Who’s tried matzo brei before? If you’re feeling hesitant, think about this: warm, eggy, salty, and chewy. It all sounds good, right? This Healthy Zucchini & Spinach Matzo Brei is a great way to start the day. It fits the description above, but it’s got a nice crunch from some added vegetables.
I grew up eating matzo brei all the time, which traditionally was just matzo sheets soaked in eggs, milk, and salt, and then pan cooked. Don’t get me wrong, if you’re looking for straight comfort and heft, there’s nothing wrong with the traditional recipe. However, this recipe makes it easy to get a serving or two of vegetables and added fiber in your day.
Tell me in the comments, have you ever had matzo brei before?
What is Matzo Brei?
Matzo brei (this has a thousand different spelling variations so don’t come at me) is an Ashkenazi Jewish dish. The foundation of the dish is matzo sheets broken up and soaked in egg, then fried. So, I suppose it’s like scrambled eggs beefed up a bit. It’s common to have matzo brei for breakfast, but I’ve definitely eaten it for every meal.
Ingredients
- Matzo sheets (also called crackers)
- Eggs
- Egg whites
- Milk
- Butter
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Green pepper
- Seasonings
. Just a heads up to those who don’t regularly buy matzo: it can be pricey for what it is. The best time to buy matzo sheets is after Passover since they’re usually on sale at that time.
. Using egg whites is optional. You can sub them out for two additional eggs if you’d like. I added whites to keep the fat content down and boost protein a bit.
. It’s optional, but the fresh crunch of sliced scallions really adds to the final dish. It also compliments the onion salt.
How to Make this Brei
To start, add the eggs, whites, milk, and dry seasonings to a large bowl. Beat them until they’re well combined, then start to break up the matzo sheets into the liquid. You want the pieces to range in size a bit, but don’t pulverize them because you want to have actual separate pieces, not a homogenous mash. Mix the broken matzo into the liquid, letting the bottom half sit to soak and the top half lightly coated in egg. Let your matzo soak for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to evenly soften the crackers.
Prep your produce while you wait for the matzo. You don’t have to peel the zucchini, but you can if you want. Then cut it into small even bits however works best for you. Do the same with the green pepper, and roughly chop up the spinach. Heat your butter in your largest frying pan. Once melted and bubbling, toss in all the veggies and sauté them until tender, about 5 minutes. By now your matzo should be ready, so pour it over the spread out vegetables in the pan and lower your heat slightly. You want the veggies to get stuck in the solidifying egg mix, so stir it gently and carefully. Cook the matzo brei for about 8-10 minutes until the egg is fully cooked, then taste to assess the texture and wetness for yourself. The amount of moisture left in the matzo brei is really up to the individual.
What to Pair this With
If I’m having this as a casual breakfast, I like to pair it with a little fresh fruit, but if I’m making this into a dinner meal or a weekend brunch, I recommend pairing this with a red shakshuka. I have an eggless recipe for Caprese Shakshuka that works really well here (coming soon to Resume Recipes). You can also eat this as a standalone dish topped with salsa, scallions, and/or sour cream!
Healthy Zucchini & Spinach Matzo Brei
Ingredients
- 4 sheets matzo crackers, salted or unsalted
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup egg whites, or 2 more eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk, or milk of choice
- 2-3 tsp onion salt, dependent on taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
Optional Toppings
- Salsa of choice
- Chopped scallions
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Beat the eggs, cream, and seasonings together in a large bowl.
- By hand, break matzo sheets into uneven bite sized pieces and stir into the mixture.
- Let sit and soak roughly 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
- While the brei soaks, chop your veggies.
- When the soaking process is almost finished, heat butter in a large frying pan. Once heated add veggies and sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender.
- Once the vegetables are soft and wilted, pour the egg matzo mix in to the heated pan and lower the heat slightly. Continue to slowly and gently stir every minute or so.
- Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes until the matzo brei is the right moisture level for you!
Notes
- When you add everything to the pan, you want to stir occasionally so the dish cooks evenly, but not too often or you'll make a messy scramble. You've got to be patient or the veggies won't incorporate into the egg and matzo mix very well.
- Matzo brei can go from a little undercooked to dry in just a few minutes, so make sure not to cook on too high a heat and to really pay consistent attention to it.