I love holidays. Hanukkah, Christmas, Arbor Day- it doesn’t take much for me to revel in merriment, with a coordinating themed cupcake in hand. Even more so, I love celebrating with others. In college, I had the rather brilliant idea to have an annual Ghetto Seder to share the tradition of Passover with friends of all religions, complete with Seder plate, Ghetto Haggadah (I embellished the story just a bit for dramatic appeal, and added a few mostly appropriate jokes), and a keg. Just like Bubbe! (I never said it was a traditional Seder). Then we all took turns reading the story of Passover, polishing off a case of Manischewitz and eating a big meal prepared by yours truly. It was all Kosher, minus the keg and Easter candy (hey I wanted my friends to actually like the meal). Mazel! One component that especially wooed the gentiles was potato kugel, which is essentially a potato casserole. I decided to recreate this classic recipe with sweet potatoes, to make it a bit healthier. Plus, more room for Easter candy that way!
First, dice your onion and saute in olive oil until brown. While your onions are cooking, peel and chop up sweet potatoes into perfect 1-inch cubes, or irregular 3D triangles like I tend to do. After your onions have cooled, put them and the sweet potatoes into a blender in batches and puree. Alternatively, shred your potatoes using a hand grater or food processor for a different texture. After blending, put sweet potato/onion mixture into a bowl and squeeze out extra moisture, just like we did with our latkes. Then, add in eggs, scallions, matzah meal, salt, pepper and butter.
Mix that sucker up, and you are almost done! Butter your glass or ceramic pan and pour your batter right in.
Bake your kugel for an hour until the top is crispy. Voila!
Sweet Potato Kugel
Ingredients
- 3.5 lbs sweet potatoes I used 4 large sweet potatoes
- 2 large onions diced
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup scallions minced
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup matzah meal or flour if not during Passover
- 1/4 cup butter melted and cooled (or margarine if serving with a meat meal and keeping kosher)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Saute diced onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil until brown.
- Dice sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes and mix onions and sweet potatoes in a blender until shredded or shred with a hand grater or food processor.
- Squeeze out excess water from onions and sweet potatoes and transfer to a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, matzah meal, scallions, salt, pepper and butter. Add in potato mixture and combine until well mixed.
- Butter a 12x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Pour mixture into the dish and bake for one hour until cooked through and brown on top.
One potato, two potato, three potato, four
All I can say is we want MORE!!!
Your ever luvin Bobie!
Aw, Bubs, I have lots of Jew goodies in STORE!
I am making this when I am home! YUM!!!
It is even better 2nd day- Mazel!
I am going to make thus fit Seder on Monday. You say it is better the 2nd day. Do I need to do anything to ensure this? Do I simply reheat it? It won’t be touched after it is cooked until Monday. It will sit for 2-3 days in the fridge! Thanks -Brad
Hey Brad! Yes you can just reheat it in the oven. It’s just one of those things like chili or brisket that is even better the next day. Enjoy!
Is it better to let it sit after its cooked, or to let the mixture sit in the fridge and then cook it the next day when I need it?
For example with traditional noodle kugel I’ll mix it all up the night before and just pop it in the oven the next night when I need it
I would cook it when you make it as the potatoes can brown, and then reheat!
I need to make this NOW.
It’s tasty and healthy! Just like chocolate. Or cheese. Mmm I like cheese.
Looks great! I didn’t know it was Passover, just looked great! I will try this out.
Thanks, Alissa!
You really have a recipe for everything, just found this one with a google search!
thanks.
I try! 🙂
hey, just wondering if this is freezable? I’m looking for recipes that can be prepared beforehand and frozen so that I am not in a cooking frenzy up to the seder…
Hi Rachel,
It sure is! Cut into pieces and wrap tightly in foil and place that in a plastic bag. Reheat in the oven.
thanks!
sweet potatoes get peeled, right?
Yup!
Made this for our extended family Seder last night. It was a HUGE hit. Thanks for a fabulous recipe.
Great to hear!!
I am confused…do you shred or blend the potatoes? Are they ray when you do this? Please help!
Yes, raw potatoes. You can hand shred with a grater, or use a food processor to shred and then remove as much water as you can before adding the other ingredients.
Will this recipe work well if i grind the sweet pot with a hand mixer? I prefer that smooth texture. Love your blog!
Thank you! I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Potato Potahto! (Get it?)
Ha, ha! Got it! Thanks!
your book is amazing, I wrote a recommendation on amazon.uk
Aw thanks so much! I appreciate that!
I see this kugel is an older recipe but I just made it today in 2021 for our Seder this week. It is SUPER delicious.
Amy…you are always the guest of honor at my holiday tables. I also made the brisket braised in coffee…the family’s all time favorite.
Aw you are so sweet- thank you!
Thinking of making this as individual servings in muffin tins. Any reason this wouldn;t work?
That would work!
Hi Amy I just discovered you. What a gem!
I’ve never been a real cook but now that I have grandbabies I’m stepping up my game. And you’re helping!
Can you please guide me in the “squeeze out excess water”? Is that through a sieve or with paper towels or what?
Thank you!
Thanks! Yes, whatever works for you to get the water out. I use towels.
Modified the recipe a little after the first goaround. Used eactly 4 lbs sweet potatoes , which I shredded in a Salad Shooter. Mixed with 2 T. salt, let them drain a while before squeezing liquid. Then added another 1/2 t. salt and one packed 1/4 C. flour, then the cooked diced onion andbthe other ingredients. Fits the recommended size pan perfectly and tastes great.
Sounds great!
Can I roast the sweet potatoes first and then mash them and then add the rest of the ingredients and then pop the whole thing in the oven to bake?
That’s basically a different recipe than this one, so I guess you can!