It can be difficult to understand the reason behind the many complex dietary laws that govern Passover. Perhaps because of the holiday's complex nature, the first two nights of Passover are celebrated with at-home services/dinner parties called seders. During the seder, friends and family gather around the dinner table and participate by reading along in the Haggadah (the book used to guide the seder). The service is traditionally led by the head of the household, and that person will often ask family and friends to help out by reading passages or engaging in a discussion of the story as it is unfolding. The storytelling can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, depending on how much time is spent discussing, reading and mulling over the details of the story. During the service there is very little food eaten and by the time the service comes to a close, everyone is clambering for a taste of the food bubbling away in the kitchen.

Meals Well Worth Waiting For
The seder meal is a feast of celebration, togetherness and remembrance, and because of its important stature, many cooks will spend a considerable amount of time planning and cooking the meal. To help lessen some of the burden that falls on every Passover cook's shoulders, we've prepared 2 traditional seder menus that are sure to impress.

Need more Passover meal ideas? Read Everyday Passover Meals.

Everybody's Favorite Seder Menu
• Matzo Balls
• Salad de Colores
• Passover Zucchini-Stuffed Chicken
• Kugel
• Haroset
• Oven Roasted Potatoes

A Sephardic/Turkish Menu
• Rainbow Roasted Pepper Soup
• Fava Bean Salad
• Leek and Meat Fritters
• Braised Lamb with a Sour Orange Marinade
• Date Haroset