wendy

    March 31, 2015 at 3:03 pm

    thanks for the recipe - I'm going to try it - just wondering about the apples, are macintosh ok, and do you slice them or shred them?

    thanks!
    chag sameach

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 31, 2015 at 8:59 pm

      Hopefully you received my email but I'll post my answer here as well!

      For this recipe I slice them and you get a layer of apples which is nice contrast to the matzo farfel but I bet it would be yummy shredded and mixed in as well.

      Macintosh should work - or even crispier apples but I do love the flavor of Macintosh. A flavor memory from my childhood back east!

      Let me know how it comes out and if you have any more questions.

      Chag Sameach!

      Reply
  10. phyllis wine

    March 30, 2015 at 11:57 am

    5 stars
    LOVED THE KUGEL RECIPE. LOVE YOUR SITE. WILL SEND YOU A SWEET FRUIT KUGEL RECIPE THAT I FOUND 40 YEARS AGO IN GOOD HOUSEKEEPING. IT IS A DAIRY KUGEL SO IT IS NOT KOSHER FOR A MEAT DINNER IF YOUR STRICKLY KOSHER BUT IT IS DELICIOUS. THE RECIPE REALLY DOESN'T LIST ALL THE INGREDIENTS SO YOU HAVE TO READ THE ENTIRE RECIPE. I AM SO HAPPY I FOUND YOUR WEBSITE. PHYLLIS WINE IN PALM DESERT CA.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 31, 2015 at 10:38 am

      I am so happy you found my website too! Please please do send me the 40 year old recipe from Good Housekeeping - I would LOVE to see it. If email is easier, please send it to beth at omgyummy dot com. What else are you making for Passover?

      Reply
  11. sue

    March 28, 2015 at 5:24 am

    What is you want to use a 9 x 13 pan? Would you double the recipe or will that be too thick?

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 28, 2015 at 7:52 am

      Hi Sue, I think I would do 1.5 times the recipe BUT if you double it and it's too much, you can always overflow into another small pan if you have one. Also, thicker is ok as long as you adjust the cooking time accordingly (thicker = a bit longer to cook). Also depends on how you like your kugel - a bit thicker might result with a more soft pudding like interior to bite into (just guessing on this). I know our family always tends to eat too much - I'm usually ready to stop after the matzo ball soup so forcing serving pieces to be smaller/thinner works for me but improvising here is ok. The key is to keep the flavorings, fruit, and liquid ratio high enough to keep up with the dry matzo! Good luck and let me know what you decide to do. Also feel free to come back with more questions. Chag Sameach.

      Reply
  12. @yumivore

    April 02, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    Even though the holiday has passed, I'd still love a bite of that kugel, it looks delicious! Hope you had a fantastic and delicious holiday Beth. Lovely links for inspiration and a recipe to try next year!

    Reply
  13. Renee

    March 25, 2013 at 7:32 am

    Sounds Yummy, Beth. I make one I found years ago on Epicurious.com. It doesn't have nuts, but has lots of dried apricots and raisins. The boys eat it every morning for breakfast so I always have to make 2 to carry us through Passover.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 25, 2013 at 8:03 am

      Sounds terrific Renee - I'm going to check my inbox now for that link!

      Reply
  14. Hannah

    March 24, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    Thank you for sharing my haroset, too! I'm checking out the other links, as well - always fun to get some new inspiration! 🙂

    Reply
  15. Hannah

    March 24, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    Mmm, Beth, this apple kugel sounds divine! I definitely want to try this method of cooking the farfel with egg first. I appreciate you doing some kugel recipe testing for all of us! Your photo is very tempting, too. One of our favorite weeknight dinners during Passover is farfel and cheese (a riff on mac and cheese from a Joan Nathan book). I hope all your preparation is going well - everyone will be very fortunate to enjoy your creative cooking! Chag sameach! xx

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 25, 2013 at 8:03 am

      I am taking many shortcuts this year but always try to put a little extra effort into a couple of things to keep the yum factor high 🙂 Hmmm - farfel and cheese - do tell the secret please!

      Reply
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Hi, I'm Beth!

I'm a cookbook author, cooking teacher and preserved lemon lover. My family is a mix of Jewish, Hawaiian and Korean heritage. My virtual multicultural kitchen is always open. Let's cook together! 

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