homemade matzo meal

Homemade matzo meal

Perhaps this is to be filed under the “obvious” category, but still, I feel the need to post this. The other day, I was wandering around my local supermarket looking for something – what I can’t remember anymore. There were two ladies talking behind me, and one lamented that she’s been all over this neighborhood trying to find matzo meal, but no one had it. What was she to do this weekend, come Passover?

Normally, I don’t eavesdrop on others’ conversations, and in the rare case I do, I certainly don’t walk over and give them advice. But in this case, I felt that it would be wrong not to say something.

“Sorry to butt in,” I said, “but your problems are easily solved if you have a food processor.”

The ladies were listening.

“Well, you just stick some pieces of matzo in your food processor and pulverize them until you get them finely ground. Sort of like making your own breadcrumbs.”

“Are you serious,” one of the ladies was incredulous, “that’s all that matzo meal is? You’ve just solved a huge problem for me!”

And with that, she grabbed a few boxes of matzo and headed towards the check-out.

This made me think that perhaps it’s not a widely known fact that matzo meal is simply ground up matzo – a breadcrumbs substitute over the holiday.

So, if you find yourself in need of matzo meal and only boxes of matzo lying around, just grind them up – and voila! Matzo meal in mere seconds.

Print

Matzo Meal

Makes about 1/2 cup

2 sheets matzo, broken into several pieces

In a food processor fitted with a blade, matzo pieces. Process until the matzo forms a finely ground mixture. Transfer to an airtight container or use right away.

47 Comments

  • Radish

    Brian – I am kind of embarrassed even writing up a “recipe” for it. But I wonder if it’s more of a no brainer for you and me and less so for many other folks.

  • Margarita

    I have on more than a few occasions talked to strangers at grocery stores about random things I overhear in conversations. I feel embarrassed butting in, but I can’t help it, I feel like I would be doing a disservice if I don’t offer what I know. So, thanks for sharing this information. :)

  • me @ the-intentional-me

    Last Friday I shopped six stores trying to gather everything I needed for our multi-cultural/multi-religion family to make it through Passover and Easter, never mind that it is also my daughter’s birthday and fulfilling her request for a pink and purple birthday cake was a trip unto itself. I had a brief thought as I cursed the fact that Whole Foods only had whole wheat matzo meal that I should be able to whiz up some in the food processor but I didn’t want to mess with the matzo balls if you know what I mean. Thanks, next time I will stop at five stores :)

  • Amy

    I teach in a synagogue preschool, and we always crush matzah inside ziplocs by whaling on them with wooden hammers. (and it’s not just the kids that love this part!). We use the homemade matzah meal to make matzah balls, and I now do it at home as well. Works great,especially if you prefer “sinkers” with more of a nutty taste.

  • lia

    It would seem obvious but when I tried it last year, the “homemade” matzo meal didn’t come out as finally ground as the store bought. I didn’t end up using it for baked products. Any thoughts?

  • Radish

    Ila – yes, you get a slightly more varied texture – a good point. But I like that in my homemade matzo meal same as I prefer to make my own “irregular” breadcrumbs. There’s definitely a way to smooth out the bigger guys by pounding them out – it is a bit more effort. My personal complaint, really, is that my food processor is somewhat defective and make the most insane mess ever. I’ve worked in other kitchens and it’s never nearly as bad :)

  • Rachel@FoodFix

    Great story. I encounter that kind of “duh!?” moment all the time with my students (I teach cooking) with the most simple culinary facts. It is interesting how little food lore is passed down anymore between the generations and how clueless people can be in the kitchen…they are so grateful for the tips and info…even in the aisles of the grocery store! In the same vein…corn flour is nothing but finely ground corn meal…and almond flour nothing but finely ground almonds, etc….both come in handly for gluten-free baking…Happy Holidays…and check out my Flourless Chocolate Coconut Cake for Passover and Easter on my blog!

  • Amanda

    how intriguing! I’m actually embarrassed to admit it – but I had no idea what matzo meal was until now, much less how simple it was to make! Maybe it’s a Jewish/cultural thing? But thank you for pointing out this “obvious” thing to me!

  • Ellen

    I don’t own a food processor, and I’m wondering if I could try this in the blender. What do you think? Otherwise, I’ll try the manual method.

  • Radish

    Ellen – I think if you have a good, powerful blender, it might do the trick. Could you let all of us know if it works for you?

  • Laura

    Great post! I’ll admit, I’m ashamed this wasn’t a no-brainer for me in the past. I’m glad our food co-op forgot to order it this year, and so there was a run on matzo meal in other parts of town. I’ll never buy the over-priced substance again. Although it was a bit hard to get perfectly uniform texture in food processor. I think I’ll try Vitamix next time.

  • Irina

    The food processor is kind of magical. Once I realized that a lot of ingredients are really just pulverized versions of something, I started trying to see if I can make them myself. Basically, almost anything “ground” can be reproduced easily. (note: making your own powdered sugar will scratch up the plastic bowl a bit, and it will not be as powdery as you’d like, and also will create a lot of sugar dust, which is not pleasant. Just buy powdered sugar).
    I have to say, it did feel silly to have an “a-ha!” moment when I realized that almond meal is just almonds I can pulse a few times. Seems obvious, but only once it hits you :)

  • Annie

    Like a previous poster, I have tried this and it doesn’t come out the same. Now that was a long time ago, so I can’t remember if I tried it for matzo balls, which is what I would be making with matzo meal. Maybe I should try it again, as the store I shop at carries matzo crackers on occasion and not matzo meal.

    I also tried making matzo crackers once and that was a bust also. Mm…come to think of it, maybe that was what went into the failed matzo meal!

  • Bonnie in Australia

    Hi, that was very helpful advice, but I have another question. I live in a very multicultural area and I haven’t seen matzo before.
    Is matzo an unlevened cracker; is it wheat/ buckwheat/ amaranth/ rice/ potato flour based? does it have any sort of herbs? I am looking at an apple tea cake recipe that is only asking for matzo meal instead of wheat flour.

  • Radish

    Bonnie – matzo, as referred to in recipes, is an unleavened wheat cracker. I’ve never had trouble finding it in the US but I’ve always lived in cities. Are you near an area that has a sizeable Jewish population? If so, the stores should stock matzo and/or matzo meal.

  • Comet

    I live in an area that DOES have a decent size Jewish population in the larger towns. Altho I live in the wilderness and my kids were three out of the 4 Jewish kids in their school for the entire time from K thru 12.

    Our Walmart apparently is NOT carrying matzoh meal now. Maybe at Pesach. And our local large show place multi culti Price Chopper is also not carrying much in the way of Jewish stuff at all–they DID have a package of “Matzoh Ball Soup Mix” which MIGHT have made one matzoh ball. While I was standing there trying to see if they might have some hidden behind the other items another man came by looking for–matzoh meal! I said jokingly that I was going to have to learn how to make my own matzoh meal at which time the poor guy looked at me like I had sprouted wings. I said—But its ONLY GROUND UP MATZOHS! How hard could it BE!

    I checked here to see if anyone had the “answer” to the uneven pieces yet–after 5000 years you would THINK that we could figure this out people! But alas it is processor and zippy bag and rolling pin for me I fear!!!!

    If you don’t keep kosher (or if you can find kosher pre-cooked chickens!) I have taken to making soup out of the “rotisserie” chickens and adding herbs carrots onions celery and—one of the three “secrets” of chicken soup—half a bag of PEPPERIDGE FARMS HERB STUFFING for a LARGE pot of soup. (If I make my own chicken this is already part of the recipe!) Add this at the start. After straining all of the “stuff” out prior to finishing I add a shot of TAMARI SAUCE and then—every body’s Bubbe’s trick—-several CHICKEN CUBES!!!!! (aka boullion cubes invented by a family member of ours)

    I have found my family loves TURKEY MATZOH BALL SOUP even more than chicken–if that is possible.

  • Krista

    Thanks a million! I just went all over town looking for matzo meal, for my first Passover which I hope to wow my boyfriends parents with my matzo ball soup skills! :)

  • Martha

    great tip, but I am looking for an “actual” recipe to make the matzah meal itself. From all the responses I guess I should make matzah then crush it. I thought there might be a shorter method. Jewish people have broken left over matzah for meal, seemingly forever. If anyone has a shorter way to create meal…please let me know at [email protected]

  • olga

    Marta – matzo meal is nothing more than crushed matzo. That’s how you arrive at it. You can purchase matzo in most stores around large cities, but I don’t know where you live. If you are near a temple, you can ask a rabbi or someone to direct you. To have kosher fr passover matzo (and then meal) it has to be approved by a rabbi (i.e. made in compliance with the jewish law). Are you looking for a matzo recipe?

  • olga

    Lydia – matzo is essentially a cracker made with flour and water, however, if it’s kosher for passover, then it’s the only thing that’s allowed to be used i.e. you can’t just use a cracker and make a meal out of it. You have to use kosher for passover matzo to make matzo meal (or purchase matzo meal already made). If you’re not cooking for passover, you can certainly find regular matzo (not approved by rabbi for k for p uses). But I don’t know anything else that has just those 2 ingredients. hope that helps.

  • Julie J.

    Have to say I laughed out loud when I found this post after coming home from 4 grocery stores disappointed because I could not find matzo meal. My husband and I both have the flu and I love Jewish Chicken Soup w/matzo balls, but Jerry’s Deli is no longer in our neighbor so I thought I would attempt to make my own. I’m going back out to the store now to buy some matzo’s to pulverize in my Blendtec. Thanks so much for posting this!

  • M Tanner

    Wow – that was really helpful information!!! Like when I learned you can make powder sugar, from granulated sugar, in this same way! Thanks to Granny!!!

  • sselkhis

    Hi, I’m African American and love matzo ball soup. I usually get the packaged soup and cut fresh carrots celery, onions and cut up some thin chicken cutlets. To that I add some Knorr chicken boullion cubes and Lipton chicken noodle soup. I make a huge pot of it and its gone,Lol. So when a Jewish friend of mine gave me like 5 boxes of matzo crackers, matzo soup was the first thing that came in mind. But I wasn’t sure as to how to make the “meal” I figured its just pulverized matzo crackers. (Glad to know I was right, lol) so went to the good ole Internet and found this post. I don’t have a food processor, so what I did was crush matzo in a ziplock bag, then ran it through blender and presto the finest meal you can ever find! So I have a big batch for future use. Hope this helps others.

  • Sprittibee

    Here’s a question for the Jewish listeners… we are Christian, but we celebrate Hanukkah anyway. :) And we don’t eat white bread or wheat if we can avoid it. However, we found a wheat alternative Matzo cracker that is whole grain. Does it really matter what type of cracker you use with your Hanukkah meal or Matzo ball soup? If you can grind whatever cracker your family can eat, that’s not breaking any unwritten rule, is it? :) I grind all sorts of things to make “breading” for my oriental sesame chicken fingers – sometimes a blend of cornflakes, sprouted grain breads, etc. I wonder if you could do the same for “Matzo”. Some of the Matzo Ball and Falafel mixes that are store bought taste like they have corn meal in them anyway…

  • olga

    Sprittibee – Are you asking about Hannukah or Passover? If it’s the former, then use whatever matzo cracker you like – or alternative. But for Passover, whatever alternative you have in mind, has to have rabbinical approval in order to be appropriate for the holiday. Outside of regular kashrut laws, there’s nothing additional for Hannukah, but Passover is a whole different ball game. Hope this helps. Matzo mixes with cornmeal are NOT kosher for Passover.

  • BARBARA

    I greatly appreciate your conversation with the ladies. I really needed more Matzoh meal, to make my matzoh balls. Thanks again for recipe( kind o f figured thats what it was). :) Happy Passover!

  • Brittany

    So happy that you posted this “recipe!”
    I was making latkes and it called for matzo meal, and I was looking up a substitute, since I forgot to buy it, and found this post! (I make my own breadcrumbs for recipes; I just never even thought about the fact that it’s the same thing!) thank you!! :)

  • Kath

    Have been on a quest in the small town I live in for Matzoh – and finally went onto the Internet – and found several ways to make the matzoh balls as I had made the chicken soup – I was craving iMatzoh Ball Soup because of a cold –
    not Jewish but used to be able to fiind Matzoh Ball soup in any deli in Toronto – and love it
    Today I found semolina at a health food store – doesn’t look quite right to me but have read that its basically finally ground basis of the balls

    Have also read that ground up Carr’s Biscuits – similar to Matzoh will do in an emergency

    Two additional comments
    You haven’t lived if you don’t put butter on Matzoh – it is better than popcorn

    And I realize all of the above isn’t really Kosher – and I am not trying to offend anyone –
    just offering some thoughts on the matter –
    I am going to try to make some “balls” – for the beyond delicious chicken soup I made from a whole rotisserie chicken – apparently the bones get a bit roasted in the process – so it eliminates a step –

    I hope this is helpful

  • Barbara

    Thank you for this post! I was raised in an all Catholic household, German and Irish. We never had matzo but I wanted to make matzo ball soup. Have matzo crackers but had no idea if matzo meal was just crushed crackers. Big help!

  • Julie

    I’m Latin and one of those that never had tried the matza meal in any kind of recipe, until a friend took me to the “Miracle Mile Restaurant” in Phoenix, AZ, and I tried their MB SOUP there, oh my! I LOVED IT! From that point on I was addicted to Matza B Soup!
    I have ordered the packets of the meal through Amazon, but, now I would like to try and use the crackers and crush them myself to make my own MB SOUP!!

    Thanks to everyone sharing on this amazing meal!!! I learned some things!!!

  • Barbara Gold

    I ground my matzoh VERY fine. It looks like my cake meal instead of the coarser matzo meal.
    Can I still use to make matzo balls, even though I really made cake meal??

  • judy

    A hammer will work to crush the matza as well. Put the matza in a bag and whack the matza. My mom used to do it with something we call hard bread thats much harder than matza.

  • olga

    Hi Barbara, I think it merits a try. Worst case, you have slightly denser matzo balls and don’t do it again, but I don’t think it’ll be bad. I find that matzo balls are forgiving!

  • David Tseng

    Matzo is baked (flour + water). So why not simply bake the whole wheat flour with some amount of steam to make matzo meal, save the process of grinding the cracker.

  • Terry

    I came to this post as a result of a disagreement btwn my wife(Jewish) and myself(not) I’m an advanced amateur chef and always have sauces, brines, chowders and soups in qt. Containers in freezers. It being the holiday and chicken motza ball soup a mainstay . I couldn’t find a box of meal in my pantries. Staying at home for covid and with all other stocks adequate, can’t justify going out. So, as many have said, it seemed a no brainer to grind matzoh up. Thanks to the cooking community to explore this in depth. I’d like to toss in a few extra “grind ups”. I love Hawaiian bread for sandwiches. Hate to throw away the ends. Dry them, grind them, season, make great” different coatings or crumbs. Wife is on Keto(seemingly forever” Grind up pork rinds as a breading for chops and chicken. Delish! And allowable for Keto. This was fun, outlet for the “stirs”

  • Frances

    A coffee grinder makes this more fine than a food processor. Do not make it too fine, it is quick grind!

  • Sarah

    A good blender makes it much finer than a food processor. I have tried both and can actually make it as fine as matzo cake meal with a blender.

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