An Award-Winning Cookbook Author Made Us the Ultimate Passover Menu

Raise a glass (or four) of wine and break out the chocolate-covered matzo — Passover is here. Everyone has their own way of doing their Seder, but we think there’s one thing that’s a nonnegotiable: really good food. Fortunately, we’re here to help out by providing you with a menu created by James Beard Award–winning cookbook author, Joan Nathan. See her delicious meal — it could become your favorite Passover dinner yet.

 Wine-Braised Brisket

We worked on this brisket with Joan Nathan to make sure it was just right. Consider roasting some large chunks of carrot the day before your Passover Seder and then slipping them into the baking dish with the brisket while it heats up. Finish by serving sliced brisket with its cooking liquid and the roasted carrots. That’s what Joan is planning to do!

Tunisian Cumin Coriander Carrots

These roasted carrots are tossed with toasted spices and pistachios. Joan finishes the dish with a squeeze of lemon and fresh parsley.

Bulgarian Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Salad

This sweet and smoky side is the perfect complement for brisket, but Joan also highly recommends spreading it over matzo or using leftovers by folding them into an omelet — a great solution for when you’re looking for Passover-friendly breakfasts.

Asparagus with Lemon, Parsley and Roasted Almonds

This asparagus dish is vibrant and spring-y. It’s excellent warm or at room temperature and a perfect foil to the richer dishes in this meal

Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes

These potatoes are roasted until super crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, then tossed in a rosemary-lemon zest mixture. The secret? Fried rosemary adds crunchy texture.

Apple-Pecan Charoset

A twist on traditional charoset — a Seder Plate staple. Joan uses pecans (rather than walnuts) for an easy sweetness. This may truly blow away your guests who are used to a traditional charoset, so make sure everyone is sitting down for dinner before serving. The almost paste-like texture of the charoset is perfect for spreading on matzo, and it will hold up well for the whole week of Passover — no pressure, but you might want to consider getting extra.

PS: If you want to add some traditional matzo ball soup to the mix, check out our recipe.