With Passover comes lots of cleaning, matzah eating and potato peeling. I know, I know — potatoes get a bad rap during Passover because they’re one of the seemingly few things we can eat (and therefore are made very frequently during these eight days). But I say: Don’t fight the potatoes. Embrace them! They’re cheap, they’re easy and they really are delicious.
This potato and carrot gratin recipe is the perfect side dish for your Passover seder. It has tender potatoes and carrots surrounded by a luscious, creamy sauce that you won’t be able to get enough of. Top it off with just the right amount of crunchy, salty potato chips and you’ve got yourself some seriously heavenly potatoes. Besides being a total crowd pleaser that your family and guests will love, it also looks quite stunning with the nice layers of potatoes and carrots. If you make a potato and carrot gratin, your family will not complain about another potato dish. I promise.
Quick tip: While completely worth it, you will be spending some time peeling and cutting the potatoes and carrots. I recommend chatting with a friend on the phone or catching up on your favorite TV show to make the time pass faster.
Passover Potato and Carrot Gratin
5-6 russet potatoes
1 lb. carrots
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. potato starch
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 3/4 cups water mixed with 2 Tbs. chicken soup mix
1/4 tsp. salt (plus more)
Black pepper
Paprika
3/4 cup crushed potato chips
Fresh dill (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until onions are soft and transparent, around 8-9 minutes. Clear a small hole in the center of the pan and add the minced garlic. Cook garlic in the center until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning (about 30-60 seconds).
Add potato starch to onions and mix well. Add mayonnaise, water, soup powder and salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from flame and set aside.
Peel and slice potatoes and carrots into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
To assemble: Pour a thin layer of sauce into an 8-by-8 baking dish, covering the bottom of the dish. Place a layer of overlapping potato slices in pan, then sprinkle with a layer of carrots. Top with a layer of sauce. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Repeat twice for a total of three layers of potatoes, carrots, sauce and spices.
Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove from oven, add crushed potato chips and bake for 30 minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are fork tender. Garnish with fresh dill if desired.
Samantha Mattox is the recipe developer and food lover behind Pass the Challah, a food blog full of crowd-pleasing kosher recipes.