If you’re looking for a substitute for matzo meal (and who isn’t), you’ve come to the right place. If you’re unaware of what matzo meal is use this detailed description to help you make your decision.
What Is Matzo Meal?
Matzo meal is a popular Passover ingredient. It is Ground matzo that has been broken into small pieces. This makes it ideal for use in recipes that call for the coarse texture and flavor of whole matzo.
Matzo meal is used to make Passover dishes such as latkes and kugels, as well as other Jewish holiday favorites such as matzo Brei.
Matzo meal is also a very important ingredient in many gluten-free baking recipes. It’s often substituted for flour or other starches in gluten-free recipes, especially those that call for binding ingredients like eggs or butter. The result is a product that feels similar to its wheat counterpart but doesn’t contain any of the proteins or sugars found in wheat products.
17 Suggestion Matzo Meal Substitution
Matzo meal is an excellent alternative to flour in many recipes. It can be used as a thickener for soups, stews, and sauces as well as in baked goods. The texture of matzo meal is different from flour, which can change the texture of your dish slightly. You may need to experiment with it before you get the results you want.
However, there are several substitutes that can be used in place of matzo meal in recipes:
1. Bread crumbs
Matzo meal is often used as a thickener in gravy or soup, and bread crumbs can be substituted in this recipe. To make the substitution work best, crush the bread into crumbs instead of cutting it into cubes. This will allow the crumbs to absorb more liquid than whole pieces of bread would.
2. Quinoa flour
Quinoa flour is a good substitute for matzo meals if you’re making something like homemade pasta or pizza dough. However, it may not work as well in recipes that use matzo meal as a thickener because quinoa flour tends to be quite starchy and absorbent compared to other flours. You’ll need to add more liquid than usual when using quinoa flour as a substitute for matzo meal if your recipe calls for it to be cooked first before adding other ingredients (such as milk).
3. Soda Crackers
Soda crackers are made with baking soda, which is a leavening agent that helps to make the crackers more fluffy. Soda crackers are typically not considered Kosher for Passover, but they can be replaced with matzo meal substitutes.
4. Unflavored Crackers
Unflavored soda crackers can be used to replace matzo meals in recipes. They have a similar texture to matzo and are also gluten-free.
5. Almond meal
An Almond meal is a fine-textured flour made from ground almonds. It’s similar to almond flour, but it has been finely ground so that it can be used in baked goods. Almond meal is also sometimes called almond flour, but the two terms aren’t interchangeable. Almond flour is more coarsely ground and tends to be more expensive than almond meals.
6. Coconut macaroons
Coconut macaroons are popular snacks for many people who follow gluten-free diets. They’re easy to make and delicious! You can use coconut flour instead of almond meal in this recipe if you prefer it over almond flour (see our Apricot Coconut Macaroons).
7. Saltine crackers
This is a great option if you’re trying to make something more like croutons than breadcrumbs — just crush up enough crackers so that they’ll coat whatever you’re frying without being too dense or filling. If you want more crunch, try using Ritz crackers instead!
8. Panko crumbs
Panko crumbs are Japanese breadcrumbs that are larger and coarser than regular breadcrumbs, which give them a unique texture that makes them perfect for coating fried foods like fish & chips or chicken tenders. You can find panko at most grocery stores.
9. Semolina
Semolina is a type of coarsely ground durum wheat flour that is often used in pasta and couscous recipes. It can also be used as a substitute for matzo meals in baking.
10. Cornmeal
If you don’t have any matzoh meal on hand, cornmeal can be used as a substitute in many recipes calling for matzoh meal. Cornmeal is made from ground corn kernels, so it has a similar texture as matzoh meal when used in baking or cooking.
11. Corn Flakes
Corn flakes are made from cornmeal, which is essentially ground-up corn kernels. They’re also very similar to matzo meals in texture and taste, so they make a good substitute if you don’t have any on hand.
12. Puffed Rice
Puffed rice is made from puffed wheat and has many of the same properties as matzo meal — it’s crispy and light and adds body without adding much flavor. The main difference between the two is that puffed rice isn’t as fine as matzo meal so it doesn’t break down as easily into flour when cooked in liquid (this makes it a better option for things like soups or casseroles).
13. Puffed Wheat Cereal
Puffed wheat cereal is another option to use as a matzoh meal substitute in your favorite recipes. It’s low in fat and high in fiber and calories, so choose the variety that is lowest in sugar if you’re concerned about health issues like diabetes or obesity.
14. Rice Krispies
A good substitute for matzo meal is Rice Krispies cereal. It’s not a perfect match, but it works well enough in most recipes. Keep in mind that you should still use an equal amount of the cereal as you would matzo meal, and it may take longer to cook than you’d expect.
15. Wheat Germ
Wheat germ can also be used as a substitution for a matzo meal, but it will leave your baked goods with a slightly nutty flavor. You’ll need about twice as much wheat germ as you would a matzo meal for a similar texture.
16. Puff Pastry
One of the easiest and most versatile substitutions for matzo meals is puff pastry. Puff pastry is made from flour, water, and fat (usually butter) which is cooked until it becomes flaky. It makes a great binder for other ingredients as well as an excellent topping for baked items like pies.
17. Dry Breadcrumbs
If you’re not a fan of puff pastry or don’t have any on hand, you can use dry breadcrumbs as an alternative to matzo meal. Dry breadcrumbs are simply dried pieces of bread that have been ground into crumbs by running them through a blender or food processor.
Making Perfect Matzo Meal At Home
Making a matzo meal at home is a great way to save money. It’s also a great way to use up leftover matzo.
Matzo Meal Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups matzo crackers (crushed)
- 1 tablespoon salt (or more if desired)
Directions
Step 1: Crush the matzo crackers in a food processor until they become very fine crumbs.
Step 2: Transfer them to a bowl and mix in the salt, mixing well with your hands or a spoon, until all of the salt has been absorbed by the matzo meal.
Step 3: You can store this in an airtight container for up to 6 months in a cool dry place.
FAQs
1. Is Matzo Meal gluten-free?
Yes, Matzo Meal is gluten-free. It is made from matzo flour after the flour has been ground into a fine powder. Matzo meal can be used in place of breadcrumbs for fish and chicken dishes, or in gravy for roast beef or turkey.
2. What do you use Matzo Meal for?
Matzo Meal is an excellent addition to any recipe calling for breadcrumbs. It adds flavor as well as texture to recipes like meatloaf, meatballs, and burgers. Some people also use it to thicken soups and stews. You can even add it to your favorite stuffing recipe!
3. How do I use Matzo Meal?
Matzo meal can be added during any phase of cooking; just sprinkle it over your dish as directed by the recipe instructions on the package. The best way to incorporate matzo meal into your dish is to mix it with a little water first so it will absorb more moisture and flavor from other ingredients in the recipe like eggs or onions and garlic that have already been cooked before adding them back into the pan with the meat or vegetables being prepared at that time.
4. How much protein does it contain?
Matzo meal contains about 10% protein, which is relatively high for a flour product. It also contains vitamins B1 and B2 (thiamine and riboflavin).
5. How do I store it?
You should store your matzo meal in an airtight container in your pantry or kitchen cabinet so that it doesn’t go stale or spoil before you use it all up. Storing it this way will also ensure that you don’t accidentally contaminate any other food items with any leftover crumbs or dust particles by storing them next to each other.
In Conclusion
There is simply no substitute for a matzo meal. If you must substitute in a recipe, there are other things that can be used as substitutes on a case-by-case basis but this will not work well in most cases.