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Ever heard the phrase don't ask too many questions about what's in it? Yeah… that was kishke. Back in the day, this Ashkenazi staple was literally stuffed inside cow intestines because, apparently, that was a thing people did. But hey-culinary evolution (and the evolution of humanity towards kindness) is real, and this version? No animals harmed, no intestines, no regrets. Just a perfectly spiced, golden-baked, savory roll that belongs in your cholent (or straight on your plate).
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For generations, kishke (stuffed derma) was the side dish of choice for poor Eastern European Jewish families, baked into cholent (a slow-cooked Sabbath stew), or served with a drizzle of gravy. Over time, Jewish grandmas got smart and swapped out the intestines for parchment paper. And now? I've made it 100% vegan-no schmaltz, no mystery ingredients, just roasted carrots, onions, and matzo meal rolled up and baked until firm, sliceable, and ready to drop into your vegan cholent.
It's also fantastic in a steaming bowl of vegan chicken noodle soup or dunked into deep, earthy vegan borscht. And if matzo ball soup always gives you anxiety about keeping those delicate dumplings intact? This is the stress-free, equally delicious alternative you've been waiting for.
If you've never made kishke before, trust me-it's shockingly easy. Mix, roll, wrap, bake. That's it.
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🥰 Why you'll adore this vegan kishke recipe
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all my vegan recipes, this one has been tested by cooks across different skill levels, using different brands of ingredients, and in different ovens. They all nailed it, and so will you.
⏳ Ridiculously Easy: If you can mix, roll, and bake, you can make this. No fancy techniques, no absurd cooking hacks-just wrap it up, toss it in the oven, and let it do its thing.
🛒 Pantry-Friendly Ingredients: No obscure, hard-to-find nonsense. You likely have most of this in your kitchen already. If not, a quick grocery run and you're set. It's like an even-easier-to-make Kosher version of my vegan Italian sausage and vegan hot dog recipe.
✊ Vegan AF: Like all of my vegan Jewish recipes, this one skips the intestines, chicken fat, and anything else that might make you question life choices. Instead, you get a savory roll made from roasted veggies, matzo meal, and the perfect seasoning-no adorable critters harmed.
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✡️ Kishke Ingredients
Smoked Paprika
Smoked paprika is the secret to that rich, smoky depth that schmaltz used to bring to kishke recipes. If you don't have smoked paprika, a great substitute is Kashmiri red chili powder (not spicy) that brings vibrant red color to vegan tikka masala and my vegan butter chicken recipe.
Matzo Meal
Matzo meal is a staple in Jewish cooking, especially around Passover, adding just the right amount of structure and density to dishes like vegan matzo ball soup and vegan matzo meal pancakes. Made from ground matzo crackers, it absorbs excess moisture and holds these vegan sausages together. No matzo meal? Panko breadcrumbs (like you would coat tofu katsu with) actually work great here too.
Flour
All-purpose white flour or bread flour both work here. Bread flour adds a bit more chew, while all-purpose keeps it slightly softer-either way, you'll get great results.
A gluten-free version? Heck no. Kishke needs gluten to hold together. Skip it, and you will cause generations of gluten loving Bubbies and Zaides to cry and shake their fists at you from beyond the grave. (Isn't there a scene that kinda happens in Fiddler on the Roof?)
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
📖 How to make kishke
Homemade vegan kishka knocked way the heck outta the park by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips? You bet. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Heat, Pray, Love:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step Two
Aromatics Anonymous:
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the diced onions, carrots, celery and whole garlic cloves. Cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Step Three
Put It All Together, And What've You Got:
Transfer the cooked vegetables to a food processor. Add the olive oil, paprika flour, matzo meal, salt, and black pepper.
Step Four
The Dough Vinci Code:
Purée until the mixture forms a thick, uniform dough that holds together.
Step Five
The Rolling Scones:
Place the dough on a clean surface and shape it into a log about 2 inches (5 cm.) in diameter.
Step Six
Wrapture Is Upon Us:
Wrap the log tightly in parchment paper, then in aluminium foil, twisting the ends to secure it. Place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Step Seven
Kishke Business:
Bake for 45-50 minutes until firm to the touch. Let it cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
Step Eight
The Chol' Shebang:
Serve warm with gravy, fresh herbs, or add it to cholent.
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👉 Top tips
- Achieve the Ideal Dough Consistency: Ensure your vegetable mixture is processed into a thick paste before adding the dry ingredients. The final dough should be firm yet pliable; if it's too wet, add more flour or matzo meal gradually until the desired texture is reached.
- Prevent Sticking During Baking: To avoid the kishke adhering to the foil, lightly grease the parchment paper before wrapping in foil. This also creates a barrier between the food and the aluminum, which some studies suggest may have negative health consequences when in direct contact with food.
- Cool Runnings: Letting the kishke cool to room temperature and then cutting it using a serrated knife makes it easy to slice without it crumbling.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Oh, I see what's happening here. You've fallen in love with kishke-its golden-baked glory, its savory, perfectly spiced deliciousness-and now you want to know if you can swap out the matzo meal and flour to make it gluten-free.
I respect the ambition. I do.
But, and I say this with love-absolutely not. Kishke without gluten is like latkes without potatoes, a bagel without a hole, or a grandma without unsolicited life advice. The flour and matzo meal hold everything together, and without them, what you're left with is not kishke-it's a vegetable purée in denial.
Could you try swapping them? Sure-if you enjoy eating kishke with a spoon. But if you want something gluten free that won't break your heart, my vegan zucchini latkes are waiting with open arms.
If you want to add kishke to cholent without it falling apart, you've got two options. Pan-fry the slices until golden and crisp, then stir them in just before serving-this keeps them intact while still soaking up all that slow-cooked goodness. Or, simply slice and add at the very end, letting it warm through for a few minutes. Avoid letting it sit too long in the cholent, or it will start to break down. Either way, you'll get that rich, savory flavor without your kishke turning to mush.
Nope. Not even a little bit. This recipe uses regular flour, which means it's got chametz written all over it.
Swapping out the flour for only matzo meal might sound like a quick fix, but it'll leave you with a kishke that's too dry and crumbly to hold together properly. It's like replacing the walls of your house with Jell-O and hoping it holds up in a storm.
If you're looking for something to serve at Passover, this is not it-unless you like your kishke as a pile of seasoned mashed carrots in a very confusing shape.
Absolutely. Prepare the kishke mixture, shape the dough into a log, wrap it tightly in parchment paper, then in foil, and freeze. When ready to cook, bake directly from frozen, just adding a little extra time in the oven to ensure it's heated through.
Kishke, also known as stuffed derma, started as a way to make use of every last scrap of food. Originally, it was a mix of grains and fat stuffed into cow intestines, similar to how early sausages were made. But as time went on (and people got a little less enthusiastic about eating intestines), it evolved into something far more appetizing.
This shift isn't unique to kishke. The word pudding originally referred to savory, sausage-like dishes encased in animal intestines, just like black pudding or haggis. But during an economic downturn, people swapped intestines for a flour-paste-rubbed muslin fabric, leading to softer, steamed puddings, and paving the way for sweet versions like my vegan crème brûlée and coconut panna cotta.
In the same way, kishke has left its, uh… questionable casing origins behind, becoming the rich, savory, flour-and-vegetable-filled dish we know today.
❄️ Refrigerating:
Once cooled, store vegan kishke in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in parchment paper and place it in a sealed container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
🔥 Stovetop Reheating:
For a crispier exterior, slice the kishke and pan-fry it in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side until warmed through and slightly golden.
🔥 Oven Reheating:
To reheat a whole kishke, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), wrap it loosely in parchment paper, and bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through. For individual slices, bake uncovered for 10 minutes for a slightly crisp texture.
✌️ You'll love these vegan Jewish recipes too:
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Vegan Kishke Recipe
Ingredients
For the veggies:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups onions diced
- 2 cups carrots diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup celery diced
The remaining kishke dough:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup matzo meal
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, whole garlic, and celery, cooking for 8-10 minutes until softened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Transfer the cooked mixture to a food processor. Add the olive oil, paprika, flour, matzo meal, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until the mixture forms a thick, smooth dough.
- Place the dough on a clean work surface and shape it into a log, about 2 inches (5 cm.) in diameter.
- Wrap the log tightly in parchment paper, and then tightly with aluminum foil, twisting the ends to seal. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until firm to the touch. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with gravy, garnished with fresh herbs, or added to cholent.
Notes
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Zander Weizman says
Can you substitute the matzo meal? Or not use it? Is it playing a crucial role?
Adam Sobel says
You can use breadcrumbs instead
Julia Franklin says
I made this Kishke for our first night Sedar, and everyone loved it, as much as a group of Jewish women, could like anything they had not made themselves. I did do some changes to the recipe, and served it like a shepherd's pie, with mashed potatoes and added some herbs and mushrooms to the veggies. I served it in a pie plate with the mashed potatoes on top and bottom. I only came home with a serving for tomorrow's lunch. really, really good stuff there! I give it 5 matza balls out of 5.
Nicole says
Do you think all purpose 1-1 gf flour would work?
Adam Sobel says
Haven't tried it but perhaps. My guess is it might come out a bit more gummy based on what kind of flours are in the mix. If you try it, please report back about how it went.
holly says
I'm thinking of trying this--what do you think about subbing oat flour in for the wheat flour?
Adam Sobel says
I haven't tried it. It might work though! Pls report back if you make it that way
Maggie says
Super easy and tasty!
hg says
I love this recipe. It was so easy. I can't remember the last time I had Kishke, and I barely remember what it tasted like, but I do remember I used to like it. I was excited to make it, and it didn't disappoint. Went perfectly with the Cholent. It also freezes/ thaws well. I cut it into serving sized pieces, froze them on a tray, then once frozen, placed them in a container for later use.