Your Last-Minute Passover Questions, Answered

GOLDA gang, it’s here. 

The first Passover Seder is tomorrow night, and if you’re like me, you’re frantically running around trying to get everything in order. I am hosting what can only be described as a gaggle of toddlers for the second Seder, which means this night will be very, very different from all other nights.

Our Passover Hotline got some frantic last-minute questions about food and decor, so today I’m bringing in two ringers to get us over the finish line.  

Tackling food prep in tiny kitchens is the great Gabriella Gershenson, an editor at Wirecutter and the James Beard Award-winning co-author of Love Japan. I worked with Gabi on Tablet’s 100 Most Jewish Foods, and there’s no one I trust more when it comes to all things kitchen.

Then, Goldie Home founder Sara Roberts, a mensch who makes the most beautiful painted table linens, offers fun and easy spring-inspired tabletop decor ideas.

Question 1: I know I should have planned this already, but what is the best literal order for cooking all my food? My menu includes brisket, soup, vegetables, and sides. Help! 

This year the first Seder lands on Saturday night, which makes planning tricky if you observe Shabbat (though if this applies to you, your prep is probably well underway). The good news is that most Passover staples can be made days ahead.

As a rule, I’d say start with brisket. It always tastes better the next day (or even two days later). Matzo balls can be made two to three days ahead, and chicken soup can be cooked and frozen weeks in advance. My mom lets hot chicken soup with matzo balls sit on the stovetop over low heat during the Seder, so it’s ready to go. 

Roasted vegetables can also be made in advance, but save fresh salads for same day prep. Sides like kugels and casseroles can be cooked early and reheated. If you’re pressed for time or space, reheat sides and brisket in the oven together before the meal. They can hang out (covered) in the warm oven during the Seder until it’s time to serve. 

Question 2: I’m hosting for the first time and have a tiny kitchen (and oven). Any tips for keeping everything warm and ready to go day-of?

Be kind to yourself and try to assemble a menu that doesn’t consist of too many hot foods or à la minute preparations. Spreads, salads, and cooked vegetables can be delicious served at room temp. The oven has limited real estate, so use your stovetop and countertop appliances when you can. You can reheat sliced brisket on the stove in its juices while you’re baking your kugel. A toaster oven can be a boon for baking desserts and cooking sides, and an Instant Pot or a slow cooker can come in handy for chicken soup.

Question 3: My mom always sends us home from the Seder with tons of leftovers for our kids, but I’m freaked out by all the reports about microplastics. What’s a good alternative to Tupperware I can bring? And is this totally rude?

Not rude at all! There are plenty of non-plastic alternatives to Tupperware. (Shameless plug alert, Wirecutter has done an excellent job of tackling this topic and offers some great glass and silicone options.) Personally I like a covered metal container like U-Konserve for leftovers because it’s lighter than glass, won’t break, and is easier to schlep. Silicone storage bags like sets from Stasher and OXO are a good option too.

– Gabriella Gershenson

Question 1: I feel like our Passover table is always so cluttered and chaotic. I know there’s a lot we need to have on there, but any advice for making things look a little cuter this year?

One of the many reasons I love Passover so much is that there is so much 'required' snacking leading up to the main meal. With the charoset, karpas, matzah, salt water, the table inevitably has a lot going on, so I say just embrace the chaos! However, my advice for turning the chaotic clutter into cute + fun clutter is the following: 

Lean into the mix + match aesthetic. Gather all the dishes, bowls, and fun serving spoons you have collected over the years and put it all on the table. 

Some little bowls get the salt water, the slightly larger serve the charoset, and so on. The dishes you serve the main meal on and glassware you drink from may match but everything else can be a mix of colors and prints, and that's the beauty of it. If you are intentional about where you place everything on the table, you can control the clutter but still make it look beautiful and cool. Plus, each piece has a story and Passover is all about storytelling. 

Question 2: I’d love to incorporate spring elements on the Seder table, but feel like that could get Easter-y real fast. Any tips?

When I think about the colors for my Passover table, I always gravitate towards green as Passover not only falls at the beginning of spring but a part of the Passover story is reminding us of our connection to nature. Plus, there is always a green vegetable that is part of the Seder plate representing spring and the circle of life. 

So, in terms of incorporating spring elements onto the table, I love having mini vases spread throughout with small clippings of green and white and maybe red/pink flowers (picking up on the colors from the Seder plate).  

Another idea I might try this year is to tie a sprig of parsley with the dinner napkin with a piece of twine or ribbon so each guest has their own karpas when they take a seat at the table. Plus, it will look pretty and elegant.

I think as long as you veer away from Easter colors and stay more in the palette of green, white, and pink/red, and focus on the symbols of the Seder, you are doing great.

– Sara Roberts

Thanks to Gabriella Gershenson and Sara Roberts for their excellent answers.

Happy Sedering! I’ll be back in your inbox next week with an interview with chef Beejhy Barhany, whose new cookbook features tastes of Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and beyond.

Stay GOLDA,

Stephanie