23 Best Passover Appetizers (+ Easy Recipes)

These Passover appetizers are 100 percent holiday approved!

Part of celebrating Passover is honoring the dietary restrictions. And these appetizers will give you tons of menu inspiration. 

Whether you’re hosting a large family gathering or an intimate Seder, appetizers are a great way to kick off the meal.

Traditional apps like matzo ball soup, charoset, and kugel are a holiday must.

Then there are some fun irresistible newbies like vegan queso and matzo crostini. 

Despite which ones you choose, each one is fitting for the Jewish holiday.

So break out the matzah and let’s plan your Passover appetizers to celebrate. 

1. Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo ball soup is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish served for Passover. It’s a comforting dumpling and chicken soup.

The scrumptious matzo balls consist of matzo meal, crackers, eggs, and vegetable oil. 

Plop them into the brothy chicken base with carrots, celery, garlic, and chicken breast. 

It’s healthy, clean tasting, and perfect for the celebration.

2. Instant Pot Harissa Deviled Eggs

If you’re looking to spice things up a bit, try these deviled eggs. 

It takes a classic party appetizer and adds a fiery twist with harissa seasoning.

This North African staple is very spicy and flavorsome. 

Mix it with egg yolk and mayo, then pipe it back into the hard-boiled eggs.

It gives your deviled eggs a punch of flavor!

3. Homemade Gefilte Fish

Gefilte fish is another common appetizer eaten for Passover.

Yiddish for “stuffed”, gefilte fish originally entailed stuffing a fish mixture back into the fish skins. Then, it was poached.

Nowadays, you find it mixed. 

You combine white fish with matzo meal, onion, eggs, and pepper. This version calls for salmon, too. 

Dunk that into a simple seasoned fish stock and let it simmer.

Then, serve it on top of lettuce with a dollop of horseradish sauce.

4. Matzo Ball Dippers

These matzo ball morsels are so fun to dip!

They’re a savory bite of brisket, pastrami, and spinach with a matzo ball mix.

Pierce each ball with a toothpick to make serving a breeze. 

And don’t forget the side dip!

Barbecue sauce, spicy mustard, and chili sauce go great. 

5. Sweet Potato Crostini with Prosciutto and Honey

Now, this is what I call an immaculate bite!

It has the best combination of flavors.

There’s salty prosciutto, creamy goat cheese, sweet figs, fresh basil, and tangy balsamic.

All of that rests on top of earthy baked sweet potato slices. So it’s gluten-free too. 

6. Stovetop Tzimmes

Tzimmes is a common dish you’ll find served during Jewish holidays, including Passover. 

It’s a sweet stew consisting of root veggies, dried apples, dried cranberries, prunes, brown sugar, and honey. 

In Yiddish, tzimmes refers to making a big fuss over something. So you know everyone will love these!

7. Charoset

Charoset is a prime appetizer for Passover Seder. 

It’s the first night of Passover when families gather to eat, sing, and drink wine to sanctify the holiday. 

As for the dish, it’s a sweet medley of fruits, nuts, and cinnamon. 

You can pile it on matzo or add it to the spread as an appetizer. 

8. Passover Potato Latkes

Latkes are a Jewish staple that I’m sure you’ve had a time or two. 

Although they’re traditionally served during Hanukkah, they’re great for Passover too.

These crispy potato pancakes have the best crunch and flavor. 

If you need some latke serving ideas, applesauce or sour cream are both classic options. 

9. Mediterranean Stuffed Mushrooms

Passover or not, these Mediterranean mushrooms are a fantastic party appetizer.

Each savory tidbit features a cheesy sun-dried tomato, garlic, and spinach filling. 

Add gluten-free breadcrumbs for more texture. I think these would be great with matzo as a substitution, too. 

Either way, you may want to double the batch. These morsels go fast. 

10. Cauliflower Kugel

Kugel is a favorite for Passover. It’s a type of casserole made with potatoes or Jewish egg noodles.

This version gives it a healthier spin with cauliflower. It’s low-carb, gluten-free, and low-calorie. 

All you need to make it is cauliflower, onions, eggs, oregano leaves, and spices. 

You can also prepare it ahead of time. That way, you keep the guests fed and happy while Passover dinner is cooking. 

11. Spinach Potato Nest Bites

These bites are a crowd-pleaser!

Nestled inside a crispy bundle of shredded potato is a tasty spinach filling.

They’re pretty easy to make. Plus, the ingredients are all kitchen staples. 

12. Tabbouleh

Need a vegan Passover dish? Serve tabbouleh.

Tabbouleh is a Lebanese herb and bulgur salad.

It’s jam-packed with fresh ingredients like parsley, mint, and cucumber. 

With spring produce starting to emerge, it’s a great choice for the holiday.

13. Passover Potato Kugel

For a more traditional kugel, make it with potatoes. It’s essentially a giant baked latke that the family will love. 

The casserole crams in a whole five pounds of potatoes, half a dozen eggs, and a couple of onions. 

That right there is humble comfort food at its finest. Plus, it serves a crowd!

14. Passover Rolls

Passover is a bread-free holiday. Fortunately, these rolls use matzo, which is unleavened bread. 

So it’s part of the list of foods you can consume.

If you’re not a baker, fear not. These rolls don’t require yeast for baking. 

All you need is matzo meal, eggs, sugar, salt, and oil. Put the rolls in the oven and watch them puff up. 

15. Cauliflower Kugel Bites

Bite-sized kugel gives you the perfect little nibble. 

Instead of a casserole dish, you use a muffin tin to make these. So they’re easy to serve.

And they’re made with cauliflower, so they’re low-cal. 

That makes it a touch easier to not fill up on appetizers. That is, as long as you can hold back from eating the whole platter. 

16. Instant Pot Crispy Brisket Bites

Can’t wait for brisket until dinner? Turn it into an appetizer. 

These savory bites are melt-in-your-mouth tender. 

And don’t even get me started on the Texas rub and barbecue sauce!

Brisket is typically served with latkes, kugel, or even matzo ball soup.

I say make them all for an irresistible Passover appetizer spread. 

17. 5-Minute Vegan Cashew Queso

Processed foods are a Passover no-go. But this queso is completely plant-based and made from scratch. 

You toss seven ingredients into a blender and there you have it, a 5-minute queso. 

It’s creamy, cheese, spicy, and hard to believe it’s vegan.

Serve this with a side of carrots, celery, and matzo. Your guests will love it!

18. Vegan Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Spinach artichoke dip is a holiday classic. And this one is safe to eat for Passover. 

It uses non-dairy milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, onions, garlic, and kosher salt as the base. 

Pile in the artichokes and spinach, blend, and bake.

Matzo is the perfect dipper to scoop up this dip. You can also make it a healthy appetizer with veggie sticks. 

19. Homemade Potato Knishes

Flaky, tender, and loaded with caramelized onions, potato knishes were made for Passover. 

Also known as the “New York Knish,” they’re a simple pastry and potato dumpling. But the rich taste and contrasting textures are out of this world.

When these come out hot, your guests won’t be able to resist a second serving.

20. Matzo Crostini

Bread might be out of the question, but matzo isn’t. Matzo crostini is a brilliant bread substitute. 

Not to mention, it’s an easy Passover side dish or appetizer. 

With matzo as the base, you load it up with a bruschetta topping. It’s fresh, delectable, and bread-free. 

You don’t have to stop at Bruschetta either. Add any toppings you like.

As long as they’re kosher and Passover-friendly, of course. 

21. Smoked Salmon Platter

Hot and cold smoked salmon? Don’t mind if I do!

Not only do you get two types of salmon, but a bunch of fresh offerings, too.

It’s complete with cucumber, capers, red onions, dill, and everything. 

It has a wonderful cream cheese spread and baked crostini.

However, since it’s Passover, you might need to make a few minor tweaks. 

And don’t just eat it for Passover, it’s great for other holidays and special occasions.

Brunches, bridal showers, happy hours, you name it. 

22. Steamed Artichokes

Looking to make the best artichokes for Passover? This recipe will show you how. 

All you need are some artichokes, lemon, water, and a big pot with a steamer basket. 

Trim the top of the artichokes and remove the harder outer leaves. Then, steam them over the lemon water. 

For added flavor, toss in a bay leaf and serve them with a side of vegan mayo.

23. 4-Ingredient Healthy Carrot Fritters

These carrot fritters are so simple, it’s a shame not to make them.

These consist of carrots, eggs, buckwheat, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. That’s it!

They take only a handful of minutes to fry. Plus, they’re healthier than potato fritters.

Vegan sour cream is a great choice for serving. I also like to dip mine in hummus.