Apple and Sweet Potato Matzo Bake

Need a make-ahead dish for Passover dinner? Let this sweet and satisfying matzo bake with apples and sweet potatoes be your saving grace! Serve it on the side with brisket or roast chicken.

Matzo Casserole with Apples and Sweet Potatoes - white casserole dish filled with layers of sweet potatoes and apples, with matzo crackers on top. A slice is missing and a serving spatula is in its place
Coco Morante

Tired of the usual tsimmes and kugel served at Passover dinner? Make a beautifully layered matzo bake this year!

A Modern Side Dish for Passover Dinner!

Tsimmes is a mix of sweet potatoes and dried fruits sweetened with orange juice, and kugel is a casserole of noodles or potatoes. They might seem almost dessert-like in their sweetness, but they are most commonly served as side dishes alongside a savory main course.

Think of them as the Jewish holiday equivalents of Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole—sweet dishes meant to accompany a table of savory foods.

While they’re both delicious side dishes, they can’t compete with the look of this layered Matzo Bake! I absolutely love how pretty this is when cut into slices. The bright orange layers of sweet potato make this a showstopper dish!

Passover Side Dish with Matzo -white casserole dish filled with layers of sweet potatoes and apples, with matzo crackers on top. A slice is missing and a serving spatula is in its place
Coco Morante

What's in This Matzo Bake?

If you’ve ever made a skillet of matzo brei, the matzo and egg layers in this bake will look familiar. In fact, this Matzo Bake works for breakfast, brunch, or as a side dish to brisket or roast chicken at dinner!

It’s got layers of egg-soaked matzo, thinly sliced sweet potatoes, and cinnamon-spiced apples. You’ll dot the top with some margarine, and bake it for a few extra minutes so it gets crispy and browned before serving.

Margarine rather than butter is used here, since kosher dietary laws dictate that dairy cannot be eaten alongside or directly after a meal that also includes meat. If your Passover meal is completely vegetarian or you don’t follow kosher law, feel free to use butter instead.

For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples.

Matzo Side Dish for Passover - - white casserole dish with a layer of sweet potatoes on the bottom and a layer of apples on top sprinkled iwth cinnamon
Coco Morante
Passover Side Dish with Matzo - casserole dish with matzo on top
Coco Morante

A Make-Ahead Passover Side Dish

To streamline your day-of-Seder routine, you can assemble the Matzo Bake a day in advance. Just be prepared to add a few minutes to the cooking time if you’re taking it straight from the refrigerator to the oven.

Once baked, it will keep for up to three days in the fridge.

More Recipes for Your Passover Table!

Apple and Sweet Potato Matzo Bake

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 65 mins
Cooling Time 15 mins
Total Time 95 mins
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 2 cups hot water

  • 6 sheets (6 ounces) matzo crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds

  • 2 large Fuji or gala apples, peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 2 tablespoons margarine

Method

  1. Preheat oven and prepare baking dish:

    Preheat the oven to 325o F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with margarine, olive oil, or grapeseed oil.

  2. Beat the eggs and soak the matzo:

    In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, salt, and pepper until no streaks of yolk remain.

    In separate large bowl, pour the hot water over the matzo crackers. Let sit for just a minute. Drain the excess water.

    Matzo Side Dish for Passover - white bowl with water and matzo crakers
    Coco Morante
    Matzo Side Dish for Passover - white bowl wiht matzo crackers and someone pouring water into bowl
    Coco Morante
  3. Add the eggs mixture to the matzo:

    Pour the egg mixture over the drained matzo and gently fold to combine. You don’t want to break up or smush the matzo pieces too much, just coat them evenly in egg.

  4. Layer the potatoes and apples:

    Place half of the sweet potato slices in the baking dish in an even layer. Place half of the apple slices on top of the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon over the apples. Spoon half of the matzo/egg mixture over the apples and spread it out in an even layer.

    Repeat the layers of sweet potato, apple, cinnamon, and matzo/egg mixture once more, then cover the dish with aluminum foil, making sure the foil isn’t touching the matzo.

    Strata Side Dish for Passover - white casserole dish with a layer of sweet potatoes on the bottom.
    Coco Morante
    Matzo Side Dish for Passover - - white casserole dish with a layer of sweet potatoes on the bottom and a layer of apples on top sprinkled iwth cinnamon
    Coco Morante
    Passover Side Dish with Matzo - casserole dishw ith matzo on top
    Coco Morante
    Passover Side Dish with Matzo - casserole dish wraped in aluminum foil
    Coco Morante
  5. Bake the casserole and dot with margarine:

    Bake the casserole, covered, for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, uncover, and poke with a paring knife or toothpick to make sure the sweet potatoes are softened and cooked through. (If they aren’t soft yet, re-cover the casserole and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft enough to easily pierce.)

    Dot the top of the casserole with margarine and bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes, until the margarine is melted and the matzo is lightly browned.

    Passover Side Dish with Matzo - casserole dish with matzo on top
    Coco Morante
  6. Cool and cut:

    Remove the matzo bake from the oven, let stand for 15 minutes, then cut into slices and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
278 Calories
7g Fat
45g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 278
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 140mg 47%
Sodium 219mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 17mg 83%
Calcium 66mg 5%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 548mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.