Passover Stuffing with Chestnuts & Mushroom

Classic bread stuffing is off the table during Passover, so Jewish cooks have spent generations working matzoh into every form of stuffing, kugel, and dumpling. This version soaks whole matzohs in water and squeezes them dry, creating a crumbly, bready base that soaks up margarine and beaten egg the way torn challah would.

What elevates it are the chestnuts and mushrooms: two cups of each, for sweet meatiness and earthy umami that lift the dish well past its matzoh foundation. Thyme, rosemary, sage, and parsley make the herb profile read straight-up Thanksgiving, which works beautifully stuffed in a brisket or roasted alongside chicken at the Seder.

Kitchen Tips

• Soak the matzohs only until they yield to gentle pressure, three to five minutes max. Soggy matzoh turns to paste and loses the crumbly texture this stuffing needs.
• Squeeze the soaked matzoh firmly but do not wring. You want it damp, not dry, so it stays tender when baked.
• Saute the onions and celery covered. The gentle steam draws out moisture and cooks them sweet rather than browning them, which would muddy the flavor.
• Bake the stuffing in a covered dish for the first half of cooking and uncover for the last 15 minutes. This keeps the inside moist and crisps the top.

Variations

• Brown a cup of diced pastrami or kosher sausage and fold in for a meatier version.
• Swap half the mushrooms for rehydrated dried porcini, using the soaking liquid to moisten the matzoh for deeper mushroom flavor.
• Add a grated apple and a handful of toasted pine nuts for a sweeter, more Sephardic direction.