Serves 8 to 10
Photo by Kate Lewis
It’s vegan kugel time! Kugel is a traditional Jewish baked dish. The word literally means pudding in Yiddish, but think of it as a casserole — something that goes into the oven in a pan and comes out sliceable and ready to feed a crowd. There are sweet kugels too, usually made with noodles, raisins, and cinnamon. Those are their own thing and I’ll put up a recipe for one soon. This one is pure savory casserole comfort food.
This vegan cauliflower leek kugel has a creamy interior from pureed silken tofu, matzoh meal holding everything together, and a crunchy toasted almond and herb crust on top that makes it feel a little special — fresh and toasty — without being at all complicated.
The cauliflower gets tender and slightly sweet, the leeks are like melted flavor bombs, spreading oniony joy throughout, and the fresh dill and parsley keep it feeling bright as a garden. It’s the kind of dish that can sit in the center of a Passover seder table and hold its own, but don’t let Passover be the only time you make it. It’s a great casserole any time of year, anywhere you’d normally put scalloped potatoes or a gratin.
The recipe originally appeared in Vegan With A Vengeance, inspired by a cauliflower kugel from Bon Appétit that I veganized, modified, and vastly improved.
SERVING THIS AT A VEGAN PASSOVER SEDER
This kugel is Passover friendly as long as tofu is on the table at your seder. Some Ashkenazi traditions avoid kitniyot during Passover, which includes soy. If that applies to your family, this one isn’t for you. If tofu is fine, you’re good. It works beautifully alongside roasted carrots or tzimmes, braised greens, mushroom dishes, roasted asparagus, or a fresh herb salad. Anywhere you’d normally put potatoes at a seder, this kugel fits right in. Since it holds its shape once cooled, it’s easy to slice and pass around the table.
BEYOND PASSOVER
Beyond Passover it’s great at Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, Easter, or any dinner where you want a comforting baked casserole that can sit on the table and look after itself. I love it as a starchy side, where you might usually use baked potatoes. So don’t be shy about serving it with Meatloaf or Porcini Beef Stew or a Seitan Roast. I think it would be great with something French, too, Like Bouef Bourguignon.
VEGAN CAULIFLOWER LEEK KUGEL TIPS
On the matzoh. The recipe uses matzoh two ways: finely ground for the base and hand-crumbled for the topping. The fine crumbs bind the filling while the rough crumbles give the crust its crunch. If you’re not making this for Passover, panko works perfectly for the topping. And if you’re feeling very Midwestern about it, crushed saltines will do the job.
On the cauliflower. Mash it coarsely. You want texture, not a puree. Leave some chunks in there so the kugel has something to bite into.
On the leeks. Leeks trap a lot of grit between their layers. Chop them first, then rinse thoroughly in a colander under cold water. If you don’t have leeks, two large diced yellow onions works fine.
On the tofu. Silken tofu is the move here, not regular firm tofu. It purées completely smooth and acts as the egg replacer. If you can’t find it, use about 8 ounces of regular tofu with 4 to 5 tablespoons of broth and blend very smooth.
Let it cool. The recipe says 30 minutes and it means it. Kugel needs time to set before you slice it or it will fall apart on the plate. It’s also excellent at room temperature, which makes it ideal for a seder where a lot of dishes are hitting the table at once.
VEGAN KUGEL RECIPE FAQ
Is this kugel Passover friendly? Yup, as long as tofu is on the table at your seder. Some Ashkenazi traditions avoid kitniyot during Passover, which includes soy. If that applies to your family, this one isn’t for you. If tofu is fine, you’re good to go.
Can I make this ahead? Hells yeah. Bake it the day before, refrigerate, and reheat covered at 325°F until warmed through. The flavor is actually better the next day.
Can I use frozen cauliflower? Not really, no. Frozen cauliflower releases too much water and makes the filling soggy. Fresh is the move.
Can I make this gluten free? For sure. Gluten free matzoh works as a straight swap, and gluten free panko works well enough, too.
What can I use instead of matzoh? If you’re not making this for Passover, panko breadcrumbs work great. And if you’re feeling very Midwestern about it, crushed saltines will absolutely do the job. I love it that way! Same idea, different cracker.
How do you pronounce kugel? I pronounced it wrong my whole life according to my aunt Bonnie. It’s KUH-gull. Not KOO-gull. But Yiddish is meant to be mispronounced?
How did I get here? Did you google “vegan passover recipes?” Or maybe “vegan kugel recipe?” That, I think, would do it.
Cauliflower Leek Kugel
Ingredients
- 3 sheets of matzoh
- 1 12-ounce package extra-firm silken tofu
- 6 cups cauliflower florets
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups coarsely chopped leeks, well rinsed white and light green parts only,
- 1 small yellow onion cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup almonds toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Mash coarsely with a potato masher — you want some texture, not a puree.
- While the cauliflower cooks, crumble two sheets of matzoh into a food processor and grind into fine crumbs. Remove and set aside. Add the tofu to the food processor and puree until completely smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and onion and sauté until the leeks are tender and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add to the cauliflower along with the matzoh crumbs, pureed tofu, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, 1 tablespoon of the dill, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Brush or spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with oil. Spread the cauliflower mixture evenly in the dish.
- For the topping, mix together the almonds and remaining herbs in a medium bowl. Crumble the remaining sheet of matzoh into large pieces with your fingers and add to the almond mixture. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix. Sprinkle evenly over the kugel.
- Bake for 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
