Passover foods: Meaning in every morsel.

Passover foods are as rich in tradition as they are in flavor. Each dish, from maror to matzo, plays an essential role in observing this important Jewish holiday. Explore the significance of these dishes and get tips on how to make your Passover memorable with delicious foods and quality ingredients from Publix.

The meaning of Passover.

Passover, or Pesach, commemorates the Jewish people’s liberation from Egyptian slavery and the “passing over” of their families from harm during the exodus to Israel. It takes place during Nisan, the month of spring in the Jewish calendar. This year, Passover will be observed April 12 – April 20. 

The Seder.

The eight-day celebration begins at nightfall with the Seder, a ceremonial dinner that includes blessings, songs, and a reading of the exodus story from the Haggadah, a Jewish text. The dinner starts with the Seder plate which holds an assortment of traditional foods that represent different elements of the exodus story.

Matzo.

According to tradition, the Israelites left Egypt so quickly, there wasn’t time to even allow bread to rise. To sustain them on their journey, they ate unleavened bread made with only water and flour. For this reason, leavened bread, or chametz, is prohibited during Passover. All products containing yeast are removed from the home during bedikat chametz, the search for leaven or chametz. Unleavened flatbread, or matzo, is eaten after the rachtzah blessing, ceremonial hand washing, and the yachatz, which is when the bread is broken into two pieces.

Shop our selection of matzo bread for your Seder meal.

Maror.

While matzo symbolizes the Israelites' liberation from slavery, maror represents its bitterness.  According to custom, maror, or bitter herbs such as horseradish, are eaten by themselves and a second time with chazeret, or romaine lettuce, in a korech sandwich made with matzo. The horseradish roots are rinsed, dried, peeled, and grated, then placed in the middle of the Seder plate. 

If you’re sensitive to strong horseradish vapors and want to skip the prep work, try premade, ready-to-serve horseradish.

Charoset.

During the Seder, maror can be dipped into charoset, a sweet mixture of chopped nuts and fruits. Its paste-like consistency represents the mortar the Israelites used to build the Egyptian pyramids. 

Karpas.

To symbolize the labor and pain experienced by the Israelites during their captivity, karpas, or green vegetables, are dipped in saltwater and eaten at the Seder. The saltwater represents the tears of the Israelites.  

Beitzah.

A boiled egg, or beitzah, is placed on the Seder plate to signify the offering, or chagigah, given by the Israelites on pilgrimage to the Holy Temple.  

Zeroah.

According to tradition, the zeroah, a piece of meat or bone, symbolizes the paschal sacrifice made on the evening before the exodus from Egypt.

Matzo ball soup.

No Seder meal would be complete without matzo ball soup. Delicious and comforting, this popular Passover dish is made with matzo ball dumplings, eggs, chicken or vegetable broth, carrots, and other sliced veggies. 

If you’re looking to reduce your prep time, try a matzo ball soup mix. Shop our selection in-store.

For lighter matzo balls, try adding baking soda or seltzer to the mixture.

Gefilte fish.

A symbol of fertility and abundance, gefilte fish is a popular Passover dish. This boneless, minced whitefish can be served warm or chilled. Try it with carrots, parsley, or your favorite garnish.

Food is an important part of Passover celebrations. The unique flavors and meanings of the different dishes bring the stories to life and make us part of the experience.