Looking for a good charoset recipe for this year’s Passover Seder? You found it! This recipe mixes Sephardic and Ashkenazi style charosets into a thick, sweet spread that won’t fall off your matzo cracker!
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Passover Charoset recipes vary widely, but all typically include apples, nuts, and a sprinkle of candy to tie it all together. Some are more of a finely chopped fruit and nut salad, others more of a spreadable paste.
The Importance of Charoset for Passover Seder
Charoset is traditionally served as part of the Passover Seder. Seder means “order” in Hebrew and refers to the specific order in which we perform the rituals and readings of the Passover meal.
When it comes time to enjoy the charoset, it is spread neat on matzo or sandwiched between two pieces of matzo along with a layer of horseradish. This is the classic Hillel sandwich (it originally had lamb in it, but these days we just use horseradish and charoset).
Charoset on matzo is said to symbolize the mortar between the stones of the pyramids in Egypt.
My favorite charoset recipe
My recipe is a mix of Ashkenazi and Sephardic styles. I love how the Sephardic-style pasty charoset is tied with sticky-sweet dates to really resemble the mortar it’s meant to symbolize. Ashkenazi-style charoset, on the other hand, is more of a lighter mix of chopped apples and nuts, sweetened with a sip or two of Concord grape juice or Manischewitz wine.
This recipe gives you the best of both worlds. The mixture will stick together and not fall off your matzo cracker, but there are juicy chunks of diced apple throughout to add crunch and balance out the sweetness of the dates. Instead of wine, I use orange juice, which adds some spice and is kid-friendly too.
Oh, and oranges are a modern day Passover symbol meant to acknowledge those who feel marginalized in the Jewish community.
Make Ahead Charoset
Preparing charoset ahead of time gives the flavors a chance to blend and mellow. It keeps in the fridge for up to two days. Just before serving, you can add a little more juice or a little more spice, depending on your taste.
How to buy dates
When buying dates, look for fresh ones—they should be dark brown, soft, and heavy for their size. If you only find drier dates, you can soften them by soaking them in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain the dates before continuing with the recipe.
Make this recipe your own!
You can also use this recipe as a template and let your creativity run free. Add some orange zest, swap out various chopped nuts (almonds and pecans are commonly used), or throw in a handful of raisins.
Omit the dates for an Ashkenazi-style charoset, or toss the apples with the dates for a more pasty, Sephardic-style spread. Oh, and feel free to add some manic jokes if you just can’t imagine Charoset without it!
For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our guide to apples.
More Popular Passover Recipes
- Boiled eggs with horseradish and dill
- coconut macaroons
- matzo ball soup
- Pressure cooker brisket
- Matzo Brie
Charoset with apples, dates and walnuts
ingredients
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1 cup walnut halves and pieces
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1/2 pound (about 13 large) Medjool dates, pitted
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1/4 cup orange juice or Manischewitz wine
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1 Granny Smith or Fuji apple, peeled, cored and chopped
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1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
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1/4 teaspoon ginger
special equipment
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food processor
method
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Process nuts:
Place the walnuts in a food processor. Process them in 1 second pulses until finely chopped. Put them in a bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish.
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Create a paste:
In the now empty food processor, add the pitted dates and orange juice. Process them until they form a thick paste, scraping down the sides if necessary.
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Combine the ingredients:
Add the paste to the bowl with the chopped nuts. Add the apple, cinnamon, and ginger to the bowl and stir.
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Customize the flavor and serve:
Taste the charoset and add more juice or wine, cinnamon or ginger to taste. The charoset can be served immediately or up to two days after preparation. (Store in the fridge.) Sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of walnuts to garnish.
