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I knew that I wanted to share a Passover recipe this year, but I wanted it to be a special one. There was no contest when it came to my favorite Passover dish. It’s always been my Auntie Rose and Uncle Lewie’s potato kugel. It was one of the dishes that I always had to have seconds and had they allowed me to, I probably would have eaten the entire thing all by myself. Now that Auntie Rose and Uncle Lewie have both passed, finding the recipe has been a challenge. My Aunt has one, but after making it, we found that there were some discrepancies to how we remember it tasting. I searched all over google, as well as in various cookbooks, but none of the other recipes are as good as theirs was.
Growing up, Passover was one of those holidays that was so memorable. Our entire family would gather at my Nana and Papa’s house (and occasionally my Uncle Jeff and Aunt Diane’s house) for the traditional seder and have a feast. As a kid, my favorite parts were the singing and finding the afikomen. The afikomen is a piece of matzo, broken off and put aside to be eaten at the end of the meal. It is traditionally hidden during the Seder to be searched for by the children. Our Papa usually hid it in the kitchen, when we weren’t paying attention. As soon as it was time to search for it, we’d usually help the youngest child find it. Then we would split it among the grandkids and sell it to our Papa and two Uncles for money. Not a bad tradition and I usually walked out of their house that night with over $100 and a full tummy! Score!
So, while we are still trying to perfect Uncle Lewie and Auntie Rose’s potato kugel, this is the closest we’ve been able to come to it. If you’ve never tried it, the best way to describe it is almost like hash browns, but in a casserole form.
Potato Kugel Recipe
PrintPotato Kugel, Kosher for Passover
- Yield: 6
Description
As close to our old family recipe as we could get. This potato kugel is the perfect side dish and can be made with slightly different ingredients to make it kosher for Passover.
Ingredients
- 6 Idaho Potatoes (grated)
- 1 Onion (grated)
- 2 Eggs (beaten)
- 4 tbsp Matzo Meal (or flour if you’re not making it for Passover)
- 1 tsp Baking Power (leave this out during Passover)
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- 5 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- Sour Cream (optional)
- Scallions/Chives (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Peel and grate potatoes. Keep them in water to keep them from turning brown.
- Put grated potatoes into a cheese cloth and squeeze out water.
- Grate onion and add to bowl of potatoes.
- Beat 2 eggs and add to bowl of potato mixture.
- Add the remaining ingredients (set aside one tbsp of oil) and stir until blended together.
- Add mixture into 1.5 quart greased baking dish.
- Drizzle extra tbsp of oil on top. This will help it brown better.
- Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.
- Lower to 375 and bake for 55-60 minutes more.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Cut into servings and top with sour cream and chives if desired.
This was the first year my oldest daughter would try it and I was so happy that she wound up eating 3 pieces! Auntie Rose and Uncle Lewie would have been proud! Now, if we can only figure out what’s missing…
Have you ever tried potato kugel?
Make sure to check out the rest of our family favorite recipes.
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Dishes: Rae Dunn
Perhaps schmaltz?
Author
Hi Robert! In my 40+ years, I’ve never used schmaltz in recipes but I’m pretty positive that my Aunt used it pretty regularly! One day I’ll get the courage to try it for myself!
Those look amazing!! Pinning this to try. 🙂
This looks like such an amazing dish. I am going to have to try my hand at making these.
★★★★★
Married 15 years this summer and while my Matzoh Balls are legendary, I’ve never made kugel. My mother-in-law usually makes it. Maybe I will try your recipe the next Jewish holiday and take some work off her hands (she’s awesome). Yum!
★★★★★
This recipe sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try it out.
This looks SO good, I definitely want to try making it!!
This recipe looks delicious but I also love all your bowls so much!! <3
★★★★★
The recipe looks super amazing. I’ll try it tonight.
I have never had or made a kugel before but it looks so yummy. Your dishes are adorable.
★★★★★
Your egg bowls are the cutest things! Love all of the pictures to helo visualize!
★★★★★
Yum…. the potato kugel looks divine. You make it look so simple on the recipe. May have to give it a shot myself.
★★★★★
Mmm this potato kugel looks ever so delicious! I definitely need to make this dish.
★★★★★
Looks amazing! My husband loves potato kugel, I have to make this soon.
This is absolutely amazing!! Can’t wait to give it a try!
★★★★★
I have never had this before. I really like anything potato related so I would love to try this.
If the recipe has potatoes then I am all for it. This is a really cool dish; I would love to try it!
★★★★★
This looks fantastic, I can’t wait to make it. I love your mixing bowls and casserole pan too!
★★★★★
Would love to try this potato recipe. Looks and sounds so delicious!
This looks absolutely delicious!! And I love all the step by step photos – makes preparing it so much easier.
★★★★★
I loved it and I learnt it. It is so easy to make too. I love hash brown potato anyways and your recipe is awesome. Must make this weekend. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
I can’t wait to try this! Oh my goodness, it looks amazing. Also – I adore your beat it bowl. That is too flipping cute!
★★★★★
Author
That’s one of my favorite bowls!
I have never made potato kugel before. It is so easy. Will be making some for tomorrow’s breakfast. 😀
★★★★★
I’ve never had this before. It looks really good though. I’ll have to get the ingredients so I can give this a try. Looking forward to trying this.
Oh, thank you for this! We have lots of potatoes here and I think this is the perfect dish to make!
★★★★★
The plating looked like it’s served in a hotel restaurant. :0)
★★★★★
I’ve never eaten potato kugel before. I think it’s something my family will enjoy. I won’t be able to make it for Passover, but I think I will make it the following weekend.
getting creative with potatoes, I like it. I’ll have to try it some time!
This looks so amazing for anytime! I’ve never made it, but will let you know how it goes!
This looks real good and delicious. Have never tasted it before but I wouldn’t mind making one and having a taste.
I love this potato dish! Looks super easy and most importantly, delicious.
★★★★★
I just finished eating dinner and now I’m hungry again. The potato kugel look absolutely delicious and I could tell right away when I saw them that they were an old-time recipe. Those are the best kind! I’ll be trying this sometime soon. Wishing you a wonderful Passover!
★★★★★
Now this sounds like such an interesting idea of something to make! It is amazing all the different things you can do with potatoes!
I have never heard of this, but it does sound amazing! I bet these taste delicious, and it looks super easy.
★★★★★
I’ve never tried potato kugel before. This looks really yummy and something that my family would love.
★★★★★
This is a delicious dish! I would love to make this for Easter Sunday to share with the family.
★★★★★
I’ve never heard of a potato kugel but it looks delicious. I know I’d enjoy every bite and the scallions and chives added to, wow must be an incredible flavor!
★★★★★
This is so interesting, I’ve never actually come across kugel before. I love potatoes and hashbrowns, so I bet I would really enjoy this.
This recipe made me drool a few times lol. I love traditional food especially if it had Potato as the main ingredient. Yum! Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Yum, I love potatoes and this looks like a great dish!
YUMMM!!! These look soooo tasty!
Hey Heather! What’s the difference between a kugel and a hash brown? These look delicious and reminds me of breakfasts with my English neighbour! And the photos are beautiful.
★★★★★
Author
Hey Daniela! Hashbrowns are flatter usually and don’t have egg, flour and baking powder in them.
I’ve never had this before. I LOVE potatoes—and yes, that love is capitalized because I LOVE my potatoes–so I’m pretty sure I’ll gobble this right up.
I don’t think I’ve ever tried one of these before. They look really good so I’m definitely going to try it. It’s making my mouth water just reading the post.
This looks like a very interesting recipe. I have never heard of it before, but I love hash browns. I might have to try it and see if I like it.
★★★★★
I will be making this great looking potato dish. The dishes are great looking as well for serving.