This vegan potato kugel, albeit eggless, is as delicious as the real deal, with a crispy grated-potato top and a creamy, buttery center of protein-packed silken tofu. Rosemary and thyme add scads of flavor.
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Crispy, creamy vegan potato kugel
Potato kugel, a Jewish dish with origins in central and eastern Europe, is often enjoyed on holidays like Hanukkah, Passover and Rosh Hashanah, and on the sabbath. It now gets an eggless makeover with this vegan potato kugel.
I've heard potato kugel likened to a giant latke. It's made with the same primary ingredients -- potatoes and eggs. Just like a latke, the potatoes get brown and crispy and oh so delicious. But unlike a latke, a potato kugel is not formed into separate fritters. Instead, it's baked in the oven like a casserole. And while the top and bottom get crispy, like a latke, the center remains creamy, like mashed potatoes. How yummy does that sound?
This is a simple recipe and it's gluten-free. Although I do introduce some ingredients that are not in a typical kugel, the ingredient list is small and pantry-friendly. You do need to plan for the long baking time -- two hours. But prep time is low and if you have a food processor you can get the onion and potatoes grated in no time at all.
Potato kugel is typically quite minimally flavored, usually with salt and pepper, because the potatoes, especially when crispy, and the eggs add lots of flavor all their own.
When creating a vegan potato kugel, one is taking out both the flavor of eggs and the binding power it brings. To ensure there's no loss of flavor or texture in our vegan iteration, here are the changes I make.
- Flavor: To flavor the potatoes and tofu, I add garlic powder, sage and rosemary. Tofu, although it's often described as bland, does have a specific flavor to discerning taste buds and the garlic and herbs help override it while adding so much deliciousness. I also add some melted butter to the kugel for more flavor, and almond flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour). The almond flour adds a lovely undertone of nuttiness.
- Texture: A potato kugel needs to be sliceable, and for that I add a tiny amount of cornstarch to the recipe. The almond flour will also help absorb liquids expressed by the potatoes during baking. The butter keeps the grated potatoes on top crispy without getting too hard, as can sometimes happen when you make potato kugel. Also preheating the oven with the baking dish in it will help the potatoes form a crispy layer on the bottom.
Love crispy potatoes? You might enjoy these recipes for vegan potato latkes, vegan hash brown casserole and savory apple potato pancakes.
Recipe card
Vegan Potato Kugel
Ingredients
- 16 oz silken tofu
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter (melted)
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (about five large potatoes, grated in the food processor or on the large holes of a box grater. See tips above on soaking grated potatoes to avoid a gummy filling)
- 1 large onion (grated)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ cup blanched almond flour (or gf flour or all-purpose flour)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste (you can substitute the salt with kala namak or black salt)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius with the baking dish or cast iron skillet placed inside.
- Place the silken tofu in a food processor bowl along with the cornstarch. Blend until smooth and creamy. Remove to a large bowl.
- To the bowl with the tofu, add melted vegan butter, baking soda, grated potatoes and onions. Mix the potatoes and onions into the tofu cream until well combined.
- Mix the potatoes and onions into the tofu cream until well combined. Mix with a spatula until everything is well-mixed.
- Stir in the garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, salt, ground black pepper and almond flour. Mix well.
- Once the oven has preheated, carefully, using oven mitts, remove the heated baking dish and spritz the bottom and sides with oil or cooking spray.
- Scrape all of the kugel batter into the baking dish and even the top. Bake two hours or until the potatoes are golden and crispy on top. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle the kugel with optional parsley for some fresh flavor.
Nutrition Information
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How to make vegan potato kugel
Place the silken tofu in a food processor bowl along with the cornstarch. Blend until smooth and creamy. Remove to a large bowl.
To the bowl with the tofu, add melted vegan butter, baking soda, grated potatoes and onions.
Mix the potatoes and onions into the tofu cream until well combined.
Stir in the garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, salt, ground black pepper and flour.
Mix with a spatula until everything is well-mixed. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius with a two-quart baking dish in it. Once the oven has preheated, carefully, using oven mitts, remove the heated baking dish and spritz the bottom and sides with oil or cooking spray.
Scrape all of the kugel batter into the baking dish and level the top. Bake two hours or until the potatoes are golden and crispy on top. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
My top tips
- To keep the kugel from getting gummy, soak the grated potatoes in a bowl of cold water for five minutes, then squeeze them with your fingers or wring them out in a kitchen towel to get as much of the water out as you can before adding the potatoes to the recipe.
- Make sure you salt the kugel adequately before baking. Potatoes have a tendency to absorb salt, so err on the side of adding a little more salt rather than too little.
Potato kugel FAQs
Yes. To make this recipe soy-free, you can use a filling similar to the one I use in my cabbage, leek and potato tart recipe. Replace the tofu and also the almond flour with 1 cup cashews, 1 cup water and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Blend these, along with the baking soda, until very smooth, then add to the bowl followed by the other ingredients as directed.
Traditional potato kugel recipes, at least the ones I am aware of, don't use butter or any fat in the potato mixture. But I like using the vegan butter, both to add flavor and also to replace the fat that egg yolks would have added. The butter helps keep the filling moist and the potatoes crispy.
The starches in the potatoes can make the filling a bit gummy. To avoid this, put the grated potatoes in a bowl of cold water for five minutes. Before using, wring out or squeeze out all the moisture from the potatoes.
Absolutely. I always prefer leaving the skin on potatoes because a lot of the nutrients in potatoes lies right under the skin. The only time I peel is if I am not using organic potatoes. You can leave the skin on and grate it along with the potatoes for this potato kugel.
Refrigerate the kugel wrapped tightly in cling wrap or in an airtight container for up to four days. To freeze, wrap the entire kugel in freezer wrap or aluminum foil or place slices in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to three months. Reheat in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit/150 degrees Celsius.
Kugel is usually served as a side dish, but you can also make it your main dish and serve it with vegetables on the side, like these roasted carrots with za'atar, roasted Brussels sprouts or garlicky green beans.
Kim says
Would it be an issue if I used store bought shredded potatoes?
Thank you
Vaishali says
I think that would be fine.
Kannan says
I used olive oil in place of Vegan Butter . Very tasty . Thanks for the recipe .
Vaishali says
Awesome! So happy you loved it. ❤️