Passover is a holiday rooted in storytelling, and that story is told most vividly through food. Each year, we gather around the table not only to read the words of the Haggadah, but to taste the story of the Exodus. Each item on the Seder plate, each dish served during the meal, carries meaning. Together, they transform the Seder from a simple retelling of the Exodus into a multi-sensory experience. Through smell, texture and flavor, the story of liberation becomes something we can literally consume and remember.
The Seder plate is the clearest example of how food functions as narrative. Food at Passover does more than nourish the body; it carries history. Matzah recalls the haste of departure, bread so simple it speaks of urgency and vulnerability. Maror confronts us with bitterness, forcing us to feel the harshness of slavery rather than simply describe it. Charoset, thick and sweet, resembles mortar, yet its flavor reminds us that even in forced labor there was endurance, community and the promise of something better. These foods convey the concept that the Exodus was not just an idea but a lived experience.
Beyond the ritual foods, Passover meals are deeply personal. Many families prepare the same dishes year after year, foods you find in the home at no other time during the year. Recipes may have been passed down through generations and tell the story of your family’s migration, adaptation and survival. A grandmother’s brisket, a special soup made only once a year or a favorite dessert becomes as much a part of the holiday as the Haggadah itself. Even when recipes change slightly over time, they still carry the imprint of the people who came before us. Cooking and sharing these dishes is a way of honoring family history and keeping it alive.
Food also marks the passage of time and our changing roles within it. There is a moment many of us recognize when we are no longer just eating the food, but responsible for making it. We move from being served to serving, from asking questions to answering them, from following recipes to teaching them. This shift can feel bittersweet, but it reminds us that tradition survives because someone keeps cooking.
At the same time, Passover pushes us to remember that the story of the Exodus is not confined to the past. Themes of overcoming oppression, striving for justice and maintaining hope are woven throughout the Seder, and they resonate strongly in our current political and social climate. The Haggadah instructs us to see ourselves as if we personally went out of Egypt, and food helps make that leap possible. The bitterness of maror and the sparseness of matzah invite reflection on injustice, suffering and deprivation in the present day. As we eat, we are pushed to ask who still lacks freedom, who still lives with fear and scarcity and what responsibility we have as people who sit at tables of relative abundance.
The structure of the Seder itself encourages engagement rather than passive listening. Questions are central to the experience, beginning with the Four Questions but extending far beyond them. The act of questioning signals that curiosity and critical thinking are essential parts of Jewish tradition. As adults, the questions we ask may be different, but they are no less important. We are invited to reflect on our own actions and values. How do we contribute to freedom, dignity and fairness in our own lives? In what ways can we grow, change and do better?
Even the restrictions of Passover are centered around food, namely the removal of chametz, leavened foods, from our homes. On a practical level, this is a thorough and sometimes exhausting process. On a symbolic level, it is often understood as an act of spiritual cleansing. Chametz represents excess, arrogance and the “puffed up” ego. By removing it, we create space for humility and self-examination. This process aligns naturally with the introspection encouraged by the Seder. We strip away what is unnecessary and focus on what truly sustains us.
Despite the seriousness of its themes, Passover is also comforting and joyful, largely (again) because of the food! The predictability of familiar dishes, the planning and preparation and the knowledge of what will appear on the table create a sense of comfort and belonging. After the formal Seder concludes, the meal opens space for conversation, laughter, debate and storytelling. Food sustains not only the body but the relationships around the table. Surrounded by family and friends, we can discuss heavy topics while still enjoying one another’s company and the pleasure of a shared meal.
Sharing recipes during Passover extends that connection beyond a single meal. A recipe is an invitation to create a moment, a flavor or a tradition in another home. In this way, food becomes a teaching tool, a way of passing on values as well as flavors. And that doesn’t stop once the Seder is over. Most of us are cooking for Passover all week long, looking for tasty dishes that offer a little variety. Recipes like horseradish chive mashed potatoes offer a fresh take on a classic dish while incorporating traditional Passover flavors. A cauliflower kugel can be served instead of — or alongside — the traditional potato version, adding something a little lighter and different to the table. These are the kinds of recipes that work throughout the holiday, not just on Seder night. They’re practical, crowd-pleasing dishes you can return to again and again during Passover — food that supports the ritual, invites conversation and makes the holiday table a place people want to linger.
Ultimately, Passover reminds us that liberation is not a single event but an ongoing process. Each year, we gather around the table to retell the story, taste its symbols and think about what it means in our lives today. Food helps to bring all of that together. The recipes we make, the traditions we repeat and even the small changes we introduce from year to year become part of how the story is remembered and passed on.
As you plan your Passover menus, I wish you and your families a Chag Pesach sameach — from my kitchen to yours. May the food we share bring comfort, connection and hope, and may the story we taste each year move us toward a world with less oppression and more people free.
Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 cups cornflakes
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Hot Honey Sauce:
1/2 cup honey
2 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of salt
Optional garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, cilantro and/or parsley
Preheat oven to 425⁰F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine the cornflakes, parmesan, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Pulse until you have fine crumbs. (Or crush everything together in a plastic zip bag.) Put the crumbs into a shallow bowl.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, add the hot sauce and chicken and toss well to coat.
Dredge the chicken in the crumbs and cover completely. Place on the prepared baking sheet. If you prefer a thicker coating, dip the chicken in egg a second time and coat with crumbs again. Once all the chicken is on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp all over.
Just before the chicken is done, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, warm together sauce ingredients.
When done, place the chicken on a platter and drizzle with the warm sauce. Top with the herbs if using.
Horseradish Chive Mashed Potatoes
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
1 whole head of garlic, intact
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzle
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 bunch chives
Preheat oven to 400⁰F. Cut the top off the head of garlic and peel away the outermost papery skin. Place on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Wrap the foil tightly around the garlic and roast for 45 minutes until soft. Leave in the foil and allow to cool for an hour. Then squeeze the soft roasted garlic into a small bowl and mix with a fork to make a paste. Set this aside.
Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Put cubes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes, then drain completely. While the potatoes boil, finely chop the chives.
While the potatoes are still hot, put them in a large mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup broth, 2 tablespoons olive oil, horseradish, roasted garlic and 2/3 of the chives. Season with salt and pepper and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about a minute. Then turn the mixer to high and beat for another 1-2 minutes until potatoes are completely mashed and smooth. Add more broth as needed to make the potatoes smooth but not too thin.
Sprinkle with remaining chives before serving.
Lemon, Ricotta and Almond Flourless Cake
Photo Credit: www.thelittleloaf.com
Serves 10-12
Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
Zest of 1 lemon
4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
2 1/2 cups almond meal
10 1/2 ounces whole milk ricotta
Sliced almonds for decorating
Powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 325⁰F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan or 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides thoroughly. Set aside.
Place the butter, 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer for 8-10 minutes until pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then gradually add the egg yolks, one at a time, continuing to beat until fully combined. Add the almond meal and beat to combine. Fold ricotta into the almond meal mixture.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand-held mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 2/3 cup sugar to the egg white mixture and whisk until stiff peaks form. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cake mixture until just combined. Repeat with the remaining egg whites.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth out the top. Decorate the top with almond slices and bake for 40-45 minutes or until cooked and firm to touch. Allow to cool completely in the cake pan. After removing from the pan, dust with powdered sugar to serve.
