April 5 marks the start of Passover, and whether you’ve hosted for years or are new to the Jewish holiday (which commemorates the Israelites’ liberation from slavery), we’re here to help you plan your menu from dinner to dessert. Observers traditionally avoided all leavened breads during the eight days of Passover, as well as rice, beans, corn and lentils due to a 13th-century prohibition. Nowadays, many families permit these to be eaten, but still steer clear of leavened bread and food made with wheat flour, like bread, pasta, cereal and cookies.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up 38 Passover recipes that feature some of the symbolic foods on the Seder plate and popular dishes to serve at your annual family gathering, like brisket, matzo ball soup and flourless cake.