Allergy Free Potato Leek Kugel for Passover

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 VeganKugel

Kugel (Yiddish for pudding) can be sweet or savory, made with a combination of egg noodles, cheese, potatoes, apples, carrots, sweet potatoes, and, during Passover, often matzoh meal. No matter the taste profile, Kugel usually contains eggs and gluten. I wanted to avoid both. So I took on the challenge of creating a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free Kugel recipe.

In place of eggs and matzoh meal (or flour), I used mashed potatoes for the binder. Egg replacer was out; it contains leavening, which is not allowed during Passover, and flax eggs seemed wrong for this recipe, flavor-wise.

I boosted the savoriness with leeks, onions, and chives, my favorite combo with potatoes.

And here is a fun bit of trivia:Daiya Vegan Cheese is now certified Kosher Parve. Though it doesn’t have Kosher for Passover certification, it is acceptable for Sephardic Passover, and should be fine for Ashkenazi Passover, too. If you wish to omit it from the recipe, you’ll still get great results!

Speaking of results, my Jewish husband walked into the house and announced, “It smells like Passover in here!”, so I’m happy with mine!

Allergy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Kosher Potato Leek “Cheddar” Kugel

Makes 12

Superb on their own or with Passover brisket, these savory Kugels are crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Plan ahead and make them a day in advance, then reheat at 375°F on a baking tray for 10 to 15 minutes.

4 large Russet potatoes (about 4 lbs), 2 peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces and 2 coarsely grated and drained
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
5 Tbsp olive or canola oil, plus more for muffin pan
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely grated and drained
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, rinsed well and sliced into thin rounds
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded Daiya Cheddar
1 Tbsp minced chives

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with olive or canola oil.

2.Place cubed potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cook until soft when pricked with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain. Add broth, 3 Tbsp oil, and 1/4 tsp salt to the potatoes and combine using an electric mixer.

3. Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, and garlic, and cook about 8 minutes until soft, stirring often, so garlic doesn’t burn.

4. In a large bowl, combine grated potato and onion (discarding drained liquid).

5. Add the sauteed leeks, celery, and garlic and the remaining tsp salt. Season with pepper. Mix. Add the dairy-free cheese and toss well to combine.

6.Add minced chives to mashed potatoes. Gently stir mashed potatoes into leek mixture.

7.Divide evenly between the 12 muffin cups. (They should be heaping.)

7.Bake 75 minutes, until crispy and browned.Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool in pan 15 minutes. Gently loosen each Kugel around the edges and turn out of pan onto the cooling rack. Let rest another 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Tip: To save time and effort, try grating potatoes and onion in a food processor.

Allergy-Free Potato Leek Kugel  ©2011 by Cybele Pascal

(Please note that all my recipes are completely free of all top allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, and gluten), so as many people as possible can enjoy them. Additionally, all the ingredients are available at Whole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)

SAFETY NOTE: Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions. If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns before consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.

11 Responses

  1. […] well and sliced into thin rounds 2 stalks celery, finely chopped … … More here: Allergy Free Potato Leek Kugel for Passover – Cybele Pascal ← Healthier Hot Dogs: Scientists Find Way to Remove Bad Fats From … Edible Oil […]

  2. Kari Keaton says:

    I was so excited to see this recipe, until I saw that it uses Daiya cheese. My son is also allergic to peas and Daiya cheese contains pea protein. I don’t know of a safe substitute cheese for my son, so I guess this recipe won’t work.

    Do you have any suggestions for something else I could use in place of the cheese? I may just try leaving it out and see what happens?

    Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. They are family favorites!!!!!!

    • cybele says:

      Hi Kari:

      As noted in the recipe, you can just leave the Daiya out. No problem. Hope that you enjoy it!

      all best,

      Cybele

  3. katie jones says:

    oh my goodness – this looks incredible. cannot wait to give this recipe a whirl!

    thanks for sharing!

  4. I tried this recipe last night – it was heavenly! Everything you promised and more!! I wonder if it would also work in a casserole dish more like a traditional Kugel … and will try that next time. However – it is perfect as written. Thank you! So Good … Mmmmmmmmmm

  5. […] Potato Leek Kugel (you can make it without the Daiya though, have already made it twice – yum!) […]

  6. Barb Hoffman says:

    This recipe looks amazing and I want to try it, but on my computer (and iphone) I have some symbols showing up where amounts should be. So I need to know the following measurements:

    ? cup vegetable or chicken broth
    ? tsp kosher salt

    My guess is they are both fractions. If you don’t mind please answer this with words instead of numbers. It looks like fractions don’t show up for me. 🙂

    • cybele says:

      Dear Barb:

      I fixed those for you. When my site got hacked last September, a lot of things got very messed up. Thanks for letting me know and I hope you like the Kugel!

      best,

      Cybele

  7. Judith says:

    Hi,
    How long in advance can I make these? You noted one day in advance–if I make them a few days earlier than I would like to serve them should I freeze them?
    Thanks!

  8. […] Allergy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Kosher Potato Leek “Cheddar” Kugel. You can saute in water to avoid the oil. The Daiya cheese is optional. […]

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