Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1500 g russet potatoes, peeled
- 400 g yellow onions, divided use
Batter Base
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 120 ml vegetable oil, divided use
- 30 g potato starch
- 18 g kosher salt
- 4 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 245 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 643 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 93 mg
- Potassium
- 613 mg
- Calcium
- 42 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 37 mg
- Phosphorus
- 132 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 40 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 36 mcg
- Water
- 148 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Finely dice half of the onions. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 30ml of the vegetable oil, and saute the diced onions until deeply caramelized and sweet. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Using a food processor fitted with the grating attachment or a manual box grater, grate the peeled russet potatoes and the remaining raw onion.
Transfer the grated potato and onion mixture into a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel. Working in batches if necessary, wring out as much liquid as physically possible into a large mixing bowl.
Allow the squeezed liquid to sit undisturbed in the bowl for 5 minutes so the dense, white potato starch settles to the bottom. Carefully pour off and discard the brownish liquid, retaining the white starch.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Place your 9x13-inch baking dish into the oven with 30ml of vegetable oil to heat up.
To the bowl containing the reserved natural potato starch, add the eggs, remaining 60ml of vegetable oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and extra potato starch if using. Whisk until a smooth slurry forms.
Add the squeezed, grated potato and onion mixture along with the caramelized onions to the egg slurry. Fold everything together aggressively until the potatoes are completely coated.
Carefully remove the hot baking dish from the oven. Pour the kugel batter into the sizzling oil, spreading it into an even layer. The batter should sizzle immediately upon contact with the pan.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The top should be deeply golden brown and the edges very dark and crispy. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
Remove the kugel from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight. This crucial step allows the starches to retrograde and set fully.
The next day, cut the cold kugel into squares. Reheat the portions on a baking sheet in a 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit) oven until sizzling hot, which revitalizes and enhances the crispy exterior.
Chef's Notes
- Heating the oiled pan before adding the batter is the ultimate secret to a dark, shatteringly crisp crust. It essentially deep-fries the bottom layer the moment it hits the pan.
- Squeezing out the potato liquid is completely non-negotiable. Excessive moisture boils the potatoes rather than baking them, yielding a dense, gummy kugel.
- Letting the kugel sit overnight in the refrigerator allows the starches to retrograde. This firms up the structure so you get perfectly clean slices that fry or bake up beautifully the next day, with a much deeper, developed flavor.
- Caramelizing half of the onions adds a rich, sweet depth that balances the sharp bite of the grated raw onion.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store tightly covered in the baking dish or an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual portions tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
Reheating: Reheat thick slices on a baking sheet in a 200 C / 400 F oven for 20 to 30 minutes until the edges sizzle and regain their crunch.
Troubleshooting
Kugel is grey or discolored
Cause: Potatoes oxidized before baking due to slow prep time
Fix: Cosmetic issue only; cannot be reversed once baked. Tastes exactly the same.
Prevention: Work quickly after grating. Grating the raw onion alongside the potatoes helps the onion juices prevent potato oxidation.
Center is soggy and dense
Cause: Too much liquid was left in the grated potatoes
Fix: Slice the chilled kugel thinly and pan-fry the slices in a skillet to cook off excess moisture and create new crispy edges.
Prevention: Use a cheesecloth and wring the potatoes out in small batches with intense pressure.
Cultural Context
Kugel, originating from the Yiddish word for pudding or sphere, is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish commonly served on Shabbat and major holidays. While sweet noodle kugels are incredibly popular, the savory potato kugel originated in Eastern Europe following the introduction of potatoes in the 19th century. It quickly became an economical, deeply comforting staple that adheres to dietary laws preventing the mixing of meat and dairy.
