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Traditional Passover Charoset Recipe

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3.8 from 11 reviews

Traditional Passover Charoset is a sweet, spiced mixture of apples, toasted walnuts, and wine or grape juice, perfect for the Seder plate. This refreshing and symbolic dish combines warm spices and fruit flavors, served chilled, making it a delicious accompaniment to matzah or as part of a Hillel sandwich.

  • Author: Chef
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 3 servings
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Jewish
  • Diet: Kosher

Ingredients

Fruit

  • 2 medium apples (Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady, or Gala)

Nuts

  • 2 cups walnuts

Sweeteners & Spices

  • 4 teaspoons brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon orange zest
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Liquids

  • ½ cup sweet kosher wine (or grape juice)

Instructions

  1. Dice Apples: Finely dice the apples and set aside to prepare the base fruit for the charoset.
  2. Toast Walnuts: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently until they are fragrant and lightly browned, which deepens their flavor.
  3. Cool and Dice Walnuts: Allow the toasted walnuts to cool completely, then finely dice them to integrate well with the apples.
  4. Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced apples and walnuts with brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, orange zest, salt, and sweet kosher wine or grape juice. Stir until all ingredients are evenly combined.
  5. Optional Puree: For a finer texture, pulse the mixture a few times in a food processor. Be careful not to over-process it into a paste; it should remain slightly chunky.
  6. Refrigerate: Transfer the charoset to a sealed container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serving it chilled lets the flavors meld beautifully.
  7. Serve: Serve the chilled charoset with matzah. To create a traditional Hillel sandwich, spread charoset on a piece of matzah, add a small amount of horseradish, and top with another piece of matzah.

Notes

  • Toasting the walnuts enhances their flavor and adds a pleasant crunch to the charoset.
  • If you prefer a sweeter charoset, adjust the sugar to taste.
  • Substitute sweet kosher wine with grape juice for a non-alcoholic version.
  • Use fresh orange zest to add a bright, citrusy note to the dish.
  • Refrigeration time allows the flavors to deepen and meld together for the best taste.
  • The optional pulsing step helps achieve a texture some prefer but is not necessary.

Find it online: https://cheftinaskitchen.com/traditional-passover-charoset-recipe/