The Best Crunchy Substitute For Granola Is Leftover Matzo

If you're craving homemade granola, don't quite have all the ingredients you need, or are restricted to what you can eat due to cultural, religious, or health reasons, matzo can come to the rescue. Matzo is eaten on Passover, but that doesn't mean there's no place for this flatbread any other time of the year. And when it comes to crunchy, crispy granola, leftover matzo can deliver an easy-to-snack-on treat.

By replacing oats with pieces of crumbled and broken matzo pieces, you can make a tasty granola substitute that can be sprinkled on top of yogurt or eaten throughout the day. Plus, with a recipe that's easy to customize, you can choose which spices and flavors you want your granola to lead with. This unleavened bread provides the perfect crunchy texture that can be dressed up in both sweet and savory styles, helping you create exactly what you're wanting to snack on when the munchies strike.

A snack that can be easily customized

To make matzo granola, proceed in the same manner you would when making typical homemade granola: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and assemble your choice of ingredients. Dried fruits, drizzles of agave nectar, chunks of walnuts, and dashes of vanilla extract can help you create the perfect sweet recipe, while dried herbs, nuts, and sesame seeds can lend to more savory batches. Instead of adding oats to your chosen ingredients, breaks pieces of leftover matzo into your mixture for a granola-like crumble. 

For an even sweeter finishing touch, mix melted honey, sugar, and butter or ghee with the toasted ingredients, or enhance savory flavors with herbed olive oils before placing your matzo granola back into the oven for a final bake. After your concoction has been toasted to golden perfection, let the granola cool before adding it to a container to store for later, or start topping your favorite treats with the just-out-of-the-oven goodness. 

When properly stored, your delicious homemade crunch can last up to one month — if you can show restraint enough not to eat it all in one sitting.