Cauliflower Kugel for Passover is a delicious and savory cauliflower dish that’s both dairy-free and vegetarian. A one-bowl recipe of only 4 ingredients.
Cauliflower Kugel for Passover is perfect for a quick, light meal or side any time during the holiday.
In fact, it can be eaten even on the day of the seder, as there is no matzo or matzo meal in it! …and it is parve (no dairy, no meat).
Eating on the day of the seder
Jews who keep the laws of Passover do not eat matzo or any foods that contain anything from matzo (such as matzo meal or matzo cake meal) the entire day before the seder, which is in the evening.
Some people even have the custom of not eating such foods for two weeks before, beginning on Rosh Chodesh Nissan or even as far back as Purim, which is a month before.
Food on Passover
Torah-observant Jews do not eat chametz (the fermented products of five grains: wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye).
In addition, Torah-observant Ashkenazi Jews do not eat kitniyot (or kitniyos as pronounced in Ashkenazi Hebrew). These include legumes, corn, rice, and similar foods that were deemed forbidden to eat by rabbis in the medieval period and are still not eaten today. Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews do not follow this tradition.
Many observant Ashkenazi Jews will not even eat the derivatives of these kitniyot, while others do (each family holds their own traditions regarding this).
Then, there are Ashkenazim who don’t eat “gebrokts” (or gebrochts).
Gebrokts (gebrochts) means “broken” in Yiddish, and in this case refers to matzo that has absorbed liquid. Not eating gebrokts is observed by many in the Hasidic Jewish community and Ashkenazim who have taken on this tradition, where they basically don’t mix anything wet with matzo.
So, things like matzo sandwiches, fried matzo, and even matzo balls are a no-no for them.
There is a joke that sums it all up:
On Passover, we should remember people who have little to eat on this holiday. They are called Ashkenazim.
Over the years, I have learned to adapt “normal” food for Passover so that my family won’t complain about boring, tasteless, or repetitive meals.
I find that having good food and variety makes the week of Passover a very pleasant experience, and I hope this recipe will help make yours just that!
A little of my cooking background
I really wanted to title this blog “If I can make it, anyone can” because, honestly, if I can make it, anyone can.
I never really liked cooking, and when I was single, a meal for me meant grilled cheese, eggs, tuna, or something else that didn’t require effort or time.
When my kids were young, I was still able to get away with preparing only a small variety of easy meals, but the older they got, the more dishes I learned to make at their request.
Still, I insisted on keeping it simple.
Honestly, I never understood why some cooks unnecessarily complicate meals. I have seen recipes that have several ingredients that don’t really seem to add much, if anything, to the dish. So, why bother?
It has always been important to me that whoever eats at my table will have plenty to enjoy, and that includes my kids (I never agreed with the “You will eat what is served, or you won’t eat” ideology), and, because I keep it simple, I can prepare a variety of dishes in a relatively short period of time.
I have a philosophy regarding being a great cook: Prepare food according to the tastes of those who will be eating it, and they will love your cooking!
As far as I am concerned, start with the basic ingredients that make the dish what it is, adapt according to taste, and voila! You are an amazing cook!
The bottom line is that while there are certainly delicate recipes out there for specialty dishes, making delicious meals doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. It’s not difficult to impress—just make sure it tastes good.
While some of the recipes on my blog are more time-consuming than others, they are all tried and true, easy-shmeezy!
Of course, one always has to consider the conditions under which they cook. Weather (humidity, heat, cold), different types of ovens, different qualities of pots, etc.—all of which can affect your cooking and baking.
Nevertheless, as I said, if I can do it, anyone can!
A Little About Cauliflower
Cauliflower belongs to a group called “cole” crops, which also includes broccoli, Brussels spouts, cabbage, kale, and collard greens.
It is believed that cauliflower may have originated in Cyprus.
Cauliflower can be prepared deep-fried, roasted, boiled, steamed, breaded, and in a variety of other ways. And cauliflower has nutritional value, as it contains a variety of nutrients, is high in fiber, and is low in calories.
A little about eggs
For many years eggs were considered a source of high cholesterol and a possible cause of heart disease, and people were warned against them and recommended to have only a few per week in their diets.
It is true that one large egg yolk has 200 mg of cholesterol. However, the additional nutrients that eggs contain may actually help LOWER the risk of heart disease by raising the “good” cholesterol in one’s body.
Eggs are high in protein and filling but low in calories. They have nutritional value and contain a large variety of vitamins as well as some antioxidants.
The color of the yolk depends on the diet of the hen, and different types of chickens may lay different colored eggs; white or brownish.
Egg white consists primarily of approximately 90 percent water and contains almost no fat or carbohydrates.
The yolk of a new egg is firm, but then it absorbs water from the egg white, which causes it to increase in size and become loose.
You may be surprised to know that raw egg white is sometimes used in the preparation of vaccines.
Many people believe that since eggs are found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket, and very frequently near the dairy section, they are also dairy.
Nonetheless, eggs are NOT DAIRY. You CANNOT milk a chicken!
Cauliflower Kugel for Passover
Delicious dairy-free and vegetarian Cauliflower Kugel for Passover.
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen chopped cauliflower (or fresh chopped cauliflower, steamed), kosher for Passover
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 3 tablespoons onion soup mix, kosher for Passover
- ¼ cup mayonnaise, kosher for Passover
Instructions
- Mix caulfiower, eggs, onion soup mix, and mayonnaise in a bowl.
- Pour into a baking pan (any shape as long as it fits with a little room on top).
- Place in oven that has been pre-heated to 350° and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top has begun to brown a bit and is firm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 100Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 458mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g