By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 10
432 cal · 30 min
Sephardic-Style Charoset With Dried Fruit and Nuts
Recipe GLPR00bca98370913a
A traditional Sephardic charoset combining red wine, raisins, dates, apricots, roasted almonds, and warm spices. This symbolic Passover condiment balances sweet dried fruits with aromatic cinnamon and cloves, finished with a hint of orange blossom water for an authentic Mediterranean touch. Serve at the Seder table to represent the mortar used by the Israelites in Egypt.
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Ingredients
1½ cups red wine (cabernet sauvignon or Manischewitz recommended)
2½ cups red raisins
1½ cups dried dates, chopped fine
¾ cup dried apricots, chopped fine
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ cups roasted almonds
1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
Directions
Pour the red wine into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the red raisins, chopped dates, and chopped apricots. Stir well to combine.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the fruit and wine mixture for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the dried fruits have softened and the liquid has reduced by about half. The mixture should become thicker and more concentrated.
Sprinkle the ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and kosher salt over the fruit mixture. Stir thoroughly to distribute the spices evenly throughout.
Add the roasted almonds to the pot and mix well. If using orange blossom water, add it now and stir to incorporate. Simmer for another 2–3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Remove from heat and allow the charoset to cool slightly. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve at room temperature as a condiment with the Seder meal.
Comments
Orange blossom water is the sole sticking point: Harris Teeter carries it reliably, but it's a specialty stop if you shop at Food Lion or ALDI. The rest—red wine, dried fruit, nuts, and spices—are standard everywhere. Cost per serving runs about $1.50 to $2.00 depending on wine choice, reasonable for a Passover or holiday dish. The 30-minute time is honest: chopping dried fruit and toasting almonds actually takes that, and there's no real technique to stumble on. This is a side dish, not a main, and it keeps well for days in the fridge, which matters for holiday meal planning.
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