Savory Matzah Brei Muffins
For eight nights in spring, we celebrate Passover, and in keeping with our culture, we avoid eating leavened bread. This period of time is known in my house as “matzah madness,” and I’m all in.
Over the years, I’ve found countless ways to enjoy the cracker-like sheets of unleavened bread—there’s matzah pizza…matzah tuna melts…matzah topped with a delicious Chocolate Spread and bananas. When I was a kid, we loved to lightly soak our sheets (under running cold water) and top ’em with melty butter and a sprinkling of salt. Oh my goodness, so good! (Anyone else do that?)
Here, I’ve used matzah to create scrumptious savory muffins—they’re like mini matzah frittatas. Each flavorful bite includes a trio of nutrient-rich veggies (sautéed onions, bell pepper, chives) that delivers moist, yummy texture along with streaks of vibrant color. To cheese or not to cheese—that’s entirely up to you. In my opinion, this is a mouthwatering breakfast or snack for all year-long—not just during Passover.
And try this sweet rendition, too: Apple-Cinnamon Matzah Brei Muffins. They’re filled with irresistible maple-cinnamony-apple goodness!
Try my Apple-Cinnamon Matzah Brei Muffins.
Savory Matzah Brei Muffins
Ingredients
- 5 whole wheat matzah sheets, broken into small pieces
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (~1½ cups)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped (~1 cup)
- 6 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 to 4 tablespoons chopped chives
- ¾ to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°. Add liners to a muffin pan and lightly mist the insides to prevent muffins from sticking when they’re done. (You can pour batter directly into a muffin pan that’s been liberally misted with oil spray, but it can be a bit fussy to remove them straight from the tin while keeping them intact. For that reason, I prefer using liners for this recipe.) Set aside.
- Liberally coat a skillet with nonstick oil spray and warm over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers and sauté for about 5 to 8 minutes or until onions begin to soften and become golden brown. Let slightly cool.
- Place matzah pieces in a bowl, add about 2 cups hot water (enough to cover the top pieces) and let them soak for just 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside. *Do not let matzah sit in the water for longer than 2 minutes or it will become too mushy.
- Add eggs, chives, salt and pepper to the drained matzah and mix well. Stir in the cooled veggies and optional cheese.
- Spoon batter evenly among the 12 muffin tin compartments; you’ll have a hearty amount in each (about heaping ¼ cup’s worth batter). Cook in oven for about 30 minutes.
- Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, carefully run a knife along the inside of each muffin compartment to loosen up the muffins so they’ll stay intact when lifting them out.
- You can stash leftovers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days and simply warm in the microwave. Or you can wrap them individually and freeze them for up to a few months.
