13 Foods You Didn't Know Were Kosher For Passover

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Food is an important part of the Passover (or Pesach) festival, from the Seder meal to the rules against consuming leavened bread or grains during the Passover period. While some Jewish people eat kosher all year round, others go kosher for Passover, which takes place in Nissan — the first month of spring in the Jewish calendar — and lasts for eight days, or seven days in Israel. Standard kosher food rules include only eating meat from certain herbivores, like cows and sheep, avoiding shellfish, not combining meat and dairy products, and avoiding foods that have come into contact with non-kosher ingredients during manufacture.

Throughout Passover, additional food rules apply, such as avoiding leavened or risen wheat and grain products, including bread, cakes, oatmeal, or cookies. Instead, it is traditional to consume matzah or matzo — unleavened flatbread — during Passover and at the Seder meals. This tradition commemorates the story of Exodus and the Jew's escape from slavery in Egypt when they were forced to flee so quickly that they did not have time to let their bread rise.

While an important part of the Pesach tradition, going kosher can make meal planning and snacking a challenge, especially if you're used to including a lot of gluten in your diet. So, whether you're running low on meal ideas or want a mid-week treat, these 13 foods will help you go kosher for Passover.

While kosher wine is an important part of Passover and celebrating the Seder meal, other types of alcohol become prohibited during Passover. This can be tricky to navigate if you're not a wine drinker or you're hosting Passover gatherings and want to offer your guests a variety of drinks. While alcohols like beer — made from grain — or wheat-based vodkas are off the table, you may be surprised how many non-wheat liquors are suitable for Passover.

One popular option for a Passover tipple is tequila. Hailing from Mexico, tequila is made from blue agave and does not contain wheat products. While reposado and añejo tequilas are aged in wooden barrels — something which is not allowed according to Passover rules as all liquors must be aged in kosher casks – silver or white tequilas are unaged and usually distilled in stainless steel or copper containers.

Brands like Patron Silver are specifically labeled kosher for Passover. However, you can also find other tequila brands perfect for mixing in cocktails and that meet kosher requirements. Classic tequila cocktails include margaritas, tequila sunrise, and Long Island iced teas.

Mayonnaise is naturally kosher and is generally made from eggs, vegetable oils, vinegar, and lemon juice. This creamy condiment contains no wheat products, so it's also kosher during Passover when grains are avoided, and is dairy-free, meaning that you can serve it alongside meat. Well-known brands, such as Hellmann's and Heinz, sell mayonnaise that is kosher-certified. You can also find Gefen Lite mayonnaise which is specifically kosher for Passover.

Mayonnaise is also quite simple to make at home, which is a good option if you want to ensure absolutely no crossover between kosher and non-kosher foods. You can make homemade mayonnaise by blending a raw egg with lemon juice and vinegar and then gradually mixing in oil until you get the consistency you want. Flavor your mayonnaise with herbs or garlic for a fresh, zingy taste, and enjoy it alongside a crunchy salad or with hard-boiled eggs. If you're wondering how long mayo is good for, fresh homemade mayo will usually last around 3-4 days in the fridge while storebought mayo has a shelf life of around two months.

Coca-Cola is generally safe for kosher Jews to consume, however, this becomes a little more complicated during Passover because of one key ingredient — high fructose corn syrup. While Jews who eat kitniyot consider corn kosher at Passover, for others the inclusion of corn syrup can mean that Coca-Cola is off-limits throughout Passover week. If the thought of going without this refreshing beverage for eight days leaves you stressed, don't worry. Coca-Cola has introduced a kosher for Passover line that replaces corn syrup with a sucrose-based substitute.

Making Coca-Cola with sucrose is a return to the brand's original recipe, which used to include cane sugar or sugar from beets. During the run-up to Passover, Jewish shoppers can look out for Coca-Cola bottles with yellow caps, which signify that this bottle contains the kosher for Passover recipe. Unsurprisingly, this product is pretty popular and tends to fly off the shelves, so stock up in advance. Although Diet Coke is also kosher year-round, some Jewish people avoid drinking it at Passover as its aspartame sweeteners may contain corn byproducts or come into contact with corn syrup.

Oreos are a fantastic dairy-free snack and have long been a popular cookie choice for vegans. Awarded their official kosher status in 1997, Oreos are also a year-round go-to for many kosher Jews and have a huge range of different cookie flavors and products on offer. Despite this, Oreos at Passover can be a little controversial for two reasons — one is that they contain corn syrup and the other is that they do contain some flour. However, if you buy gluten-free Oreos, these are usually made with rice flour instead and only contain a small amount of oat flour.

If you want to be really strict during Pesach, you can find Oreo-type cookies from brands specializing in kosher for Passover products. As well as original Oreo cookies, which are famously enjoyed with a glass of cold milk, you can also find kosher peanut butter Oreos and Oreo sandwich cookies.

Beef is not out of bounds during Passover so you can still enjoy a juicy burger patty, albeit without the bun. If you're buying store-bought burgers, you can find kosher patties at specialty butchers and delicatessens. Some varieties of kosher frozen beef burgers are also available. For those avoiding wheat during Passover, make sure any burgers you buy do not contain breadcrumbs, as they are sometimes used to bulk out patties.

You can also make beef burgers at home using high-quality ground beef. Use an egg as a binding agent to help the patties hold together and season with diced onion for some crunch and freshness. Fry the patties in a vegetable oil of your choice and enjoy without the bun and with a side of fries dipped in Heinz's kosher ketchup. While you won't be able to make your patty into a cheeseburger over Pesach (or if you observe kosher rules throughout the year), a dollop of kosher mayo is a great compromise.

Similar to popcorn and rice, quinoa is sometimes considered kitniyot and can be controversial for some Jewish people. However, if you don't rule kitniyot at Passover, quinoa can be a delicious starchy option when you're fed up with potatoes. Quinoa is made up of the seeds from a South American goosefoot plant, which is native to the Andes. It is not technically a grain and, therefore, does not violate any of the Passover rules about avoiding leavening agents.

Quinoa is often consumed as a health food because of its plant-based, gluten-free, and low-calorie makeup. It contains high amounts of vital nutrients, such as manganese, magnesium, iron, and vitamin B6, among others. Quinoa is also super quick and simple to prepare and takes around 15 minutes to boil in water. When cooked right, quinoa has a light, fluffy texture, which is neither dry nor gloopy and can easily stand in for rice alongside fish or meat.

Quinoa tastes great when loaded with chopped vegetables, toasted nuts and seeds, fresh herbs, and even dried fruits, like apricots and raisins. You can add it to salads to increase the nutrient density and give your meal some bulk, or stuff bell peppers with it and sprinkle them with cheese. It works well in chicken broths or vegetable soups and is a barley substitute.