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!
MY OTHER RECIPESNote: 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 lbs russet potatoes (about 10 medium-sized potatoes)
- 2 large onions
- 6 eggs
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 6 tbsp 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)
You will also need
- 9x13 ceramic, metal or cast iron baking dish or pan (I don't recommend using glass), food processor with grating attachment or hand grater, mixing bowls, pastry brush
- 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.
Hi Tori
Any way to make a kugel vegan? I really want to make one and am doing a all vegan Rosh Hashana dinner.
Hi Jackie, it depends on what kind of kugel you are looking for. This Passover potato kugel really relies on eggs for the proper texture. Here is a vegan kugel I love (use butter substitute): https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/matzo-crisp-pear-apple-cranberries/ and here are more vegan recipe ideas for the holiday: https://toriavey.com/recipes/vegan-rosh-hashanah-recipes/
Made this last year for Seder but need to make ahead for holiday on Wed.. how much should I cook it ahead of time and then finish/reheat at Mom’s?
Hi Sara, unfortunately I do not recommend making this kugel ahead. It is best served fresh out of the oven; the texture does not withstand making ahead, refrigerating or freezing.
I have made this twice. First time was perfect but second time I cooked for 40 mins and next day completed for 30 more. The inside never cooked and I had raw potatoes can you suggest a way to cook in Advance?
I don’t recommend cooking this particular recipe in advance… so sorry!
Can I make ahead and freeze this?
I do not recommend making this kugel ahead; I have frozen it in the past but it never tastes the same reheated.
Unfortunately, this did not work well for me. I used yellow potatoes instead. I divided and cooked the mixture in two, nonstick cake pans since you said not to use glass. The tops looked great, but the inside seems uncooked and does not stick together like a kugel.
The best kugel recipe by far… and my parents are caterers…and I’m from a family that the first things babies want to eat is kugel… so here goes my five star…
Terrific recipe. I tried another for our first seder and this for our second seder – yours was the winner hands down. I love that the inside texture is moist while the outside crispy – and I love that the recipe is gluten free, not only for those with a sensitivity, but also because it is lighter and fluffier than kugels made with matzah meal. One point I can share: I happened to be short on eggs (one of those situations where I sent my 8 year old around to borrow eggs from our kind neighbors!) I made the recipe with 5 eggs and it turned out fine. Thank you so much!
I am very excited about making this great recipe. Thanks! As I will be using a glass pan, alas, can you please suggest what I can do to compensate for my cookware failure, e.g., cook longer or shorter time, more oil, etc.? Thank you.
Joe
Be careful! THE Glass can shatter if the pan is heated too ling without anything in it
If you can live with a little color in your kugel don’t bother to peel the potatoes..
I follow a lot of your recipes and noticed that in your latke recipe you recommend frying in grapeseed oil. Can I also use that in the potato Kugel instead of olive oil?
Absolutely! This recipe is not fried so it’s not necessary to have an oil with a very high smoke point, like grapeseed. However, grapeseed will work just fine here if that’s what you have on hand. Olive oil lends a little more flavor, but overall it won’t make much of a difference in the end result.
Can i cook it at 325 for 2 or three hours instead?
Thanks
I do not recommend this, it will dry out and become tough.
I made this for a passover at a friends house. I have never before made a kugel in my life and this turned out great! I did cook it prior to going over to their house. I made it mid day and let it cook for 60 minutes. I took it out of the oven and let it cool to room temp. When I got to their house we put it in a 250 degree oven until it was time for dinner. 5 mins before dinner I stuck it under the broiler so that the top was nice and crispy. It was perfect and no fuss. I received rave reviews. Thank you!!
Great! I made it for our Seder this year, too. 🙂
Thanks for posting the recipe! My grandma (from Transylvania) always did her potatoes (for latkes) in a blender, with water, to get a smooth consistency, then squeezed all the water out through a cheese cloth. Yikes now THAT is a lot of work, potato peeling and onion and matzo meal everywhere! I’m going to try this today, cook 80%, refrigerator, finish tomorrow for my seder in place of latkes. Mostly I’m looking forward to avoid filling my home with the greasy latke atmosphere. I’ll let you know if it is well-received by my latke-loving family.
Hi Torey,
Can I use sweet potatoes or purple potatoes? I want to add a little color. Or even carrots? Can I substitute Matzo Meal for Potato Starch? Thank you
Hi Sarah– yes, I think these would all work, though bake times may need to be adjusted a bit– I don’t have exact timing.
Would also Suggest Organic Gold, which have a slightly longer Cooking time, and a Much Smoother, Crisp Flavor. Or if you Choose. Yams which are Often called Sweet Potato’s require quite a lot of Sugar, which I use either Organic Raw Turbinado, or Agave (a Sweet Syrup twice the Sweetness of Sugar, made from a SW Desert Cactus. Doesn’t Affect the Glycemic Index of those with Diabetes).
Real Sweet Potato’s are White inside, require Less Cooking time, and are So naturally Sweet, one would want to be Careful in How Much Sugar of Any variety used in your Dishes. Shalom!