matzoh meal

Matzoh meal is a finely ground flour produced from matzoh (also spelled matzo or matza), unleavened bread traditionally eaten during Passover. Matzoh itself is a simple flatbread made from only flour and water, baked quickly to prevent leavening. The meal is created by grinding dried sheets of matzoh into a powder or coarse flour, resulting in a product free of leavening agents and typically certified kosher for Passover. It ranges in texture from fine flour-like consistency to coarser granules, depending on the grinding process.

Matzoh meal has a slightly nutty, wheaten flavor with a subtle sweetness. The ingredient is gluten-free only if made from specially certified matzoh; standard matzoh meal contains wheat gluten. Different varieties exist, including regular matzoh meal and the finer "cake meal" (sometimes labeled as matzoh cake flour), which is ground more finely and often used in baking applications.

Matzoh meal serves as a versatile grain-based ingredient in both traditional Passover cooking and year-round Jewish cuisine. During Passover, it functions as a substitute for wheat flour in cakes, cookies, and other baked goods, bound with eggs and fats rather than leavening. It is central to matzoh balls (knaidlach)—dumplings simmered in soup—and is used in charoset, kugels, and breading for fried foods. Beyond Passover, matzoh meal appears in some Eastern European Jewish savory and sweet dishes. The coarser varieties work well as a breading for schnitzel and other fried preparations, while fine cake meal is preferred for delicate cakes and pastries. It requires careful moisture balance in recipes, as it absorbs liquids differently than wheat flour.