Savory Matzo Farfel Kugel is the perfect addition to your Passover and Seder menu. Easily prepared ahead and reheated, this lightened up version is moist on the inside with a crispy, crunchy top.
You might also enjoy my sweet matzo farfel kugel, my apple matzo kugel and my potato kugel!
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Why you'll love this kugel recipe!
- This savory matzo farfel kugel stays moist, a characteristic of a matza-based kugel that is sometimes elusive!
- It's a nice alternative to a sweet version, complementing your savory main course.
- Kugels are peasanty comfort food that just makes people happy. My niece just loves matzo farfel kugel and I love seeing her smile when she sees it on the menu.
- Kugels are a bit like a canvas that you can paint any way you'd like by changing up the vegetables additions and herbs and spices. Just stick to the basic ratio of liquid to matzo so you end up with a moist kugel, even when reheated.
Ingredients you'll need
My number one piece of advice is to make your own matzo farfel and not buy it!
- Matzo farfel: Just put a few boards of matzo in a bag and crush them coarsely by rolling over them with a rolling pin or can. So much cheaper and easier than buying stale farfel in a can!
- Chicken stock: Substitute in vegetable stock if you are serving vegetarians.
- Za'atar: This is a spice blend you can order online or buy in your local Middle Eastern market. But if you don't have it or can't easily access it, just use some fresh or dried thyme!
- Onion: Thyme or za'atar are a wonderful complement to sautéed onion!
- Eggs: In my other kugels, I don't separate the eggs and whip the whites, here I do. And while it's an extra step, it's a worthwhile one!
- Parsley and carrots: Have fun and try other fresh herbs or fresh vegetables if you'd like. Usually we have parsley and carrots around for the matzo ball soup, so I wanted to keep it easy!
How to make this recipe
How is this kugel different than all other kugels?
The hardest part of making matzo farfel kugel is keeping it moist. Remember, matzah is simply flour and water turned into dry crunchy crackers so it soaks up a lot of liquid.
In this version, I soak the farfel in stock first. I also separate the eggs and whip the egg whites. After all the ingredients are mixed together, I fold in the egg whites. The end result? The kugel retains moisture nicely, even after reheating it.
1. Sauté the onions and za'atar (or thyme) low and slow.
2. While they are cooking, soak the farfel in the stock.
3. Add the egg yolks, carrots, parsley, salt, pepper and onions, slightly cooled, to the matzo farfel and mix well.
4. When the onions are nearly done, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Then fold in the egg whites.
5. Pour into an 8X8 pan or deep dish pie plate or cast iron pan and bake.
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Optionally, you can add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to your pan and let it preheat in the oven. Then add in the kugel mixture, being very careful of the hot pan.
6. At the end of the 30 minutes of baking, brush with a bit of olive oil and broil it for 3 minutes to get a nice brown and crunchy top.
Note: Do as I say, not as I do. If you want to broil the kugel at the end, I recommend NOT using glass bakeware.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQs
- Make your own matzo farfel. It's so easy!
- Have fun with the flavors and vegetable additions. Add some sautéed mushrooms or fresh chives or kale. Just remember to keep the ratio of matzo to liquid constant.
- Despite my pictures, I don't recommend broiling in a glass pan. So use a non-glass baking pan if you want broil for that crispy top. Might even be fun to try this in cast-iron and cut the kugel in pie-shaped pieces!
Matzo farfel is just boards of matzo that have been broken up into small pieces. I used to buy farfel in a can or box. But you don’t have to! Just place the number of boards you need in a plastic bag or on a clean surface and roll over them with a rolling pin or a can – whatever you have. In under 60 seconds you will have farfel.
Kugel is essentially a baked pudding that is sweet or savory. It might have a base of noodles, or potatoes, or in this case, for Passover, matzo. The u0022puddingu0022 aspect is the use of eggs. In this recipe, I tried to cut back on the number of eggs since so many Passover dishes are egg-based.
The most popular style of kugel is made with egg noodles, cottage and cream cheese and other sweet additions. Regular noodles are not allowed under the dietary guidelines of Passover. In addition the milk products, if keeping kosher, do not mix with the meat course of a traditional seder meal. So matzo farfel kugel – either a sweet version or a savory one is ideal for Passover.
Another great option is potato kugel. While not as traditional for Passover, it's perfect for the dietary rules of the holiday – using potatoes, matzo meal, eggs and various other vegetable and spice flavorings.
Absolutely. Just reheat in a 300 - 350°F oven until the top crisps up and the interior is steamy hot.
Supplies for making this recipe
Most of the food products you need for this savory matzo farfel kugel will already be in your fridge or pantry - eggs, carrots, onions. If you have a can or box of matzo farfel around, you certainly can use it. But otherwise remember 4 boards of plain matzo will do the trick. And here are some links to pans that would be ideal for this dish:
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What to serve with savory matzo farfel kugel
See all of my Passover recipes in this post. But in particular, this kugel pairs nicely with a main course chicken or brisket dish and a big salad or roasted vegetable. Here are a few ideas:
Or make some matzo ball soup with my homemade stock or this terrific Instant Pot Chicken Soup. And pair the meat main courses and soup with some Roasted Cauliflower or this Pear Salad or these Roasted Brussels Sprouts!
For lots of dessert ideas, check out my cookbook!
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Savory Matzo Farfel Kugel
Beth LeeIngredients
- 2 cups matzo farfel Note: 4 boards of matzo makes 2 cups of farfel
- 1.5 cups chicken stock vegetable or beef stock or water
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1 tablespoon za’atar or dried thyme
- 3 eggs separated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 medium carrot shredded (about ½ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the stock over the farfel in a medium sized bowl and let it sit.
- Sauté the onions with the za’atar or thyme and olive oil.
- While the onions are sautéing, lightly beat the egg yolks, whip the egg whites to firm peaks, chop parsley and shred carrot.
- Add the salt and pepper, egg yolks, chopped parsley, shredded carrot and sautéed onion to the farfel and mix well. Then fold in the egg whites.
- Pour the mixture in a greased 8X8 pan and bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Option to get a extra crispy bottom: While the oven is preheating, preheat the 8X8 pan with a bit of olive oil in it. Then very carefully pour the farfel mixture into the preheated olive-oil-coated pan. It helps the crust become extra crispy.
- Two options to crisp up the top: 1. At the very end, turn on broil for about 3 minutes to give it a nice crispy top. You can even brush some oil on to really encourage the crispiness.NOTE: Do not broil in a glass baking dish. They can shatter. Use ceramic, porcelain or a metal baking dish to broil.2. If your 8X8 pan is glass (like mine in the pictures) try brushing the top with a bit of olive oil before baking to give it an extra bit of crispiness as it bakes.
Notes
- Make your own matzo farfel. It's so easy - truly!
- Have fun with the flavors and vegetable additions. Add some sautéed mushrooms or fresh chives or kale. Just remember to keep the ratio of matzo to liquid constant.
- Despite my pictures, I don't recommend broiling in a glass pan. So use a non-glass baking pan if you want to broil for that crispy top. Might even be fun to try this in cast-iron and cut the kugel in pie-shaped pieces!
Nutrition
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Michael says
If using chicken or beef stock, do not use butter, if keeping kosher.
Beth Lee says
Exactly - and that is also why I suggest olive oil or butter. There are options to meet whatever dietary goals you have!
MG says
I doubled the recipe and fit into a 9x13 pan perfectly. I also used milk instead of broth and didn’t separate the eggs (lazy me!). It turned out moist but I’m going to try again with separated eggs to see the difference.
The trick with preheating oil in the pan is pretty good. It did help creating crust all around. I ran a thin knife along the edge and flipped the pan onto a serving dish. It looked great with the crusty yet smooth surface!
Beth Lee says
I just made a double batch yesterday and used a 9X13 pan. Preheated the pan and did a quick broil - crispy all around! And yes - give the egg whites a try - yes, one more step but I really like the result. Light and moist! Chag Pesach Sameach.
Gita Greenwald says
I am thinking of adding a half cup of rice broccoli in with the grated carrots, onions and parsley. Do you think it will be good?
Beth Lee says
I think it's a great idea! Let me know how it comes out!
Gita Greenwald says
If doubling the recipe do you need two tsps of salt and 2 tsp of pepper?
Beth Lee says
Hi Gita - my short answer is yes. But what kind of salt do you use? I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt which is less salty than Morton's table salt or Morton's kosher salt. So if you are using Morton's table salt or kosher salt, use about 1/2 of the amount of salt I suggest in the recipe. So a double recipe would still use 1 teaspoon salt. As for pepper - I love it so can't see any reason not to double it but salt and pepper are very personal preferences and other than oversalting, can't really hurt a dish. If you have any more questions - please write again or email me! Chag Pesach Sameach.
Gita Greenwald says
Okay, will use half the amount of salt or will go buy some diamond brand. Can I make this recipe two days in advance, bake it, store in refrigerator, and then reheat the day Of serving?
Beth Lee says
yes - that should work just fine! I'll be making a double batch of this Friday or Saturday also!