I have already written other posts about the amazing Passover seder meals at my grandmother's house such as the Passover stuffed chicken breast recipe; but this recipe for GG's matzo farfel kugel is her signature dish! We call her GG because that is what her great grandchildren get to call her and the name just caught on for all of us. With her permission, I get to share this recipe with you. Savory and full of flavor, it compliments just about anything else you are serving at a Passover meal. This recipe is easy to make and is dairy free.
What do you need to make this recipe?
- Matzo farfel - this is crushed up matzo or you can buy it pre-crushed in a can or box.
- Mushrooms, onions, and celery - for flavor base.
- Onion soup mix - the bulk of the seasoning.
- Chicken soup - this can be from a can or you can use our easy homemade chicken soup recipe.
- Margarine or oil - to saute the veggies.
- Potato pancake mix - for texture.
A Step by step guide to making this recipe
Time needed: 50 minutes.
Matzo farfel kugel step by step
- Chop the veggies
Chop the mushrooms, onions, and celery and prepare to saute them.
- Saute and season
Saute the mushrooms, onions, and celery in the margarine or oil. Saute at medium/low heat until they look like this. Add the onion soup mix at this point.
- Beat eggs and potato pancake mix
In a separate bowl, beat the whole eggs and potato pancake mix together.
- Mix eggs and veggies
Mix the eggs, mushrooms, onions, and celery together.
- Prepare farfel
In another bowl pour the farfel and then pour the chicken soup and water over the farfel. Be sure that the chicken soup soaks in before moving on to the next step.
- Mix all ingredients together
Mix the veggie/eggs mixture into the farfel and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
FAQ
A kugel is an ashkenazi Jewish dish that is similar to a quiche or frittata. It is usually made with noodles and eggs and can have any number of other ingredients ranging from veggies to fruits. On Passover, we cannot use noodles since they are chomez so we have to get creative. Matzo farfel substitutes for the noodles and the dish becomes kosher for Passover.
Matzo farfel is a product that is created by crushing up matzo into pieces. The pieces are approximately ¼ of an inch each but that is only an average as the shapes are not perfect squares. Any smaller than that and it starts to become matzo meal. Farfel is used in place of noodles or crackers in some Passover recipes. This is a gebrokts recipe and should not be eaten if you keep non-gebrokts.
There are a lot of recipes for matzo farfel kugel and they come in all varieties. There are both sweet and savory recipes. If you want to get creative then you can also make a sweet/savory matzo farfel kugel as well.
Matzo farfel is, by nature, dry. This means that when you cook with it you will need to add a lot of extra moisture. Unlike cooking with potatoes which will expel some liquid into the kugel, the matzo farfel will act like a sponge and soak up all of the liquids you add. This means that to keep the kugle moist you should use all of the liquids we talk about in this recipe post and do not leave any out. Also, take a few extra minutes to let the chicken soup soak into the farfel and really get the moisture incorporated.
Matzo farfel kugel freezes very well. Place it in a disposable foil pan, cover it, and double wrap with plastic wrap, this will insure that it does not get freezer burn. If you are not going to freeze it, you can keep the matzo farfel kugel in the refrigerator for about 5-7 days.
Tips for making matzo farfel kugel
- Make sure to allow time for the matzo farfel to soak up the chicken stock you pour into it. This will make sure that the farfel contains enough moisture and you will not have dry spots in the middle.
- If you make the matzo farfel kugel in advance and reheat it you will want to pour ½ cup of chicken stock over the top to make sure that the kugel does not dry out in the oven. (Remember, matzo acts like a sponge).
- You can try any number of different mushrooms in this recipe. For suggestions, see our cooking tips about different kinds of mushrooms.
More recipes like this one
GG's Matzo Farfel Kugel
Equipment
- 9x13 pan
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups matzo farfel
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 8 oz mushroom
- 1 stick margarine can substitute ½ cup of oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon onion soup mix
- 4 egg
- 4 tablespoon potato pancake mix
- 8 oz chicken stock
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Chop the mushrooms, onions, and celery.
- In a pan over a medium/low flame melt the margarine and saute the mushrooms, onions, and celery until tender.
- Season the mushrooms, celery, and onions with the onion soup mix.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the potato pancake mix.
- Add the sauteed mushrooms, onions, and celery into the egg mixture.
- In a separate bowl, pour the water and chicken soup over the matzo farfel.
- Mix the farfel into the egg/vegetable batter and pour into a pre-greased 9x13 pan.
- Bake in the oven at 375ºF for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Make sure to allow time for the matzo farfel to soak up the chicken stock you pour into it. This will make sure that the farfel contains enough moisture and you will not have dry spots in the middle.
- If you make the matzo farfel kugel in advance and reheat it you will want to pour ½ cup of chicken stock over the top to make sure that the kugel does not dry out in the oven. (Remember, matzo acts like a sponge).
- You can try any number of different mushrooms in this recipe. For suggestions, see our cooking tips about different kinds of mushrooms.
Nutrition
If you like this recipe then you will love these:
Sherry Cizek Magid
How many eggs!!!!
Ben
4 eggs. The recipe has been updated.