Nut Free Charoset

January 26, 2020

Nut Free Charoset is made with apples, raisins, dates, cinnamon, and wine, for sweet flavor and crunchy texture, but safe for individuals celebrating Passover with tree nut allergies.

Nut Free, Peanut Free, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Egg Free, Soy Free

Passover is one of my favorite Jewish holidays to celebrate. However, it’s full of NUTS! From charoset at the Passover sedar to the many Kosher for Passover desserts made with almond flour, walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, etc. are everywhere!

It can be a tad overwhelming to safely navigate Passover with tree nut allergies.

One way my mom always made me feel at ease was to make me nut free charoset.

Charoset is a traditionally sweet mixture made from fruit, nuts, and wine that symbolizes the mortar Jews used during their enslavement in Egypt. Sometimes it’s more paste-like, but my family always prepared it with more of a finely chopped salad texture.

This nut-free version omits the nuts, but doesn’t skimp on flavor. It’s perfect for your Passover sedar…

How to Host a Passover Sedar with Individuals with Food Allergies

It may be overwhelming to host an individual with food allergies at holiday celebrations. Of course, no one wants to cause an allergic reaction, so my number one piece of advice is to keep the lines of communication open.

Speak freely with your guest with food allergies to ensure their safety.

>>> More tips to survive any holiday with food allergies <<<

Likewise, an individual with food allergies should know to be their own best advocate. They should know to ask questions and perhaps bring their own food, depending on the severity of the allergy and the specific situation at hand.

Specifically for Passover, here are some tips to host an individual with food allergies:

Have options available – they now make gluten free matzo, if someone is gluten free and you can make this nut free charoset for someone with tree nut allergies
Prepare food allergy safe foods FIRST before contaminating your kitchen with the allergen (if you’re using the allergen at all)
Be cautious of cross contamination. Can you guarantee a dish is safe? Were your counters and cutlery cleaned before you used them? If the answer is no, that’s OK – just let your guest with food allergies know that you’re concerned about cross contamination BEFORE they arrive so they can bring safe food with them.

How to Safely Prepare Nut Free Charoset

To make this nut free charoset, simply chop the ingredients, toss them in a large bowl with cinnamon and wine, and serve! Of course, the longer the apples and dried fruit marinate in the wine, the better it is.

To safely prepare this dish, I recommend preparing it FIRST. If you are making a nut-free version along with a nut-filled version, you can even use this nut-free version as your base and add nuts to half of the mixture.

A word of caution: please label your nut free charoset clearly so there’s no confusion!

Ingredients in Nut Free Charoset

This allergy-safe charoset is made with just a handful of ingredients and can easily be customized to fit your taste preferences:

Apples – I used Gala and Macintosh apples for this charoset, but I think tart Granny Smith or Pink Lady varieties would work deliciously as well. Apples contain filling fiber, antioxidants, and sizable amounts of vitamins C and K, plus potassium.

Dried fruit – This is where you can really have fun! Play around with different combinations of dried fruit until you find a combination you prefer. Personally, I went with a variety of chopped dates, prunes, raisins, and dried cranberries.

A note of caution: If someone is strictly allergic to tree nuts, be sure the dried fruit is NOT processed on the same equipment as nuts! This should be labeled on the package, however, it is not mandated. If unsure, call to ask the manufacturer or order online from a safe company. Gerb’s Allergy-Friendly Foods is safe and as of publication, SunSweet’s prunes are safe from cross-contamination.

Cinnamon – Is there a better combo than apples + cinnamon? This spice isn’t only delicious, but also imparts several health benefits, like avoiding blood sugar spikes.

Red Wine – Traditionally, charoset is made with a sweet red wine. Personally, I think there are enough sweet ingredients in this nut free charoset for you to choose or use any red wine you have available. You only need one-half cup total per 3 cups of apples.

More Nut Free Passover Recipes:

This Nut Free Charoset is…

Delicious (even without nut allergies)
Allergy-friendly
Made in 10 minutes
Kosher for Passover
Vegan
Safe to eat