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.
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:
Tool to Use!
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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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Jill Grover
Loved it and so did my family! Thank you and Chag Sameach.
Beth Lee
Yay - I am so glad. I made a double recipe too! Chag Sameach.
Beth
To make it vegan, I substituted Just Egg Liquid and Aquafaba from canned garbanzo beans. Also used whole grain matzoh. It was delicious.
Beth Lee
Thank you Beth for letting us know - it's so helpful to hear these substitutions work! I've wondered about making it vegan. Also love the whole grain matzo idea. I made two yesterday with mushrooms added. Excited to try that too. Chag Sameach.
Jill
I just bought a large jar of Matzo farfel to make a big casserole size so my vegetarian parent will have leftovers. Would a 9x 13 inch pan be ok with a double recipe, or would a 11 x13 be better? I don't make many casserole types of food, so I just am not sure when you double it. I think I will add sautéd mushrooms, caramelized onions and maybe some sweet potato cube or tofu cubes (?). I am trying to make a hearty main dish for my vegetarian parents. This seems much less stressful than that matzoh lasagna I usually make. I think they will love it!
Beth Lee
Already has onions! Mushrooms would be great and I like the tofu idea too. I would go with 9X13. Hope you love this as much as we do. I'm making it this year too - double recipe!
Rick Sanders
Great recipe. Thanks so much. I sautéd some fresh sliced mushrooms with the onions. Was great. Especially for a first try/practice run. Will be making this for Passover for sure.
Beth Lee
Oh I am going to try adding mushrooms - great idea! So glad you enjoyed. And you're so organized - already planning! I shall follow your lead!
Marsha
Great recipe! Very similar to one passed to me from my great grandmother! I have been making it using gluten free matzah for the last ten years, and always turns out great! I bake everything gluten free and most of my friends and family don’t taste any difference. In this particular recipe, I usually use five eggs per box of matzah.
Saw the question in the comments and hope my answer helps!
Beth Lee
You are so kind to make the effort to share this info! This is so helpful. Thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe and that it reminds you of your great grandma's. Nothing I'd rather hear! Hope it was a great Passover for you.
Sarah
Hi! Could this be made with gluten free matzoh? Would I need to change the liquid ratio at all? Thanks!
Beth Lee
Hi Sarah, I talked to Sandi Gaertner of Fearless Dining - one of the best (if not the best) Gluten-Free bloggers out there and she is familiar with matzo. She said in theory it should work but that the starch content in gf matzo is very different so it is definitely a risk. She and I will take this project on together but in the meantime, I cannot make any guarantees on the liquid ratio being the same. I know that doesn't help you right now but I don't want to make it up and then have you be frustrated!
Sarah
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Beth Lee
Hi Sarah - following up based on a comment from a helpful reader who said this about making the recipe with gluten-free matzo. "I have been making it using gluten free matzah for the last ten years, and always turns out great! I bake everything gluten free and most of my friends and family don’t taste any difference. In this particular recipe, I usually use five eggs per box of matzah. Saw the question in the comments and hope my answer helps!"
Judith Feldman
HI
Re: the GF matzah--if using 4 boards for 2 C, how many eggs? As per previous comment, I did not know the equivalent of "box" of matzah as to how many boards that is. I am just making one recipe's worth(with 4 boards made into farfel)
Chag Sameach.....Thank you.
Beth Lee
Hi Judith - I just reread the comment you are referring to. Ok so "5 eggs per box of matzo" -- I use 3 eggs for the 4 boards. While I haven't tested it with GF myself yet, I feel like 5 eggs for an entire box of matzo wouldn't be enough! But of course, I'd have to know how many boards were in her box. Your concern, based on what Sandi Gaertner said, is that extra starch in the GF matzo might make it need more liquid. Which might mean more stock, not more eggs (and definitely not less eggs). I would soak the farfel in the stated amount of stock, and if it seems soft and almost mushy after doing that, then you should be good with the stated 3 eggs in the recipe and 1.5 cups of stock. Eggs are what make a kugel a kugel - it's almost a pudding - and they hold it all together. So I did try to backoff on the eggs in this recipe but don't back off too far. Did I answer your question?? Chag Sameach. And happy cooking!
Judith F
Thank you for your quick reply! Even using GF flour is tricky for other recipes. I will follow your lead and check for the moisture and add stock if necessary.
Darla
How much farfel would I use if I am not using matzah and using actual farfel?
Beth Lee
Editing the recipe right now - 4 boards equals approximately 2 cups! Great question. Chag Sameach.
Melinda Ruchames
How well does it work if you make it ahead of time and reheat it?
Beth Lee
I have done it without a problem. You can fully bake and reheat (maybe even slightly underbake) or prep ahead, refrigerate and then bake right before your seder. The last one I made (recently) I ate leftovers for 3 days and they stayed moist so should be fine. Chag Pesach Sameach!
Wendy
Have you ever tried it with veggie stock?
Beth Lee
I haven't but I think it would be delicious! I would absolutely use veg stock if I was preparing it for a vegetarian or that was the stock I had available. Let me know if you try it!
rhona elias
Hi. How many cups of matzah farfel would it be for the 4 boards?
Thanks. Rhona
Beth Lee
4 boards makes about 2 cups! Chag Sameach.
Marsha Kneller
I do not see at what point do I add chicken? And should it be a cooked or row chicken?
Beth Lee
Hi Marsha - it's chicken stock, not chicken and you use it to soften/soak the farfel. Let me know if you have any other questions. Chag Sameach.
BLANCHE S POWELL
Can this recipe be doubled?
Beth Lee
Hi Blanche, I don't see why not! Chag Sameach.
Sandi
You put a lot of time into this post and I have learned so much. My grandmother used to make her kugel with egg noodles. I can't wait to try this version.
Beth Lee
I LOVE noodle kugel. My mom used to make one that was so simple with just egg noodles, eggs, oil, and cinnamon and a little sugar and raisins and I loved it so much! Could eat half the pan of it.