Matzo Brie (rhymes with “fry”) is classic Jewish comfort food that’s perfectly kosher for any Passover meal or can be prepared year-round as a rotational breakfast, brunch, or dinner option.
Made with only matzo, eggs, and butter, this quick and easy recipe is a customizable canvas for your culinary creativity that you can serve as either a sweet or savory supper.
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Best Matzo Brie (Mom’s Fried Matzo)
This Matzo Brie recipe is not so much a recipe as it is a formula and technique for no-fail “fried” matzo made with only 3 simple ingredients.
You can prepare this delicious dish in a matter of minutes by softening broken pieces of matzo with hot water, mixing them with beaten eggs, and cooking them in butter until crisp.
Matzo is an ideal bread substitute when you are forced to forgo leavened food for a week each spring during the holiday of Pesach.
And because its taste is bland, you can flavor your egg and matzo mixture with your favorite sweet or savory mix-ins and toppings – build your own matzo brie with each separate batch; no one will tell Bubbe that yours is better!
For more Passover recipes, check out my Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons and Passover Mandel Bread, especially if you’re following a kosher meal plan where leavened products are forbidden.
Why We Love This Matzo Brei Recipe
- Quick and easy to make multiple batches in minutes.
- Uses only 3 ingredients.
- It’s a great way to use up the extra matzo from the Seder.
- Simple to serve as a sweet or savory breakfast, lunch, or brinner.
- Family-friendly meal that everyone can customize according to their personal preference.
- Classic comfort food for Passover or perfect for any time of year.
Ingredients
- Matza
- Eggs
- Butter
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Substitutions and Additions
- Make a Savory Meal: You can add black pepper, salt, chives, sour cream, lox, vegetables, or any of your favorite mix-ins to make this matzo brie a savory meal.
- Make A Sweet Meal: You can top your egg and matzo mixture with powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, honey, jam, jelly, apple sauce, or any of your favorite sweets.
Recommended Tools
- Colander
- Mixing bowl
- Fry pan
- Spatula
How to Make Matzo Brei
- Make The Matzo Mixture: Soak small pieces of matzo in water for 1 minute, drain, and mix with beaten eggs.
- Cook: Melt butter in a pan, add the egg-coated matzo, and cook on medium high heat to form a big pancake.
Pro Tip: I like to press down with my spatula to get it crispy. - Cut: Cut into quarters and put a pad of butter on each piece. Flip them over, sprinkle with salt (optional), and cook for a few more minutes. Using spatula, break into small pieces, and stir occasionally.
Pro Tip: if you want it really crispy, just add additional butter as you cook it. - Serve: Serve with salt, butter, sugar, syrup, or whatever you prefer. Enjoy!
Tips
- You can use olive oil instead of butter.
- I like to break the matzo pieces into a strainer set over a bowl so I catch all the tiny crumbs. They make the texture more interesting.
- You can easily make one batch at a time, to satisfy both sweet and savory lovers.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store any leftover Matzo Brei covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
- To Reheat: You can reheat any leftovers in a fry pan or in the microwave until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Matzo is a crispy unleavened bread traditionally eaten during Passover. It’s basically like a huge salty cracker.
When it comes to softening the matzo, it’s common to rinse the broken pieces under running water or soak them in milk. You can even do it right in the eggs.
Traditional matzo is what I use in my recipe, but you could also use whole wheat or even gluten-free matzo.
I do not recommend using egg matzo because it is too soft. Some stores sell a thicker type of handmade matzo, often made from a special flour called shmura. If you use shmura matzo, you will need to soak it longer.
The ratio of eggs to matzoh differs from recipe to recipe. Some people use 1 sheet of matzoh per egg, others prefer 2 eggs to every sheet of matzoh.
You can play with it and decide for yourself; it’s a personal preference. 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.
Matzo Brei or “fried matzo,” is essentially eggs scrambled with matzo and pan-fried in butter or chicken fat until crispy. It is an Ashkenazi Jewish dish usually eaten as breakfast food during the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Yes, you can use ghee in this recipe. If you are avoiding dairy, avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil works as well.
Fried Matzo Brei
Ingredients
- 1 box Matzo you will only use 1/2-3/4 of the box
- 2-3 Eggs
- 2 tbsp Butter
Instructions
- Break 1/2 – 3/4 box of matzah into small pieces
- Soak in water for 1 minute. Drain well
- Mix with 2-3 eggs
- Melt a small pad of butter on pan
- Add matzah and make a big pancake – cook on medium high heat
- Let cook for a few minutes (I like to press down with my spatula to get it crispy)
- Cut into quarters and put a pad of butter on each quarter and flip over
- Add some salt (if desired)
- Let cook for a few minutes (if you want it really crispy, just add additional butter as you cook it)
- Using spatula, break into small pieces
- Add a little more butter and let cook and crisp up, stirring occasionally.
- Serve with salt, butter, sugar, syrup (whatever you choose!)
- Save leftovers and reheat – they reheat great!!
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store any leftover Matzo Brei covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
- To Reheat: You can reheat any leftovers in a fry pan or in the microwave until hot.
- You can use olive oil instead of butter.
- I like to break the matzo pieces into a strainer set over a bowl so I catch all the tiny crumbs. They make the texture more interesting.
- You can easily make one batch at a time, to satisfy both sweet and savory lovers.
What is the best way to reheat Fried Matzo? I want to make it ahead and reheat for a mah jongg luncheon for my non Jewish friends. I will be serving chicken soup with Matzo balls, gefilte fish, chorases and Matzo brei. Macaroons and strawberries for dessert.
As far traditions, there’s a whole part of the Jewish that would never ever eat such a matzo brei during Passover. Here’s how an old world and Hassidic, ultimate gourmet recipe would look like: Only hand matzo, no water, sweet & savory: https://schibboleth.com/gourmet-hand-matzo-brei-sweet-savory-with-caramelized-onions-truffle-and-honey-recipevideo-galitzianerinvienna/
I’ve made matzah brei in the past many times throughout the years. However, I always add chopped onions before frying! Makes a big difference