A savory vegan kugel with tender cauliflower and leeks, with a crunchy toasted almond and herb crust. Passover friendly, make ahead friendly, and truly just a great casserole any time of year.
4cupscoarsely chopped leeks, well rinsed white and light green parts only,
1 small yellow onioncut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2cupchopped fresh parsley
1/2cupchopped fresh dill
1 1/2teaspoonssalt
1/2teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
1/2cupalmondstoasted 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.