Matzoh Brei
on Mar 29, 2020, Updated Apr 23, 2024
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Matzoh brei is not much more than scrambled eggs with broken up pieces of matzoh, and it's one the simplest and most delicious ways to use up leftover matzoh ever.
Matzoh brei (rhymes with fry) is essentially matzoh mixed into beaten eggs and fried, or–looking at it slightly differently–scrambled eggs with matzoh. Matzoh brei can also be also spelled matzo brei or matzah brei or even matzah brie, which I find odd.
It is often eaten for breakfast during Passover. During the Jewish holiday of Passover observant Jews are required to stay away from any leavened breads of any kind. The only permitted wheat product is matzoh (and matzoh meal). To learn the story about how the Jewish people fled across the desert and why leavened bread is off limits click here.
How Do You Make Matzoh Brei?
The matzo is usually soaked in water or milk before draining it and mixing it into the eggs. Then the damp matzoh is broken up and combined with the eggs. I like to give it a very fast soak in water, slightly more than a dunk, and then drain it and break it into pieces.
The sizes of the pieces don’t matter so much, but I prefer to break the matzoh into about 1-inch pieces. But I also add all of little matzoh shards and crumbs to the beaten eggs.
Some people break up the matzoh and soak it directly in the beaten eggs, without dipping them in any other liquid first. I like the matzohs to be a touch softened first, so they blend into the eggs more easily.
I like to saute some chopped onions in butter before adding the egg/matzo mixture and cooking the matzo brei.
Ratio of Eggs to Matzoh for Matzoh Brei
The ratio of matzoh to eggs differs radically from recipe to recipe. Some people use 1 sheet of matzoh per egg, resulting in a very matzoh-dense matzoh brei. I’ve eaten and made it in many ways, and I like the 2 eggs to every 1 sheet of matzoh ratio. You can play with it and decide for yourself. The good news is that you can’t mess it up, you’ll only have varying consistencies as a result of changing up the matzoh to egg proportion.
Add-Ins for Matzo Brei
There are savory and sweet versions of matzo brei. Mine is savory, and I saute a bit of minced onion in butter before adding the eggs and matzoh. In other savory versions you might find things like cabbage or sauerkraut and mushrooms, and possibly sour cream to serve.
You can make a sweet version of matzoh brei by adding other ingredients like apples, honey and cinnamon, and maybe serving it with maple syrup.
How to Make Matzo Brei
Brei means “fry” in contemporary Yiddish, and it also means “mash” in German. Some people let the egg and matzoh mixture cook until brown on the bottom, then kind of flip it, like a pancake, or a frittata, or Spanish tortilla. I just roughly scramble the mixture, ending up with super chunky dense matzoh-studded scrambled eggs.
To stay within kosher guidelines, if there happens to be any meat as part of the meal, many people will opt for oil or margarine instead of butter. On the converse side, sometimes people will go for chicken fat (schmaltz) if that is on hand, and fits within the dietary guidelines of the meal. I’m a butter gal.
A Great Way to Use Up Leftover Matzoh
Matzo brei its one of the tastiest and easiest ways to have a solid breakfast during Passover when you are not eating bread. It’s also one of the very best ways to use up leftover matzoh after the holiday has ended. I don’t observe the Passover holiday strictly—after the first two nights of Seder, I’m kind of off the unleavened bread bandwagon. But I always have boxes of matzoh hanging around, and everyone in my family is always very happy to see this on the breakfast table. Is it the prettiest dish you will see? Nah. But truly, yum.
More Passover Recipes
- Chicken Marbella for Passover – You know this dish, right? If you don’t, I so envy you, trying it for the first time.
- Chicken Thighs with Onions and Green Olives – Tender, juicy, and hitting all those high notes of Mediterranean deliciousness.
- Jewish Brisket – This is the best brisket ever, and I never have a Jewish holiday without it!
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Matzoh Brei
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 2 sheets matzoh
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 4 minutes, until softened.
- Meanwhile, break the matzohs into pieces about 1 inch in size and place them in a bowl. Have a strainer ready. Fill the bowl with hot water so that the matzoh is covered. Let sit for 30 seconds, then drain the matzoh in a strainer.
- Beat the eggs in the same bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the matzoh and stir to combine. Transfer the egg and matzoh mixture to the pan with the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are as firmly cooked as you like them, breaking up the mixture (or let it cook until the bottom is firm and browned and use a spatula to flip the mixture as a single entity, then allow the scone side to brown). Transfer to a plate and serve hot.
What happened to using schmaltz or nyafat?
oh, yes, if you have that, go for it!
I soak my matzoh in chicken soup which adds a nice flavor to the mix. A short soak works, but my preference is to soak the matzoh until its soggy with the soup.