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Pasta, noodles & bread · Crumbs & crackers

Matzo meal

Ground matzo, the unleavened Jewish cracker; binds matzo balls and coats foods, especially at Passover.

Also called: matzah meal, matza meal, ground matzo

Around the world: קמח מצה (he)

1 recipe with it

What it is

Matzo meal is made by grinding matzo, a flat, unleavened cracker of flour and water baked quickly so it cannot rise. It is coarser than flour and drier than breadcrumbs, and swells when soaked. Fine matzo cake meal is used in Passover baking, when ordinary leavened flour products are avoided.

How it’s used

  • Matzo balls (kneidlach) for chicken soup
  • Coating schnitzel and fish
  • Binding latkes and gefilte fish
  • Passover cakes (cake meal)

Characteristics

Texture
Coarse, dry meal.
When cooked
Mixtures need resting in the fridge so the meal hydrates and holds together.
Sold as
ground
Cooking uses
Used for binding, Suitable for frying, Suitable for baking

Storage

Pantry-stable. Airtight in a dry cupboard.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Wheat, Gluten.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains wheat and gluten; unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or a wheat allergy.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
395 kcal
Protein
10 g
Carbohydrate
83.7 g
Fat
1.4 g
Fibre
3 g
Sugars
0.29 g

USDA FoodData Central: Crackers, matzo, plain.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Breadcrumbs — Fine dry breadcrumbs work outside Passover; matzo balls will be denser.

Related ingredients

Recipes with matzo meal

More crumbs & crackers