Kugel is a quintessentially Jewish dish that is best described as a baked pudding. The dish originated over 800 years ago in Germany and quickly became popular with Jewish families throughout Eastern Europe. There are many kinds of kugels—noodle kugels, sweet kugels, savory kugels. Slow cooking overnight kugels developed because Orthodox families were not allowed to cook during the hours of Shabbat. During the Passover holiday, noodles and sweets take a back seat to dairy-free and flour-free potato kugels, which are served alongside other holiday classics like brisket, roast chicken and matzo ball soup.
For the past several years I’ve been refining my potato kugel recipe. My goal was to create a kugel with the soul of a latke– one big, fluffy, sliceable latke that can serve a large crowd. I’ve learned, over time, to keep things simple… potatoes, eggs, onions and fat, a little starch, some salt and pepper – that’s all you need to make a great kugel. The rest is all about technique.
I used to put matzo meal in my kugel to bind it, but have since switched over to potato starch (the “secret ingredient” I use to make crispy, amazing latkes). The starch makes for a lighter, fluffier texture inside… it’s also gluten free for those who have dietary restrictions. Over time I learned to preheat my baking dish, a technique I picked up from my sister-in-law. This step produces a really brown, beautiful crust on the kugel that simply can’t be obtained by oven cooking alone.
This Passover Potato Kugel is everything a kugel should be… crispy on the outside while soft, fluffy and tender inside. It’s like one enormous latke, an irresistible addition to any Seder table. I highly recommend the schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) if you can swing it. If you prefer to keep it meat-free, use olive oil and it will still be very, very tasty. Enjoy!
Note: I am always working to make my recipes better. I have improved this recipe and reposted it with new pictures. If you’re looking for the old recipe, leave a comment and let me know. I plan to post another”improved” potato kugel recipe with Sephardic spices in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
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Passover Potato Kugel
Ingredients
- 5 pounds russet potatoes (about 10 medium-sized potatoes)
- 2 whole large onions
- 6 eggs
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 tablespoons potato starch (if not serving for Passover you may substitute corn starch)
- 1/4 cup schmaltz or extra virgin olive oil, divided (schmaltz gives amazing flavor; use olive oil to keep it vegetarian)
Instructions
- Place a 9x13 baking dish or pan in the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees, letting the dish heat up inside. Peel the potatoes, then use a food processor or hand grater to grate them into large shreds.
- Place the potato shreds in a large mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Let the shreds sit for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel and shred the two large onions in the food processor or with a hand grater. Reserve.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt and pepper until fluffy.
- Drain the potato shreds in a colander, pushing down firmly on top of the shreds with your hands to push out the excess liquid.
- Place grated potatoes in a large bowl. Add the seasoned eggs, grated onions and potato starch to the bowl. Use your hands to mix all ingredients together until well combined.
- Take the preheated baking dish out of the oven. Quickly pour in 3 tbsp schmaltz or olive oil, then use a pastry brush to carefully spread the fat around the bottom and sides of the hot dish. Careful, don't burn yourself! The hot dish, while a bit difficult to navigate, will help to form a beautiful brown and crisp crust for the kugel.
- Carefully and quickly spread the potato mixture into an even layer in the baking dish (it should sizzle!), then drizzle remaining 1 tbsp of melted schmaltz or olive oil across the top.
- Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 60-70 minutes until the top is nicely browned all across the top. If it seems to be browning too fast (before the center is cooked), cover the kugel to keep it from over-browning. You really want it to have a nice golden crust-- at the end of cooking, if it's not quite brown enough, you can put it 6 inches below the broiler for a minute or two to evenly brown it all across the top. This kugel tastes best served hot directly from the oven. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
NOTES
Nutrition
Where can I find schmaltz? I agree it has a better flavor than olive oil but I can’t find it.
Do you have a kosher market locally? It can usually be found in the freezer section in most kosher markets. If not, you can make it yourself, here’s a tutorial: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2010/06/schmaltz-and-gribenes/
Very good recipe thanks
This recipe looks great and I can’t wait to try it for my seder. How many people should this recipe feed?
Debra this will make 12-15 moderate side portions.
Can you explain why a glass pan is not recommended? Thanks
Michelle glass can potentially shatter if cool ingredients are added to a hot dish. While the risk is small with Pyrex, it is safer to use a non-glass dish or pan.
I tried it today . I used butter instead of olive oil or schmaltz . I grated the potatoes and onions with a grater , didn’t took as long as I thought it will . Also I’ve put a zucchini in it too . It is really good , even my husband ate from it and that means a lot . Next time I definetly will only use halt of the salt and pepper , it was for me too much . So I’ve served it with yoghurt . Thank you so much for your receipt, it’s so good !!!!
Hi Tori I love your recipes and your Potato Kugel is a standout.
Thank you from ‘down-under’ for sharing these recipes with us.
Warm regards, Don
You’re welcome Don, thanks for reading! 🙂
Can you prep this earlier in the day and then bake it off before dinner?
Hi Jill– you can prep up to covering the potato shreds in cold water and pre-measuring the ingredients. The rest should be done just before baking (and should take less than 10 minutes total). If you assemble it ahead of time you risk the potato shreds turning brown and looking unappealing.
This recipie is excellent! It trully is a revamp on “traditional” kugel. I honestly don’t like Kugel, and no one in my Ashkenazi family excepts it lol. It seems to be more of an American Ashkenazi traditional, because none of my family from Eastern Europe and Germany make it the way they do in the US.
This recipe looks and sounds so delicious! I will surely be serving this at my 1st sedar. But since I am going to a friend’s house for the 2nd night, I would love to make the Sephardic comparable recipe. Some same people will be there. Is it possible to post the Sephardic kugel recipe this week. I have a lot of cooking to do? Thanks Tori I love your recipes best!
I will try my best Jeanie… 🙂
Where do I get potatoes starch?
Janet, any kosher market will carry this around Passover, and most grocery stores carry it in either the kosher section or the baking section (near the cornstarch). If you’re not making this for Passover you can substitute cornstarch.
Hi, could you make this ahead? Keep it in the fridge and bake later or make ahead, bake and freeze? Thanks!
Thank you for this recipe, I’ve tried it today and it will be on my Passover table.
Made this today. Turned out really nice, I just used more spices.
Awesome Nils! I often add spices to mine as well. Turmeric, cumin and paprika work well. I’m planning on posting a spiced-up version too!
Mmmm!! I love ’em all, but can’t wait for your Sephardic version! (y)
Looks perfect can’t wait to be peasachdic to try it ??
This is my exact recipe too except that I sprinkle paprika on top, use a glass pyrex baking dish and mix type of potatoes occasionally.♥
Hi Tori, I’m planning to make this kugel for Passover, but the 9 x 13 size is too large for my small family. How would I adapt the recipe to a 9 x 9 pan instead? Thanks for your help Tori!
Hi Eileen, you can halve the recipe. It will bake up slightly thinner, but otherwise should be fine.
Since freezing leftovers would not work well, would it be possible to make a MUCH smaller amount? There are only three of us and we are “older” and can’t eat that much – but still love having yummy dinners. ? Thanks!
Mary, you could easily halve this recipe and cook it in a cast iron skillet– heat the skillet on the stove, add the ingredients and move it to the preheated oven to finish cooking. Hope that helps!
I always put the potatoes in the processor and ground to a fine pulp, never thought to just shred them. Will have to try this.
I am definitely on board with this but can I use a glass baking dish in lieu of ceramic? Thanks for sharing this! It’s like a giant hash brown ?
Anna I am so hesitant when it comes to glass bakeware, because the shift in temperature (adding room temp ingredients to a hot dish) can cause it to shatter if it’s an old or defective dish. If using glass, I would probably skip preheating the dish. You won’t have the crust quite as golden brown at the end of cooking, but it’s a safer bet than using glass. Or, if you have a cast iron skillet, you can halve this recipe, preheat the case iron on the stovetop, then cook it in that! Hope that helps 🙂
Tori I will treat myself to one. What do you recommend ?
I just made this in a glass dish and I’m going to freeze it. It worked out fine.
Very nice Jennifer! You know Anna the risk is probably small with a glass dish, but I always err on the side of caution, having heard horror stories about them shattering on folks. If you click through on the post I’ve linked to some dish recommendations. You could even use a 9×13 metal cake pan if you have one of those!
Thank you Tori! I love your recipes!
Anna Ash Yarow , thank you !
Tori Avey come to think of it I have my moms metal pan that she made potato kugel in. I’ll use that as its well seasoned 🙂
Definitely have to make this. I made your eggnog gingerbread kugel over the holidays – it was soooo good!