Need a few tried and true easy and delicious Gluten Free Passover and Easter Recipes? Look no further!
Many of the recipes you’ll find here are recipes we continually return to each year, because not only do the kids love them, they are part of the traditions we created as our four daughters were growing up. They were also what I remember eating from my childhood Passover sedar. I share menu options that actually work for either Passover or Easter. We celebrate Passover with a traditional dinner and enjoy an Easter brunch with Tim’s family. I love these holidays menu ideas and the foods we continue to enjoy each year!
Not to say we have a treat for you this year ☺ It’s a simple Cheesy Smashed Baby Potatoes drizzled with Pesto side dish that will make everyone hopping for more.
Here’s a little back story on raising children of spirit with blended family traditions of Jewish and Christian faiths
Scroll on down if you’re here only for the recipe and menu ideas.
Growing up in my home we kept a “Kosher Passover”. What that meant was no leavened, yeasted food products for this holy week. That meant no foods made with grains: breads, pastas, pastries or crackers. These foods were known as chametz. Instead we ate unleavened products that were allowed during the 8 days of Passover. Unleavened foods are made from Matzo. If you’re curious for more information, this blogger gives a great explanation for Passover foods.
In our home, we are a blended spiritual family. I am a Jew and Tim a Catholic. We explain to those curious, “How did you raise your four daughters?” Our short answer is, we raised our children of spirit. There is an entire book being written by yours truly about how we did this. The greatest part is we raised them sharing Tim’s and my core values: loving kindness, compassion, tolerance, honesty and forgiveness. Our girls call themselves Jewish American Catholics. As a family we went to temple and church for all holidays. We celebrated every holiday and created our own traditional rituals. It’s worked out well for our family. The girls, now all in their thirties, each have embraced their own spiritual beliefs and have embodied our family’s deep core values for themselves. We gather together often, especially during the holidays keeping our family’s special rituals an annual happening.
What I have found over the years is, we all love our traditional Passover recipes. This is the first year I’m adding a new recipe in… smashed pesto baby potatoes! I enjoy rotating the main protein with seasonal vegetable options and depending on what we want for Easter dinner. I send out a menu to the girls asking if there are any changes or additions they’d prefer. I also ask, who would like to bring a side dish or dessert. I’ve learned I don’t have to do it all any more, and embrace others sharing in the cooking. Our Easter family brunch does the same. An email goes out and everyone brings dishes to share. That way everyone who enjoys cooking and wants to participate, can.
Our favorite Passover celebration foods include: lamb cooked 3-ways, Brisket 2-ways, Matzo Ball Soup, roasted asparagus + carrots, Matzo kugel, Matzo Brei, Charoset, Tzimmes, and chocolate dipped macaroons.
Easter and Passover recipes tend to be interchangeable. It really depends on what everyone wants to eat, and the meal you’re serving. Passover is dinner, and Easter is usually an all day brunch. We pick and choose from the menus I’ve shared here and then decide what each meal will include.
Today, we are blessed by the Curry family who has embraced gluten free cooking that so much of our meals are mostly gluten free! Easter brunch Aunt Mary serves up Strata’s, quiches, salads, veggie sides, Honey Baked ham and turkey and many incredible desserts! It’s more of an all-day eating extravaganza! Oh, and are we grateful to those who have perfected gluten free desserts! Thanks to Erin our niece and Samantha who have truly embraced the art of gluten free baking! We have such fun eating and gathering together!
Family’s Favorite Passover & Easter Recipes & Ideas:
Starters
Soup: Roasted Chicken Soup with gluten free Matzo Balls
Artichoke Dip
Dinner Ideas; Choose a Main Course: Lamb, Beef or Wild Fish
Lamb: whole roasted, seared chops or butterflied and grilled
Brisket: Traditional Brisket or Beer Braised Brisket
Watch how to make traditional brisket!
Salmon or Whitefish: Easy seared salmon or any Mediterranean whitefish
SIDES
Roasted Spring Vegetables, with Pomegranate Molasses Tahini Sauce
Artichokes:
Cheesy Smashed Baby Potatoes with Pesto drizzle
Passover Desserts:
Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons French Macaron or Pavlova
Passover Breakfast:
Easter Brunch Recipe and Ideas:
Crustless Quiche is another great option! Similar is a frittata baked in a sheet pan or for smaller gatherings a pie or quiche dish.
Easter Treats and Desserts:
Strawberry Muffins https://currygirlskitchen.com/?s=strawberry+muffins
Lemon Berry Squares https://currygirlskitchen.com/lemon-berry-squares/
Pecan Scones. https://currygirlskitchen.com/gluten-free-pecan-scones-2/
Coffee Cake https://currygirlskitchen.com/?s=coffee+cake
Strawberry Jam: https://currygirlskitchen.com/strawberry-jam-low-sugar-and-no-pectin/
Glazed Strawberry Pie: https://currygirlskitchen.com/strawberry-pie/
Pavlova: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/414049759495950099/
Here’s How We Celebrate:
We celebrate Easter starting on Good Friday dying Easter eggs, decorating the house and having a blended Shabbat and Easter dinner. On Easter Sunday morning the whole family goes to church with Tim for his celebration honoring Christ’s resurrection. The Easter bunny at church was always the highlight for the kids! When they were young, Tim and I would stay up literally until 2am writing clues and hiding Easter eggs for their elaborate egg hunt for each of the girls. After church we’d come home for their long-anticipated egg hunt. After they ate some strawberries and pecan scones with homemade strawberry jam, and a few chocolates and jelly beans, we’d head up to Tim’s family home where we all enjoy a delicious brunch! Wild, yes! Melt downs, of course.
Having two holidays on top of each other can be a lot. Sometimes I break down and order some dishes or parts of recipes to help me out! Yes! I am particular about the quality of the food so it can be a bit more pricier depending on the grocery store. Here’s my short list of places I go.
- Erewon for their roasted chicken stock. At $20 a quart this stock is almost as perfect as our chicken stock! And is delicious!
- Whole Foods Market or Lazy Acres or a store that has prepared Gefilte Fish and Horseradish. Make sure your gefilte fish IS GLUTEN FREE. Not all are.
Side Note…Oh my goodness this story is amazing on best brands on prepared gefilte fish and how historically there is a connection with Jewish and Catholic roots too! Who knew!
- If I don’t bake them, my favorite macaroons for Passover are from Le Pain Quotidien. Just order them ahead! Sometimes, depending on the store, the have the chocolate dipped. But you can always dip them yourself if they don’t.
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Fun traditional Passover game we play: Hide the Matzo (AKA afikoman)
Check out more fun games to play with kids on Passover.
A little history about Passover…For those interested…
The week-long Jewish celebration of Passover begins with a sedar. A sedar is the family gathering and ritual for retelling the story of Passover. If unfamiliar, Passover celebrates the Jews story of the exodus from slavery in ancient Egypt to freedom. They had to leave Egypt in such a hurry that they only had flour and water to make their bread. That bread is called “matzo”. During the week of Passover all yeasted and leavened foods known as “chametz”, are removed from the home. The Jews love sharing and telling stories from history using a Passover Seder plate to remember the story of their ancestors while experiencing it in a meal. The sedar is the special name for the Passover dinner. Matzo is eaten to remember the exodus. Bitter herbs are eaten to symbolize their oppression (parsley dipped in salty water), the sweetness of freedom, (charoset is nuts + raisins mixed with sweet wine). The egg represents rebirth.
Retelling the story each year is a reminder for our children to remember what our ancestors went through way back when to gain freedom. After the story, we having discussions how it relates to today in hopes to plant seeds and spark the understanding for tolerance. We hope to encourage young people to be courageous and stand up for all people who are in need.
Each year it becomes more and more relevant as we continue to fight for freedom for every human being in this 21st century. Having these conversations with multiple generations is important, enlightening and engaging. We want kids today to have the opportunity to talk openly and share their feelings. Find ways as a family sharing what it means to have freedom, safety and justice for all. Make it relevant for young children to feel safe to speak up. What a gift it is to be a parent. If we don’t teach tolerance, compassion and loving kindness for all, who will.
May your Passover and Easter celebrations be a blessing May they be joyful and delicious! Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all!
