Charoset Recipe: Traditional Apple Wine Salad for Passover

Discover the timeless beauty of traditional charoset, a beloved Jewish apple salad that combines crisp apples, toasted nuts, sweet wine, and warming spices to create a dish that honors ancient traditions while delighting modern palates with its perfect balance of sweetness, texture, and meaningful symbolism. This easy charoset recipe transforms simple ingredients into a memorable dish that serves as both a sacred element of the Passover seder plate and a delicious fruit salad that can be enjoyed throughout the year whenever you crave something sweet, refreshing, and deeply satisfying.

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Why This Recipe Works

The magic of charoset lies in its thoughtful combination of ingredients that create both symbolic meaning and exceptional flavor harmony. The apples provide crisp sweetness and fresh texture, while the wine adds depth and helps bind the flavors together. The nuts contribute essential crunch and richness, while the spices warm the palate and enhance the natural fruit flavors. The brief chilling time melts all elements into a cohesive, refreshing salad that improves with time.

What Makes This Dish Special

Charoset is one of the most meaningful elements of Jewish cuisine. It symbolically represents the mortar used by Jewish slaves in Egypt while celebrating the sweetness of freedom. This recipe honors traditional preparation methods while creating a delicious fruit salad that transcends its ceremonial purpose to become a beloved dish worthy of any table. Combining familiar ingredients creates something uniquely satisfying that appeals to all ages and dietary preferences.

Ingredients

Fruit Base:

• Apples – Choose crisp varieties like Honeycrisp or Gala for best texture and sweetness
• Lemon – Fresh juice prevents browning and adds bright acidity

Flavor Enhancers:

• Toasted pecans – Provide essential crunch and nutty richness
• Sweet red wine – Manischewitz Concord Grape Wine or similar kosher wine
• Honey – Natural sweetener that complements wine and spices

Aromatic Spices:

• Cinnamon – Warming spice that enhances apple flavors
• Nutmeg – Subtle warmth that rounds out the spice profile

Ingredient Substitutions

Here are a few ideas for changing up this recipe for your flavor or diet preferences:

• Charoset without Wine – substitute grape juice for the wine.
• Nut-Free Charoset – Instead of nuts, use roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seed kernels, coarsely chopped.
• Use other Nuts – Substitute different nuts for the pecans. Walnuts or hazelnuts are great options.
• Vegan Charoset – If you like sweet flavors but are vegan, swap the honey for agave syrup.

Charoset Recipe With Wine – What Is the Best Wine to Use?

This recipe uses Manischewitz Concord Kosher Wine, like mana from heaven, except with alcohol! However, you could substitute the following:

• Manischewitz Elderberry Wine
• Cream Sherry or Port
• Sweet White Wine

How to Make Charoset

1. Chop apples quickly, place into a large bowl, and squeeze lemon over the chopped apples.

2. Mix wine and honey, and blend well together.
3. Pour wine and honey over the apples, stir in nuts, and add fresh cinnamon and nutmeg.

4. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.

Apple Charoset Recipe Variations

You can make this recipe your own! Use this apple charoset recipe as a template and get creative. Here are some ideas:

• Add some orange zest.
• Add raisins.
• Add dates. Charoset with dates is quite popular.
• Add other fruits like sliced peaches or bananas.
• Lightly salt the nuts while still warm.
• Sprinkle ground pistachios over the top for a pop of color and added crunch.
• Mix apples and pears to make pear charoset.

What Goes With Charoset?

Are you wondering what do you serve with Charoset? You can pair it with potato pancakes or pierogis. Or, anything that you would typically serve with apple or cranberry sauce, such as:

• Beef Roast
• Lamb Chops
• Oven Brisket
• Roast Pork

Make-Ahead Strategies

Charoset improves with time as flavors develop and integrate. Prepare up to 24 hours in advance and store covered in the refrigerator. The apples may darken slightly due to oxidation, but this doesn’t affect flavor. If made far in advance, add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice before serving for the best presentation.

Storage & Freshness Tips

• Serving Temperature: Best served chilled directly from the refrigerator for optimal texture and flavor.
• Refrigerator Storage: Store covered charoset in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, understanding that apples may darken naturally over time.
• Freezing Not Recommended: The texture of fresh apples doesn’t freeze well, so enjoy charoset fresh for optimal quality.

Love apple salad? Try these recipes!

• Apple Chicken Salad
• Apple Waldorf Salad
• Chicken Apple Pecan Salad

Favorite Apple Recipes

• Apple Bread
• Apple Chips
• Apple Cobbler with Bisquick
• Apple Crisp With Oats
• Apple Muffins
• Apple Crumb Cake
• Apple Spice Cake
• Fried Apples
• Sugar Free Apple Pie

Check out my easy salad recipes and the best Passover and Easter recipes here on CopyKat!