16 Main Dishes Perfect for Passover

Brushing healthy fat like olive oil onto sizzling grass-fed steak keeps the lean meat juicy and adds rich flavor. We developed this technique specifically for lean grass-fed steaks. Turn them frequently to cook evenly and prevent the exterior from toughening. Baste after every turn so the sizzling surface stays moist.

Horseradish, or bitter herbs, is another staple of the Passover table, though it is delicious year-round. Here, it infuses a side of roasted salmon.

You'll get all the deliciousness of a roast chicken in a fraction of the time when you opt for bone-in thighs as opposed to a whole bird. Schmaltz, a Yiddish word for chicken fat, is the base for a bright pan sauce that's drizzled over the vegetables and crispy chicken thighs. A cast-iron skillet will maintain an even heat so the hot drippings don't smoke or scorch. Plan out your moves, like steps in a dance, so you can cook efficiently without losing focus. Prep vegetables while the oven preheats, sear chicken while the potatoes roast, and make the sauce just as the chicken finishes baking.

An herb-packed chimichurri sacue makes this meat-and-potatoes main vibrant and exciting. Double the mixture and spoon it over grilled steak or fish on another night. For less heat in both the chimichurri and the potatoes, remove the seeds from the Fresno chile.

This quick spice rub lends robust flavor and helps achieve delicious charring on the surface of the meat. Flank steak is a lean cut that's relatively inexpensive; be sure to slice thinly across the grain for tender bites.

A whole chicken, cut into quarters, lets everyone enjoy their favorite parts of the bird. You can quarter the chicken yourself by removing each breast first, then the thigh and leg pieces. You can also ask your butcher to do this, or purchase leg quarters and bone-in breasts. The skin will help to insulate the meat and lock in the chimichurri flavor as it roasts in the hot oven. It’s easiest to remove the skin and replace it after rubbing the herb mixture over the chicken. A quick broil after roasting gets the potatoes nice and crisp.

Roman also uses this paprika rub to smear on pork roasts or to marinate chicken. It’s her go-to seasoning that makes everything taste like really great sausage. The low and slow oven heat ensures none of the spices or bits of garlic burns, while giving the chicken fat plenty of time to render out slowly and evenly.

A few simple tricks deliver some of the best home-roasted chicken you’ve ever had: spatchcocking (butterflying), pre-salting, roasting at a super low oven temp, and quickly crisping the skin on the stovetop. We focus on the technique here—use this same method with any of your favorite roast chicken flavorings, such as fresh herbs, lemon, or spices. Spatchcocked poultry cooks more quickly and evenly. If you’d prefer not to spatchcock the bird yourself, just have your butcher do it. Place the chicken on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, and make sure no liquids escape from the uncovered dish to avoid cross-contamination.

Home cooks often complain that their slow cooker meals always end up as soup, and they wonder where all the liquid comes from. Anything you put in the slow cooker will release liquid as it cooks, and there's no way for that liquid to evaporate. If you're not careful, you will indeed end up with soup. Sometimes, it's best to add no liquid to the cooker.

Here, we toss onion wedges, baby potatoes, and large carrot chunks with oil and harissa (look for it with the hot sauces or in the global foods section). We then arrange seared chicken thighs on top and cook the mixture with no liquid added. Over the long cooking period, the chicken releases juices that baste the veggies underneath and create just enough sauce.

Cook this with either hanger or flank steak, whichever you prefer. The onions add a hit of umami, but feel free to omit them.

This sheet-pan dinner made chicken a winner in January 2017, with a ground sumac and brown sugar rub. You can also use sumac on roasted vegetables, stir it into vinaigrette, or try it in our Maple-Sumac Roasted Walnuts recipe.

Mix up your protein with a stunning rack of lamb. The beautiful addition of strawberry and rhubarb adds a seasonal twist to this upscale feast.

Dinner doesn't get much easier than this eight-ingredient, one-pan dish. The secret is jarred apricot preserves; much more than a spread for toast, it balances the earthy sage and pungent mustard in the pan sauce and gives everything a glossy coat. You can also thin the preserves in a small saucepan over medium heat and brush over roasted pork tenderloin, salmon fillets, or a rustic apple tart. A little butter stirred in at the end adds body to the sauce.

Swap out heavy brisket for a lighter seafood dish. Oranges, beets, and carrots brighten the one-pan main, and the simply seasoned fillet is elegant enough to serve to a crowd.

Slow-cooking tougher cuts of meat, like a brisket, gradually melts the thin marbles of fat into the meat, creating a meltingly tender result. Canned chipotle peppers — smoked jalapeños in tangy adobo sauce — add heat and smoky flavor with just one ingredient. 

This dish is our most popular recipe ever. It has kept that distinction since it was first published in October 2006, probably because it’s such a crowd-pleaser. To serve, carve the roast into large pieces, ladle the rich broth over the top, and sprinkle with fresh flat-leaf parsley.