Potato Kugel Casserole with Caramelized Onions and Sriracha! Oh my!
I received the following text from my roommate on Rosh Hashanah. “Is this the holiday where you eat and drink wine or fast? If it’s the former, I’m in, if it’s the latter, you’re on your own.” That got me thinking a bit about Jewish holidays. It’s either feast (Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, Passover, Sukkot) or fast (Tish B’Av, Yom Kippur). Or fast and then eat a huge meal. Either way, food is the center of most celebrations.
What did y’all have at your break fast last week? Ours wouldn’t be the same without Bubbe’s potato kugel. With it’s crispy top and fluffy base, no wonder this was a break fast staple. When it came time to recreate Bubbe’s famous kugel, I took the traditional onions and caramelized them for extra sweetness, and added Sriracha for heat! Oh boy did I!

Caramelized Onion Sriracha Potato Kugel Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 large russet potatoes about 7 pounds
- 3 large onions about 2.5 pounds, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 Tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs can use matzo meal or gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Sriracha more if you like it extra spicy!
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Scallions for garnish if desired
Instructions
- To caramelize onions, heat a wide, sauté pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil and heat. Then add onion slices and ½ teaspoon salt and stir. Lower heat to medium low and cook 40-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown. Add a little water to the pan if it the onions start to dry out. The add honey and cook for 1 more minute. Set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan with butter or oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, vegetable oil, Panko breadcrumbs, Sriracha, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and pepper.
- Grate the potatoes with a hand grater or food processor and squeeze out excess moisture with towels. Add potatoes and caramelized onions to the egg mixture and mix until combined.
- Pour into the 9 x 13 inch pan and bake, uncovered, for 60-75 minutes until golden brown and a knife inserted comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before eating.
- Garnish with scallions if desired.
- Reheats well in the oven, but it doesn't freeze so great.
This recipe originally appeared in The Jewish Week!
Looks great, Amy! Potatoes never get old!
Thanks! No way, potatoes are the best!
Sounds amazing!! I would love to make these as individual kugel cups. What modifications do you think I should make as far as cooking time/temp? Thanks so much!
Thanks! I would do the same temp, maybe just for 30 – 40 minutes.
Love this! Now I know what to do with an onion surplus! Going to go with schmaltz instead. I really respect your inventive recipes, you never let us down. Thank you .
Schmaltz is always a great idea! 🙂
Hi Amy,
thank you so much for your recipes and your funny and lovely way to present them !
You have been inspiring quite a while now…
My family is not Jewish, but I recognise this Kartoffelkugel recipe from my youth.
My father used to make it regularly.
I have to investigate now, how this traditional food found its way into our family ?
Love from South Germany
Britta
Aw thank you for taking the time to write, Britta! A lot of Ashkenazi Jewish recipes are also Polish recipes, so you may have a Polish background. Or maybe Jewish as well!