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    Home » Recipes » Jewish Hanukkah Recipes

    Spinach and Potato Knish with Caramelized Onions

    Published: Nov 27, 2022 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    There is nothing like a well made potato knish that brings me right back to my childhood! These mini potato knishes are slightly elevated with the additions of caramelized onions and sautéed spinach all wrapped in an easy to make tender dough.

    Potato knishes on a plate.

    Potato Knish

    If you’ve ever had a New York knish, you know how absolutely delicious and comforting they are. Knishes have a rich culinary history, coming from Eastern European Jews in New York.

    I have had every kind of potato knish. I have had round ones and square ones. Fried ones and baked ones. Knishes stuffed with mashed potatoes and knishes stuffed with kasha.

    I’ve eaten knishes everywhere from gas stations to the corner liquor store. I’ve had them at popular Jewish delis (Hello Katz knish!) and from the frozen aisle. I know a good knish when I see one.

    What is a Potato Knish?

    Potato Knishes consist of mashed potatoes that are wrapped in a flakey dough and baked. The results are a tender and flakey crust with a smooth and creamy potato mixture inside.

    Traditionally (or how I grew up eating them), is to serve knishes with classic deli mustard to dip into.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • Knishes are a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes!
    • This is a great recipe to make ahead. You can make the filling and/or the dough recipe ahead of time.
    • These potato knishes are so comforting and full of flavors!

    Ingredients

    • Flour: All purpose flour is used as the base for the knish dough.
    • Baking Powder: This helps give the dough a tender crumb.
    • Eggs: Used both in the dough and for an egg wash before baking.
    • Vegetable Oil: Oil is added in the knish dough.
    • White Vinegar: The vinegar reacts to the baking powder which helps in giving the dough a nice light and flakey texture.
    • Onions: Yellow onions are finely diced and caramelized until deeply golden brown and added to the mashed potato mixture.
    • Potatoes: This is a great time to use leftover mashed potatoes but if you don’t have any, boil Yukon gold potatoes until incredibly soft, then mash the potatoes and add the caramelized onions and sautéed spinach.
    • Spinach: After the onions are sautéed, add spinach to the skillet and saute until just wilted. You can also saute kale or chard instead of spinach.
    • Sesame Seeds: These are optional, but gives a nice crunch to the potato knishes. Add the sesame seeds on top of the knishes before baking.

    How to Make Spinach and Potato Knishes

    Make the Knish Dough

    1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour and make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients; the egg, oil, vinegar and water. Use a dough hook to mix together until it forms into a cohesive mass. You may need to use a spatula every so often to push down the flour from the sides.
    2. Bring the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 5-8 minutes until it becomes a smooth and slightly elastic dough.
    3. Cover the knish dough with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest in a bowl for about an hour, while you make the filling.
    To a mixer, add flour, egg, oil, vinegar and water and begin to mix on low.
    Mix the knish dough until dough forms and ingredients are well incorporated.
    Form the knish dough into a ball and let it rest.

    Make the Knish Filling

    1. Boil the potatoes until very soft and can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and add to a large bowl and mash.
    2. In a medium skillet, add olive oil and chopped onions and saute until deeply caramelized and soft, about 10-12 minutes.
    3. Add the spinach and saute for another 2-3 minutes until the spinach is just wilted. Add mixture to the potatoes.
    4. Mash the potatoes and spinach mixture together and mix to combine well. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
    The beginning of sautéing chopped onions in a skillet.
    Saute chopped onions until golden brown and sweet.
    Continue sautéing onions until deeply golden brown and sweet.
    Peeled and cooked potatoes in a bowl about to be mashed.
    Mash the cooked potatoes and mix the sautéed spinach and caramelized onions in.

    Assemble and Bake

    1. Once the dough has been rested, it will feel pretty oily which is ok. Cut the dough in half and roll out the first piece of dough to about a 9 x 13 rectangle.
    2. Add half of the potato mixture onto the dough and form into a long rectangle log. Brush the seam of the dough with water to help it stick.
    3. Fold the dough over twice so the dough wraps around the potato filling and place the log seam side down.
    4. Cut log into 8 pieces, pinching the dough on one of the sides and gently forming into a little round knish.
    5. Place the knishes onto a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
    6. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
    Roll out the knish dough to a 9 by 13 rectangle.
    Add half of the mashed potato mixture onto the knish dough and form into a long log.
    Fold the knish dough over the potato mixture, seam side down.
    Cut the log into 8 pieces, making small knishes.
    Form each knish into a round knish and pinch the dough on one side so it's secure.
    Place knish on a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

    Serve the Knishes

    1. Serve the knishes as is or with a side of deli style mustard.
    Potato knish cut in half.
    What do you eat potato knish with?

    Knishes are great on their own but you can also serve them with mustard, horseradish or sauerkraut.

    Can you make knishes ahead of time?

    You can make the dough and potato mixture ahead of time up to 3 days in advance. You can also assemble and bake the knishes, let cool then freeze. To reheat, place the knishes on a baking sheet and into a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven and bake until warmed through.

    More Jewish Recipes

    • Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls
    • Garlic Rosemary Challah
    • Slow Cooker Brisket with Red Wine and Onions
    • Rosemary Fig Rugelach
    • Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup
    Potato knishes with sesame seeds on top.

    Spinach and Potato Knish with Caramelized Onions

    Samantha Ferraro

    LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    These potato knishes are filled with caramelized onions and sautéed spinach all wrapped in an easy to make tender dough.
    4.58 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 hr 20 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Dough Resting 1 hr
    Total Time 2 hrs 55 mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine Jewish
    Servings 16 knishes
    Calories 135 kcal

    Equipment

    Rolling Pin
    Silpat

    Ingredients
     
     

    Dough

    • 2 1/2 cups flour sifted
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 egg
    • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
    • 1/2 cup warm water

    Filling

    • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
    • 1 yellow onion diced
    • 2 cups fresh spinach
    • 5-6 Yukon potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
    • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon Ground black pepper

    Toppings

    • Sesame seeds for garnish
    • Egg wash (egg whisked with water) for brushing onto knishes

    Instructions
     

    Make the Knish Dough

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour and make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients; the egg, oil, vinegar and water. Use a dough hook to mix together until it forms into a cohesive mass. You may need to use a spatula every so often to push down the flour from the sides.
    • Bring the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 5-8 minutes until it becomes a smooth and slightly elastic dough.
    • Cover the knish dough with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest in a bowl for about an hour, while you make the filling.

    Make the Knish Filling

    • Boil the potatoes until very soft and can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and add to a large bowl and mash.
    • In a medium skillet, add olive oil and chopped onions and saute until deeply caramelized and soft, about 10-12 minutes.
    • Add the spinach and saute for another 2-3 minutes until the spinach is just wilted. Add mixture to the potatoes.
    • Mash the potatoes and spinach mixture together and mix to combine well. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

    Assemble and Bake

    • Once the dough has been rested, it will feel pretty oily which is ok. Cut the dough in half and roll out the first piece of dough to about a 9 x 13 rectangle.
    • Add half of the potato mixture onto the dough and form into a long rectangle log. Brush the seam of the dough with water to help it stick.
    • Fold the dough over twice so the dough wraps around the potato filling and place the log seam side down.
    • Cut log into 8 pieces, pinching the dough on one of the sides and gently forming into a little round knish.
    • Place the knishes onto a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
    • Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

    Serve the Knishes

    • Serve the knishes as is or with a side of deli style mustard.

    Notes

    Make sure the potato sand spinach filling is cooled before adding to the dough. 
    Knishes can be made ahead of time, cooled and frozen. T0 reheat, place the knishes on a baking sheet and warm in a 350 degree oven until warmed through. 
    Dough recipe adapted from Joe Pastry

    Nutrition

    Calories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 229mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 368IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword potato knish, potato knishes, spinach knish
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

    More Jewish Hanukkah Recipes

    • Braised Sweet and Sour Brisket
    • Latke Bar with Toppings
    • Cherry Pistachio Rugelach
    • Mom’s Crispy Potato Latkes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. francesca says

      January 2, 2015 at 5:14 am

      5 stars
      I love that you made these into bite-sized bits! Why are they always so gigantic? Surely it’s not to share… (I never did that 🙂 )

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        January 3, 2015 at 8:34 am

        Hahah I’ve been known to eat my weight in knish!! lol

        Reply
    2. Anita at Hungry Couple says

      September 20, 2015 at 5:36 am

      5 stars
      Love these!! Pinned.

      Reply
    3. Ypsi says

      September 20, 2015 at 10:24 am

      5 stars
      They kind of look like little dim sum shu mei 🙂 Lovely!

      Reply
    4. Joan cohen says

      January 11, 2019 at 10:21 am

      5 stars
      I am making them again my 4th time …
      I love this chefs detail .. but i think i will be known as knish ‘s again . I love trying new fillings or throw in new things in potatoes …. trying to perfecto cherry cheese knish . Wish me luck?

      Reply
    5. Mike says

      November 28, 2022 at 3:27 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic… easier than it looks to make. I have made many of the recipes from Little Ferraro Kitchen.

      Reply

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