Photo credit Nancy Andres
When I
host a Seder this spring, you can bet we'll retell the Passover
story and feast on foods that feature whole food plant-based ingredients.
Post updated 3/31/2025
Passover is a festive Jewish holiday that starts this year at sundown on Saturday
- April 12 and ends at nightfall on Sunday April 20, 2025.
Jewish people from around the world will gather in their homes to mark Passover in many ways.
The Passover story is outlined below. It shows which foods are a big part of Seder rituals, and identifies which plant-based products veganize the traditional animal-based ones.
Discover Passover whole food plant-based recipes that are colorful, flavorful, healthy, and fun to eat.
Do you want to learn more about Jewish culture or want to refresh your memory? There's something for you as well.
This blog highlights recipes that are low fat, low refined sugar, and low sodium. Each can easily transform ingredients that are traditional including eggs, brisket, chicken soup, and capon into healthier vegan ones.
Eating no animal products is a great way to reduce our carbon footprint and prevent cruelty to animals as well. See more at PETA.
Note: Although foods including tofu, lentils, and quinoa may not be considered suitable to eat for Passover by some Jews, I believe these things are an update for better nutrition. They include nutrients I need to stay healthy. I prefer to eat them holiday or not.
The Passover Story and Recipes
Please understand, you don't have to be Jewish or vegan to explore them.
Passover commemorates the Hebrews’ Exodus from Egypt, and our peoples’ journey from slavery to
freedom.
At the Seder, a ceremonial event/meal which takes place on the first night or first two nights of the holiday, those gathered round the table read portions of the Haggadah.
The Haggadah is a guide that sets out the rituals and steps in the re-telling of the Exodus story. It originally comes from the Jewish Bible, in the Biblical Book of Exodus.
Our story starts in ancient Egypt, where a particularly hostile
pharaoh orders the enslavement of the Jewish people, as well
as the systematic drowning of all Hebrew firstborn sons.
The pharaoh's daughter spies and rescues one baby she sees floating down the Nile.
When this baby (Moses) grows up he discovers his true identity as a Hebrew. He also recalls the Egyptians' harsh treatment of his people.
Moses kills the Egyptian
slave master and escapes to the Sinai Peninsula, where he lives as a humble
shepherd for 40 years.
Let my People Go.
One
day, however, Moses receives a command from God to return to Egypt and free his
people from slavery.
At first, the pharaoh refuses to let the Israelites go. Here are words to the song that describes the Israelites' plight.
As a result, God unleashes 10 plagues on the Egyptians including turning water to blood, boils, locusts, darkness, and death to all firstborns.
At the Seder we re-tell an important part of the Passover story as described below.
This quote comes from the American Jewish World Service Website.
"We spill drops of wine from our cups, mourning the suffering the Egyptians endured so that we could be free. This year, as these drops spread across our plates, let us turn our hearts toward the millions of people around the world suffering today’s plagues of hatred, prejudice, baseless violence and war."
Only then do the Egyptians convince the pharaoh to
let the Hebrews go.
Moses guides his people to the Red Sea, but the pharaoh's army pursues them.
A miracle occurs, and the Red Sea parts long enough for the Jews to get across. The passage closes and the Egyptians drown.
The Haggadah is a book that serves as the guide to retelling the Passover story and outlines particular blessings, traditions, and symbolic foods for Seder and Seder Plate.
Passover celebrations may vary from home to home, country to country, and some customs are based on whether we are orthodox or not, and which part of the world our ancestors were born.
A staple at a Vegan Seder is Matzo, Matzoh, or Matzah. No matter which spelling you prefer, make sure it isn't egg matzo. That isn't vegan.
Matzo doesn't go on the Seder plate, but plays an important part in the ceremony. Matzo symbolizes the unleavened bread eaten when the Israelites fled Egypt, and didn't have time to bake leavened bread.
We abstain from eating leavened bread throughout the holiday, and eat no food that is leavened (chametz).
Maror, a portion of bitter herbs, which can be horseradish, romaine lettuce, celery, or cilantro signifies the bitterness of slavery. The Seder plate pictured above and credited to me contains celery, because I couldn't find a fresh horseradish in the market.
Look below at a picture of horseradish. It tastes spicy and wonderful when you peel it, wash it, grate it, and combine it with a few drops of olive oil, teaspoon of black pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice.
Haroset or charoset are two spellings for the chopped nuts, apples, and grape juice or wine mixture on the Seder plate. It represents the mortar used to build the pyramids in Egypt, while the Hebrews were in bondage.
Karpas or parsley is a symbol of spring and the initial flourishing of the Hebrews during Joseph's time (before slavery in Egypt) and today as free people.
Zeroa or Z'roa, which is a roasted beet, in lieu of a shank bone, represents the sacrifice made the night the Hebrews fled Egypt.
Beitzah, is an avocado pit, white eggplant, wooden egg, or seeds instead of an egg, to symbolize the circle of life, spring, new beginnings, and hope.
Now on to the Recipes...
The first one comes from Nava Atlas at the Vegan Atlas. She's a fabulous food blogger and cookbook author. Her recipe is for Ashkenazi Haroset for the Passover Seder.
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| Photo Credit Nava Atlas |
Here's a link for vegan Cream of Leek and Asparagus Soup from Nichole Milak at VegKitchen. She uses scrumptious ingredients for Passover, and her recipe has no cream or other fattening animal products.
Next up is Judee Algazi, the Real Food Blogger at Gluten Free A-Z. Her recipe is a colorful main dish that's suitable for any holiday or weekday meal. See Vegan Stuffed Roasted Peppers.
Next up is my recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Enjoy it at a Passover Seder or eat this nutrient dense savory side dish in-season in spring or fall.
To finish off the meal on a sweet note try one of these...
I've shared my take on the Passover Story and what to put on the Seder Plate, and posted mouthwatering whole food plant-based recipe ideas.
Please comment about them at the link below (no link in your comment as it won't be published that way).
I'd appreciate re-shares on social media to share the love.
Don't forget to visit the blogger sites included above and leave comments there as well.
Wishing you Happiness and Health in Every Season.
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