Authentic & Delicious Potato Kugel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do Jews eat potato kugel? ›

Kugels are a mainstay of festive meals in Ashkenazi Jewish homes, particularly on the Jewish Sabbath and other Jewish holidays or at a tish. Some Hasidic Jews believe that eating kugel on the Jewish Sabbath brings special spiritual blessings, particularly if that kugel was served on the table of a Hasidic Rebbe.

The key to the perfect kugel is preheating the baking dish to ensure crispy edges. I also like to soak my grated potatoes in ice-cold water to remove any excess starches, then wring or squeeze out the liquid. This prevents a gummy kugel.

To get the best results from this kugel, use a great quality extra virgin olive oil, we love Colavita.

Potato kugel is a staple Shabbat and holiday dish in Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish cooking. It's sometimes called potato pudding, as kugel is Yiddish for pudding.

The name of the dish comes from the Yiddish word kugel meaning 'sphere, globe, ball'; thus the Yiddish name likely originated as a reference to the round balls of dough that were placed in the center of the cholent, a traditional Shabbat stew, to cook alongside it and absorb its flavors for its later use as a side dish ...

And then I read in The Jewish Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from Around the World of a Hasidic rabbi, Pinchas of Koretz (in Galicia), who claimed that lokshen kugel itself symbolizes Jewish unity, since the noodles are all tangled together and are really inseparable, just like the unified Jewish people.

Bake at 350 for 90 minutes ahead of time, then refrigerate (or freeze*). Reheat for 30 minutes before serving (or an hour if frozen). If you are not making in advance, then bake for 2 straight hours before serving. For overnight kugel, bake only one hour, then reduce heat to 200 overnight.

You can use the Kugel blade for both, the onions and the potatoes, if you don't mind sneaky onion bits and you do mind washing dishes. And if you don't have the Kugel blade, you should get one. But in the meantime you can use a shredder blade. The texture will be different but your kugel will still be delicious.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Grate the potatoes into the eggs and stir to coat the potatoes with the egg to keep the potatoes from turning brown. Add the grated onion, potato starch, salt, white pepper and garlic powder. Mix well.

Potato kugel keeps well in the refrigerator for four to five days, as long as it's covered. You can eat a cold slice right out of the fridge, or reheat it in a 350 F oven, uncovered so the top can crisp, until hot. Kugel will also freeze well.

Why is kugel called kugel? ›

There is also some sort of fat, often butter. Kugels are baked and usually quite filling and dense in texture. The word kugel comes from the old German word “sphere”, which refers to the shape of the original circular puffed kugels. Most kugels now are baked in baking pans.

Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. Serve cold, at room temperature, or and reheat covered with aluminum foil in a 350ºF oven until warmed through. Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Kugel is traditionally served as a side dish alongside something meaty like brisket or roast chicken. In this case it would normally be served warm, but it can also be refrigerated and eaten cold the next day. Sweeter versions can also be eaten hot or cold, and taste great with fresh cream or vanilla ice cream.

Kugel (Yiddish: קוגל‎ kugl). It is a baked pudding or casserole, most commonly made from lokshen or jewish egg noodles (לאָקשן קוגל lokshen kugel) or potato. It is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish, often served on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.

While kugel is best fresh from the oven, you can freeze it, wrapped well, then reheat ovenight.

It commonly makes an appearance on the dinner table during Shavuot (along with bourekas), when it's traditional to consume dairy foods, and Shabbat because it's said that kugel resembles the manna that fell from heaven. It's the perfect side dish for a Hanukkah latke party, adding some richness to the meal.

These potato pancakes (called latkes) are meant to symbolize the miracle of Hanukkah, when the oil of the menorah in the ransacked Second Temple of Jerusalem was able to stay aflame for eight days even though there was only enough oil for one day. The symbolism comes in the form of the oil in which latkes are fried.

In addition to apples' lengthy Jewish history, applesauce enjoys another key advantage: It's not dairy, so it can be served with latkes cooked in chicken schmaltz, a commonplace in the old country.

The kugel was born in Eastern Europe as a leftover bread pastry with fat and eggs and only eight centuries ago evolved into the lokshen (noodle) kugel we know today. Rice kugels were invented in the 16th century thanks to Ottoman influences, and the popular Polish potato kugel showed up in the nineteenth century.