Get your Passover Seder off to a healthy start with a flavorful root vegetable casserole.
We seasoned it with citrus and herbs and added a crumb topping. In keeping with the kosher for Passover rules, we used crushed matzo in place of the more traditional bread-crumb topping that goes with casseroles. Just a touch of oil helps to keep it crunchy.
We kept the vegetables moist with applesauce. If you don’t have homemade applesauce, be sure to select a brand that is unsweetened. Not only will it be more nutritious, but many varieties of applesauce are sweetened with corn syrup, which is not kosher for Passover.
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Passover Root Vegetable Casserole
Hands on: 30 minutes Total time: 1 1/2 hours Serves: 12
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 red onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pound carrots (consider using rainbow carrots), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound beets, peeled and cut into wedges
1 pound celeriac, peeled and cubed
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh savory
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Salt and ground black pepper
5 matzos, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a large casserole dish with kosher for Passover cooking spray.
In a large skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté until soft and starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine onions and garlic with the sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, celeriac, applesauce, lemon zest, orange zest, thyme, savory and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Spoon into the prepared casserole dish.
In a small bowl, combine crushed matzos with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and coriander. Season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle over the vegetable mixture. Bake for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
Per serving: 170 calories (percent of calories from fat, 25), 4 grams protein, 29 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 270 milligrams sodium.
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