It’s well known that Ashkenazi Jews rival the Irish for being People of the Potato; after all, we have an eight-day holiday where they feature in at least two meals a day. So, yes, this collection of 19 Jewish potato recipes includes its fair share of kugels, knishes and latkes. But! It also spotlights Jewish potato dishes from other culinary traditions, like Libyan mafrum, Moroccan maakouda and Iraqi aruk. So dig in and fill your bellies, and your souls, with these comforting potato recipes:
Star of the Show
Let your spuds be the stars they were always meant to be.
1. Classic Potato Kugel
A good potato kugel like this can be life-changing, so get out your food processor and get shredding!
2. Egyptian Golden Potato Soup
This sunny, satisfying soup combines everyday ingredients into something spectacular.
3. Potato Knishes
If you’ve never made knishes from scratch, you are actually just a handful of ingredients and a few steps away from making your own delicious version.
4. Maakouda
This Moroccan potato pie is a Passover staple; but it’s too good to gate-keep for eight days a year.
5. Mashed Potato Bourekas
Everyone knows that mash is the superior boureka filling. Plus, thanks to store-bought phyllo or puff pastry (the choice is yours!), these are super easy to whip up.
6. Mini Potato Kugel Cups
Kugel, but make it cute. Top these with an egg for the true breakfast of champions.
7. Tahini Mashed Potatoes
Skip the cream and turn to tahini for creamy, dreamy mashed potatoes with a unique, nutty flavor.
8. The Ultimate Jewish Potato Salad
If potato salad doesn’t feel Jewish enough already, adding a pinch of caraway seed, a sprinkle of dill and a dollop of horseradish solidifies its place in our culinary cannon.
9. Andrew Zimmern’s Perfect Potato Latkes
Perfect. No notes.
10. Pastrami Tater Tots
Our party nosh of choice.
11. Mina de Matzah
The best part of this Sephardi matzah pie is the layer of fluffy mash laced with Parmesan and cream cheese.
12. Za’atar Roast Potatoes
Amp up your Shabbat roasties with this herby, savory Middle Eastern spice blend.
13. Creamy Potato Latkes
Not everyone is Team Crunch, and these creamy latkes are dreamily melt-y. Fry in schmaltz for a taste of Old Country comfort.
Supporting Role
Not all potatoes are destined to shine. And that’s ok.
14. Pan-Fried Hot Dogs and Potatoes
Turn zharenaya kartoshka (Russian pan-fried potatoes) into a meal with the addition of hot dogs and a sprinkling of parsley.
15. Chicken Sofrito
Potatoes work hard in this 4-ingredient Jerusalemite comfort dish. And it more than pays off.
16. Aruk
Mashed potatoes are the key to binding these delicious Iraqi chicken-and-herb patties.
17. Yapchik
Potato kugel + meat = a gratifyingly full belly, Old Country-style.
18. Mafrum
Few dishes make better use of potatoes than this Libyan classic, where meat-stuffed potatoes are slow-cooked in a tomato sauce until meltingly tender.
19. One-Pan Roast Chicken with Rosemary, Garlic and Potatoes
We’ve hit peak chicken and potatoes.
