It’s nearly Passover (April 5 to April 13, 2023), so we’re getting ready to ditch the chametz (or leaved bread products) and attend or host a Passover seder dinner (complete with a rousing chorus of Dayenu and finding the afikoman, ofc!). Though we’d never advocate to completely get rid of some of the more traditional foods eaten during Passover (potato kugel, we love you), those of us who celebrate know things can get a little… repetitive after a while. The best way to avoid that? Like with any holiday, switching up your side dishes can bring some much needed variety, color, and flavors to your meals. Check out our 25 Passover side dishes for ideas—we promise they’re better than eating matzo pizza again 😉.

There are some recipes that are practically synonymous with Passover: The aforementioned kugel is one, as is matzo ball soup, carrot-and-date-based tzimmes, and apple-walnut charoset. There are also some traditional Passover seder plate ingredients we’re highlighting here, like horseradish (maror), hard-boiled eggs (beitzah), or beets (zeroah, in lieu of a shank bone). If you’ve got extra of these ingredients and don’t want them to go to waste, try our egg salad, our horseradish mashed potatoes, or our beet borsht.

We’ve also included a number of salads, from lighter greens-based ones like our mandarin orange salad or our roasted beet & goat cheese salad, to hearty ones like our Niçoise salad or our roasted chickpea & avocado salad.

Speaking of chickpeas, they (and other legumes) fall under the category of kitniyot, a traditionally avoided ingredient throughout the history of Passover celebrations. Many modern families have begun reintroducing them into their kosher for Passover diets—if that’s not you, we’ll assume you’ll be aware of the regulations you abide by and will sub in or out of these recipes as needed. For everyone else, we hope these recipes will help broaden your perspective and inspire you to try something new. We think the best part about appreciating a culture you’re not a part of is the opportunity to try something new while also having the flexibility to (respectfully!) not be perfect about it.

Want even more Passover ideas? Check out our best recipes for Passover dinner and our favorite Passover desserts too (our matzo icebox cake is a stunner).

All beet lovers rejoice! This is the ideal beet salad: creamy goat cheese (sub feta if you prefer it), roasted beets, avocado... what more could you want this Passover?

Get the Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Salad recipe.

For when you can't have traditional noodle kugel (😥), this gluten-free potato kugel is the next best thing. It's essentially a giant latke!

Get the Potato Kugel recipe.

A symbolic dish of past hardships, warming matzo ball soup is an essential component of the Passover feast. The time and effort you invest really pays off here; plus, it couldn’t be easier: Throw a few roughly chopped vegetables, a whole chicken or two, some herbs, and chicken stock into a large pot and basically walk away for two hours.

Get the Chicken Matzo Ball Soup recipe.

Tangy and bright from generous amounts of lemon, this Greek-inspired recipe is a great way to great way jazz up everyone's favorite OUP carb—potatoes!

Get the Greek Lemon Potatoes recipe.

The secret to really good Passover-friendly "garlic bread"? Cheese, glorious cheese! Fun fact: The same concept applies to cauliflower pizza crust.

Get the Keto Garlic Bread recipe.

The word tzimmes has its origins in Yiddish: To "make a big tzimmes about something" essentially means making a big fuss. Here, there's hardly any! The carrots and dates are quickly braised in an orange sauce and finished with fresh parsley for a pop of green.

Get the Tzimmes recipe.

Mashed potatoes are always amazing, but these are downright insane. They're also the perfect use for the leftover maror from your Passover Seder plate. Just remember, a little horseradish goes a long way. Even if you're a fanatic, start with our suggested amount (or less), then work your way up.

Get the Horseradish Mashed Potatoes recipe.

According to food historians, the first Niçoise salad (from Nice, on France’s southeastern coast) contained only tomatoes, olive oil, and anchovies. Over the years, ingredients have been added and subtracted, so feel free to do the same and go with your family's favorites!

Get the Niçoise Salad recipe.

At once light-as-air and lavishly decadent, a classic cheese soufflé is hard not to love. The ingredients may be simple, but the impact is anything but; piping hot out of the oven, these soufflés are sky-high, golden brown, and filled with cheesy, custardy goodness.

Get the Cheese Soufflé recipe.

This simple recipe is the most versatile side dish, and it's impossible to mess up. Toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread in an even layer on a large sheet tray. (Feel free to throw in any of your favorite herbs or spices as well!)

Get the Oven-Roasted Carrots recipe.

Pan-fried potatoes are truly one of Passover's simplest pleasures, and all you need is some potatoes, some fat, and plenty of salt to achieve their greatness. This French variety elevates them even FURTHER with the addition of caramelized onions (skip the butter if you want to serve these alongside meat!).

Get the Potatoes Lyonnaise recipe.

This crustless quiche, also sometimes referred to as a frittata, forgoes the pastry shell and as a result the egg itself creates a satisfying crust on the edges. Feel free to fill it with different veggies, cheeses, herbs, and more if you like.

Get the Crustless Quiche recipe.

Amazing, creamy mashed potatoes are still possible while being completely dairy-free, and these are here to prove it! You can serve these alongside your roast chicken or brisket and still keep your meal kosher for Passover.

Get the Vegan Mashed Potatoes recipe.

There are many ways you can cook asparagus, but roasting is our absolute favorite. Here's to cook perfect asparagus every time.

Get the Roasted Asparagus recipe.

Cozy and nourishing, we crave matzo ball soup pretty much year-round, though it's a MUST for Passover. Although schmaltz (AKA chicken fat) and chicken broth are typically included in this classic Ashkenazi Jewish soup, it’s not hard to swap in vegetarian-friendly ingredients.

Get the Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup recipe.

Originating in North Africa and now strongly associated with Israeli cuisine, shakshuka typically involves a sauce of tomatoes and red peppers. Our take on this simmered skillet spins the color wheel, thanks to roasted tomatillos and Swiss chard, and takes flavor inspiration from Mexico. Serve it for any meal you want to jazz up this Passover.

Get the Green Shakshuka recipe.

Cauliflower is one of our favorites to roast because, flavor-wise, it's very much a blank canvas. You can keep it simple with just salt and pepper or go nuts with a custom spice blend. Our recipe adds a touch of color and zesty flavor with Old Bay seasoning, but feel free to get creative!

Get the Roasted Cauliflower recipe.

When it comes to Passover-worthy salads, this one takes the cake. The mandarin oranges give it a burst of freshness while the Parmesan gives it a bite of sharpness and nuttiness. Its homemade poppy seed dressing (super-simple!) is unbelievably tasty—feel free to skip the seeds if you're still avoiding kitniyot.

Get the Mandarin Orange Salad recipe.

This rich, flavorful broth is SO flavorful, making it one of our go-tos during Passover week. Dyed-pink hands got you down? Try rubbing the stained parts of your hand with sliced lemon, then rinse with soap and water.

Get the Best-Ever Borsht recipe.

One of the best ways to prepare Brussels sprouts is to roast them. It’s super-easy: Toss the sprouts in a little olive oil, spread them on a baking sheet, and throw them in the oven to hang out for 30 minutes. The oven’s high dry heat will bring out all those delicious nutty flavors, rendering the sprouts soft and tender in the middle and leaving the outer leaves crispy and delicious.

Get the Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe.

These crispy potatoes are totally versatile; you can top them with cheddar, ranch seasoning (good use for any leftover seder plate karpas, or parsley), or even brie. Skip the Parmesan and swap the butter for olive oil if you want to serve these alongside meat as a side, or put them out alongside toothpicks as an app.

Get the Garlic Smashed Potatoes recipe.

The tahini-ranch here is a lightened-up dressing that is better than any bottle you could buy. It, plus crunchy roasted chickpeas (if you're eating kitniyot), creamy avocado, and feta, make this a salad you'll revisit again and again over Passover.

Get the Roasted Chickpea and Avocado Salad recipe.

After roasting, the exterior petals can be pulled off, and you can use your teeth to scrape out the delicious, tender insides. We think our simple recipe for Old Bay mayo really complements the artichoke’s lemon-herbal flavor profile, but feel free to swap in everything from tahini sauce to ketchup if you prefer.

Get the Roasted Artichokes recipe.

Sweet potatoes are one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen: They're amazing boiled, baked, sautéed, and fried (we love you, sweet potato fries). One of the easiest and most useful ways to cook sweet potatoes is to roast them. For perfect roasted sweet potatoes every time, abide by our simple rules.

Get the Perfect Roasted Sweet Potatoes recipe.

You can get creative with mix-ins and seasonings (lookin' at you, keto egg salad, with avocado!), but this recipe is the perfect base with just 6 core ingredients. Try swapping your mustard, or adding in pickled elements, extra veggies, or more seasonings to switch it up. Skip the bread for Passover—it's good all on its own.

Get the Best-Ever Egg Salad recipe.