Matzo Brei Recipe – Classic Jewish Comfort Food for Breakfast, Brunch or Brinner
A few years ago, my hubby and I drove over to one of our favorite Los Angeles breakfast spots, Factor’s Famous Deli on Pico Boulevard. Factor’s is a quintessential deli with a big menu full of American-style Jewish delicacies. Usually, when we go to a deli, I order the same delicious breakfast—toasted egg bagel, cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers and tomatoes. It’s sinfully yummy. But for some reason, on this occasion, I felt like trying something different. One dish stuck out to me, one I’d never tried before but had always been curious about…
Matzo Brei.
Now, I’ve been cooking Jewish food for several years, but because of my husband’s ancestry and birthplace I’ve focused more on the Sephardic side of the cuisine. Certain Ashkenazi dishes are foreign to me. While this dish is made by both Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews, it’s more of an Ashkenazi favorite. The only thing I knew about matzo brei was that it contained eggs and matzo. I like both eggs and matzo—the idea of the two being scrambled together was intriguing.
Not knowing any better, I’d always thought the dish was pronounced matzo bree. My hubby corrected me.
“It’s pronounced matzo brigh,” he said. “And it’s delicious. You should try it. It’s Stephen Spielberg’s favorite breakfast.”
How my husband knew that, I don’t know. So brei rhymes with try, huh? Feeling adventurous, I decided to try it and see what I was missing. The waitress came to take our order.
“I’ll have the matzo brei,” I said proudly, my pronunciation pitch-perfect.
“Would you like it salty or sweet?” she asked.
Yikes! I was caught off guard. “People eat it sweet?”
“Sure,” she said. “Some people like it with sugar. And some like it salty. It’s up to you.”
I was totally confused, but the thought of sweet eggs made me a little queasy. “Uhh, I guess I’ll have it salty?”
“Great,” she replied. “I’ll bring you a side of sour cream and applesauce, too.”
Sour cream and applesauce? With eggs? Maybe this breakfast experiment wasn’t such a great idea. But I wasn’t about to chicken out. I was in it to win it.
After about ten minutes, the waitress brought me a plate of matzo brei. It looked harmless enough, and it smelled good. I decided to dig in.
With my first bite, I tried the eggs and matzo on their own. Yum, I thought. Second bite, I tasted the eggs and matzo with a dab of sour cream on top. Double yum. Finally, I tried a bite with everything… eggs, matzo, sour cream, and applesauce.
Have mercy. I’m in matzo brei heaven.
Now I understand why some people like this dish sweet. After that first taste, I ended up piling on the applesauce. There’s something about that added sweetness that really enhances the egg/matzo mixture. I cleaned my plate. It’s the perfect comfort food, and it stuck with me all day… I skipped lunch.
What does matzo brei mean?
Matzo brei aka matzah brei, pronounce matzo brigh, as my husband so lovingly told me, translates to fried matzo since it’s fried in butter.
What is a typical Jewish breakfast?
While there isn’t a “typical” Jewish breakfast, there are some things that come to mind when you think of Jewish breakfast.. bagels and lox, matzo brei, french toast, blintzes – all of the Jewish daily staples. In Israel it’s also common to eat shakshuka and salads made from fresh produce and a simple olive oil dressing.
Fast forward to now. Matzo brei has become a regular part of our kosher for Passover meal rotation. It’s a great way to use up the extra matzo from the Seder. We eat it for breakfast, brunch and brinner. It’s so adaptable and tasty, we actually look forward to it all year!
How do you like your matzo brei?
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Matzo Brei
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 sheet matzo or egg matzo
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt and pepper
Optional Extras
- Applesauce, sour cream, sugar, cinnamon, apples, nuts… you can even get creative and add grated cheese or diced veggies.
NOTES
Instructions
- Add eggs to a bowl and scramble with a whisk along with 1 tbsp milk or water until the eggs are nice and fluffy.Run a sheet of matzo under running hot water for 20-60 seconds until it just begins to soften. The amount of time you'll need to keep it under the water depends on the type of matzo you're using. Let it get soft, but don’t let it turn mushy! Shake off the excess water and reserve the matzo.
- Melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet or frying pan over medium heat.
- Break the matzo into small pieces and place them in the skillet. Sauté the matzo pieces over medium heat for about a minute, until they are evenly coated with butter.
- Pour the scrambled egg mixture over the matzo pieces. Stir the eggs with a spatula until they are well combined with the matzo. Cook the eggs for about 2 minutes over medium, flipping and stirring continuously—don’t let the eggs sit, or they will overcook. You want the eggs to be cooked soft- not runny, but just barely cooked. Overcooked or browned eggs ruin the flavor entirely. As you are cooking, sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. This would also be the time to add sugar, if you want a sweeter matzo brei.
- Serve the matzo brei immediately with a small side of applesauce and sour cream, or maple syrup if you like.
H says
I made this for breakfast and it was very good. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Lea says
I live alone so I am planning to try this using the “mug” method – cooking in the microwave in a mug. I have cooked eggs in a mug a number of times and as long as I cook, stir, cook, etc., until the desired degree of doneness I am successful. Will also try adding a bit of onion and bell pepper.
Thank you, Tory.
Lea L
Nina says
My favorite .. my mother formed the mixture into patty like pieces…not too thick, never scrambled. We always eat them with either regular sugar or strawberry jam. I love them cooked brown and crispy on the outside.
Elise says
I am also a Sephardic Jew. My dad was ashkanazi. I grew up eating a lot of Greek food cause that’s where my grandparent came from. I remember when my dad made us matzah Brei he would soak the matzah in milk and he would use a little schmaltz (chicken fat) that was the key to a great tasting matzah brei.
DJ says
Soaked in milk and then chicken fat? How is that a Jewish dish with milk and meat together?
Tori Avey says
DJ– not every Jew keeps kosher. It’s a personal choice.
Rosann says
Yes yes yes!!! The Chicken Fat is the key!
Thank you for stating that FACT!
Tradition Tradition…
LA MARTIN says
I made it just now. I didn’t have sour cream but I did have chunky applesauce. It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe. ?
Becky Perry says
I discovered Matza Bria several years ago l like to keep it simple. We prefer savory over sweet. So I make them individually using 2 eggs and one Onion flavored Matzo Cracker per person.. Add a little salt and pepper. Everyone gets excited when I suggest Matza Bria for breakfast.
LuLu says
Great idea Tori! My mother-in-law taught me to make it this way: Start chunky onions (as much as you like) in a large frying pan to saute and ready a bowl filled with a box of large broken (everything, or plain, no matter) matzoh pieces. Pour hot water into the bowl, submerge matzoh, then quickly drain. Very gently fold in 6 or 8 beaten eggs, ensuring full coverage of egg with matzoh, then slide onto the onions, without disturbing them too much. Cover and let steam on med-low heat (too high and the onions will burn). About half done, break into large bite-size pieces, add some butter and/or olive oil to the pan bottom, and turn over the pieces. Allow to finish cooking uncovered, salt and pepper to taste. Nothing more needed. Rich and addictive.
Cheri Rubin says
Made this today. Added extra as directed
chopped spinach , extra seasonings.
So good. Thankyou for the step by step
details with pictures!
MATTIKA ROSENTHAL says
I am just about ready to try this matzo brie recipe for the first time. It is the third day of Passover and I was already running out of ideas. Especially now that I only cook for me!
I always saw matzo Brie on the menu at the Roll n’ Rye in Culver City California. Never ordered one. I am a Greek Jewess! I’m going to make mine with onions,mushrooms and feta cheese.
I will probably continue to make it for breakfast in many different variations until the end of Passover. Who knows, I may like it so much that I may fit it into my eating plan over the course of the summer, along with my favorite mixed watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe. We Greeks love FETA CHEESE, ripe melons, and kalamata olives!
Dr Larry Yampolsky says
Made matzo brei his morning, but always use schmaltz to fry it in! The flavor is amazing!! I make it myself
Best regards,
Dr. Larry Yampolsky
Bill Feller says
Dear Dr. Y,
I’m writing to tell you that my mother’s maiden name was Yampolsky; later changed to Yampol. Maybe we’re related.
Roberta says
Great post!! An old friend of mine, who I call my 2nd mom, told me her favorite breakfast was matzo brei, I asked her what it was, she told me: eggs and matzos, fried. So here I am, looking at your recipe, I am going to give this a try as it sounds delicious (trying this with sauteed onion) as many commented on this. Thanks for always sharing your wonderful posts with us readers! Happy Passover!!
Tori Avey says
Enjoy Roberta!
Susan Jackson says
Someone asked what the word “brei” means – it’s from German and it means porridge or mush. Oatmeal can be called Haferflocken Brei. So grits, oatmeal, polenta, anything with a texture like that involving grains and a liquid could be called a brie.
Octavia says
Brei, in German, means “mash”.
Heidi S. B. says
Our mom made Matzo Brie the same Bubby did, no measuring needed. Wet matzo under running tap water just to dampen, Break up matzo into smaller pieces (size & shape doesn’t matter) dip in egg/milk mixture. Be careful not to let them get limp just enough for a good soak for egg flavor you can use salt & pepper if you wish. Fry pieces in butter and repeat. The edges were always nice and crispy. I don’t recall any egg mixture being left as they would just fry till it was gone. Our Matzo Brie was always served with a choice of applesauce or sugar on the table.
Craig B says
Sweet is the ONLY way to go.
Tamar S. Walker says
This recipe made the best matzo brei that I have ever had! Thank you for it.
Bev Hoffman-Rush says
Eleanor, did you keep mixing it up while cooking in the microwave? How long did you cook it for?
Eleanor Naymark says
To Bev Hoffman-Rush: Just cover with a microwave safe cover and micro on high, figure a minute per egg and when done, check to see if eggs are cooked to your liking. If still runny, try another minute. With microwaves, you can’t undo overcooked but you can correct under-cooked. Also, a microwave is not like cooking on the stove, you don’t keep stirring the food, plus you don’t smell up the kitchen like when frying something on the stove (plus no more splattering). Also cleanup is a breeze. You can grease the glass dish if you want but it isn’t really necessary.
Eleanor Naymark says
This morning I put salsa on my microwave cooked matzo-brei,
and it was amazing. You’ll love it too!
p.s. I cooked the matzo-brie in a round glass pie plate for several
minutes in microwave until cooked and then added salsa on the side.
JLP says
Why would you cook it in the microwave though? What is the benefit or incentive for experimenting with a microwave assuming you have a stove top?
I avoid using the microwave wherever possible. It’s a convenience, if I’m in a big rush I’ll use it to reheat something but it does not cook food, it heats it.
Matzo brie cooked on the stove top is delicious, cooked in a microwave I can’t imagine wanting to eat it.
Susan Rose says
Thank you for your matzo brei method, Tori Avey – this is my second or third Passover using it and it has changed my matzo-brei life! I like it with sauteed apples, or onions – maybe both?!
Bev Hoffman-Rush says
This sounds a lot like fried matzo. The recipe very easy, eggs mixed together well, then add broken up matzo. I like a lot. Fry it in a pan, using butter or oil. Brown on both sides. I use butter on top, then syrup or jelly. It’s yummy. Never used applesauce or sour cream. I use those on potato latkes. Question about latkes, how do you keep the potatoes from turning brown before mixing other ingredients in?
Tori Avey says
Hi Bev, I usually grate the potatoes straight into a bowl of cold water. Keep the shreds in water until you’re ready to prepare the mixture. Drain them carefully by tipping the bowl at a slight angle. Some thick white “gunk” will settle at the bottom of the bowl– this is starch, and can be added to your latke mixture to help them bind together better. When you drain the shreds, squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the shreds. I use a clean tea towel to really wring them out. Keeping them covered with water until just before you’re ready to make the latke mixture should help with the browning issue. Good luck!
Joel Kreiss says
To prevent potatoes from turning brown( really not necessary)a little lemon juice or vitamin C tablet will do the trick. We don’t bother with that. We wash potatoes cut them in small pieces, place,with onion, in food processor and pulse to desired consistency. Once fried the color of the potato is moot.
Joel Kreiss
Venice Florida
Sandy says
Interesting…I use 2 sheets of egg and onion matzoh/each egg. Scramble eggs with water, then add broken matzoh crackers.A little chicken broth can be added for additional flavor. Always used to fry in Nyah fat, but since it isn’t made any longer, use a little olive oil and butter. Saute some chopped onion and add the soaked matzoh…mmm good. Just salt and pepper…nothing more is needed!