Reading Time: 3 minutes What is Gefilte Fish?
Many people (even Jews) ask, “What is Gefilte Fish.” Unless you grew up eating this jewish food, you might not be inclined to pick it up off the shelf at your grocery store or supermarket.
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Is Gefelte Fish?
So, is gefelte fish? Honestly, it doesn’t really look that appealing in the jars. It is usually in a jar filled with a watery, gel-like substance. It doesn’t really taste like fish, and many will say it tastes as bad as it looks.
Gefelte Fish Definition
Basically, Gefilte fish is a variety of fish and matzo meal formed into fish patties or balls. The fish mixture can be whitefish, pike, carp, mullet, or others. More recently salmon has been added occasionally to jarred gefilte fish.
Gefelte Fish Pronunciation
I don’t know if it’s correct or not, but we pronounce gefelte fish as guh-fil-tuh fish. Although some people say geh-fil-teh.
History of Gefilte Fish
Back in the days, poor Jewish families enjoyed Gifelte fish on Shabbat and other holidays because it was an inexpensive way of being able to eat fish.
Gefilte fish is often served on Passover seders since it usually contains matzoh meal.
Gefilte Fish in a Jar
There are a variety of brands of Gefilte Fish. The most popular include Manischewitz Gefilte Fish and Rokeach Gefilte Fish. You can choose from a variety of fish mixes and packed either in jell or broth. It can be served on a bed of lettuce or other greens with a side of horseradish. You can buy a jar of horseradish or make some at home.
These Jewish Fish Balls are relatively healthy, and good for you. Here’s the label from a Manischewitz Gifelte Fish jar that is packed in broth. One serving has 9 grams of protein and 80 calories. And, it’s low it fat.
gefilte fish jar
Is Gefilte Fish Healthy?
Gefilte fish is a traditional Jewish dish that is made from ground fish. While it can be prepared in different ways, it is often served as part of the traditional Passover meal. Over the years, there has been some debate over whether or not gefilte fish is healthy.
Nutritional experts agree that gefilte fish can be a healthy option when it’s prepared using fresh ingredients and kept low in salt. The main ingredient, which is usually carp or whitefish, provides a large amount of protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.
In addition, many recipes use carrots and onions to lend some extra nutritional value and flavor to the dish.
Overall, gefilte fish can be considered healthy when consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. However, store-bought varieties are often high in sodium, so it’s important to read labels carefully before buying them.
How to make Gefilte Fish
If you want to make Gefilte Fish at home here are a few traditional recipes I found. Usually ingredients include carrots, onions, pepper, salt, and eggs.
– Passover Gefilte Fish recipe – Food Network
– Classic Gefilte Fish (Pareve)
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Rachel is an Austin blogger, educator, mom, wife, young breast cancer survivor writing about health, saving money, and living a happy life in Austin, Texas.
Rachel has written for HuffPost and Hometalk and has been featured on KXAN, Studio 512, Fox 7 Austin, and CBS Austin.
Erin is the mother of identical twin girls and their slightly older brother. She is a domestic engineer, and previously had a career leading customer service teams for a major HVAC company. Cleaning without harsh chemicals, and cooking easy and usually healthy meals are part of Erin's daily life. She volunteers with youth leaders, and genuinely wants to help others win. Erin has a degree in Communications, with a focus on Broadcast Journalism.