Vegetables & Sides Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Passover Potato Kugel
A golden, crisp-edged potato kugel bound with egg and matzo meal instead of flour — a kosher-for-Passover side that's a seder-table staple.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Crispy
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and generously oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- 2
Grate the potatoes and onion using a box grater or food processor, then transfer to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- 3
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, matzo meal, oil, salt, and pepper.
- 4
Add the grated potatoes and onion to the egg mixture and stir until evenly combined.
- 5
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer.
- 6
Bake for 55-65 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp on top. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Listahan Family Score™
71/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving220
Calories
6 g
Protein
24 g
Carbs
12 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Potato kugel is an Ashkenazi Jewish baked side dish with deep roots in Eastern European home cooking, and this Passover version swaps flour for matzo meal to keep it kosher for the holiday. Its crisp golden top and dense, savory interior have made it a seder-table staple passed down through generations of family recipes.
Listahan note
This version leans hard on squeezing the grated potatoes and onion dry, since excess liquid is the single biggest reason kugel turns soggy instead of achieving its signature crisp top and set interior.
Technique cues
- Squeezing the grated potatoes and onion in a clean kitchen towel removes excess liquid, which is essential for a kugel that bakes into a dense, cohesive dish rather than a watery one.
- Generously oiling the baking dish before adding the batter, and preheating the oven fully, helps create the deeply golden, slightly crisp crust that's a hallmark of a good kugel.
- Letting the kugel rest for 10 minutes after baking allows it to set fully, making it much easier to slice into clean pieces rather than crumbling apart.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Preheat the oven and oil the baking dish while the grated potatoes and onion drain in the towel.
- Make-ahead
- Kugel reheats well, making it a good dish to bake the day before a seder and warm through before serving.
- Leftover move
- Leftover kugel slices crisp up nicely in a skillet the next day for a quick breakfast side.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Grate the potatoes and onion together in one pass rather than separately, then squeeze them together in the same towel.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Russet potatoes
Main vegetable
Purpose: Grated raw, they release starch that helps bind the kugel together as it bakes.
Handling: Grate on a box grater or in a food processor, then squeeze thoroughly to remove excess liquid.
Adaptation: Yukon gold potatoes can substitute, though they hold slightly more moisture and need extra squeezing.
Onion
Flavor
Purpose: Grated along with the potatoes, it adds savory depth throughout the dish.
Handling: Grate it with the potatoes and squeeze the liquid out together in the same towel.
Adaptation: A smaller amount of finely diced onion, sautéed first, gives a milder, sweeter flavor.
Eggs
Binder
Purpose: Whisked with the matzo meal and oil, they hold the grated potato mixture together as it bakes.
Handling: Whisk thoroughly before adding the potatoes so the mixture combines evenly.
Adaptation: There isn't a good Passover-friendly substitute for eggs here; they're essential to the kugel's structure.
Matzo meal
Passover-friendly binder
Purpose: It replaces flour to keep the dish kosher for Passover while still helping absorb moisture and bind the mixture.
Handling: Whisk it into the egg mixture before adding the squeezed potatoes and onion.
Adaptation: Matzo meal is specifically chosen for the Passover dietary requirement; outside of Passover, breadcrumbs or flour can serve the same binding role.
Technique notes
- Squeeze the potato and onion mixture thoroughly; skipping this step is the most common reason kugel turns soggy instead of dense and crisp-topped.
- Make sure the baking dish and oil are properly heated before the batter goes in, which helps the bottom and edges crisp up right away.
- Let the kugel rest before slicing; cutting it straight out of the oven can cause it to fall apart rather than hold clean slices.
Ingredient swaps
- Extra crispy direction
- Use a metal baking dish instead of glass, which conducts heat more directly and can produce a crisper bottom crust.
- Herb addition
- Stir in chopped fresh dill or parsley for extra flavor and color.
- Individual portions direction
- Bake in a greased muffin tin instead of a baking dish for individual portions with more crispy surface area.
Serve alongside
- Roast chicken
- Brisket
- Passover Carrot Tzimmes
- Sweet Passover wine
- Sparkling water
- Hot tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through and re-crisped; microwaving softens the crust.
- Freeze baked kugel for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge before reheating in the oven.
Equipment
- Box grater or food processor
- Clean kitchen towel for squeezing
- 9x13-inch baking dish
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