{Sweet} Noodle Kugel Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

Noodle Kugel is a traditional Jewish holiday casserole similar to bread pudding, but with noodles instead of bread. It’s deliciously creamy and slightly sweet. Serve it as breakfast, a side dish, or dessert, warm or cold.

{Sweet} Noodle Kugel Recipe - Belly Full (1)

There are many iterations for Noodle Kugel, all attached to grandmothers who claim theirs is the best. Some sweet, some savory. I don’t know if this recipe is the best, but it’s certainly my favorite version and reminds me of my mom and Nan!

What is Noodle Kugel?

Noodle Kugel is a casserole served at Jewish holidays, made with egg noodles and a creamy custard. It’s sweet and similar to bread pudding, but with egg noodles instead of bread, and also like a French Toast casserole. I know it sounds weird, but it’s wonderful. Trust me!

Is noodle kugel a dessert or side dish? My mom always serves kugel for dessert, but I think most people enjoy it as a side dish. However, I make it for breakfast. So, anything goes!
Do you eat noodle kugel hot or cold? Kugel can be eaten hot, warm, room temperature, or cold. Not many casseroles you can say that about, huh?

{Sweet} Noodle Kugel Recipe - Belly Full (2)

Noodle Kugel Recipe

Ingredients you’ll need for this kugel recipe:

  • Egg noodles: While any pasta could probably be used, I have never seen this dish made with anything other than egg noodles, and I personally always use wide egg noodles.
  • For the custard: Eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
  • For topping: Granulated sugar and cinnamon.
  • Raisins: These are optional, but a fairly traditional ingredient. We absolutely love the added sweetness and slight pop of color.

Sweet Noodle Kugel Substitutions

  • Don’t like raisins? You can swap them out for dried cranberries or dried apricots. Many kugel recipes also use diced apple or pineapple instead. Or simply omit this add-in.
  • For the Kugel topping I just sprinkle a mix of granulated sugar and cinnamon over the top before baking, but you can use your favorite streusel topping, crushed buttered graham crackers, or cornflakes.
  • Noodle Kugel without cottage cheese: We love cottage cheese, but if you don’t, try using ricotta cheese instead.
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Noodle Kugel Recipe Tips

  • Boil the noodles in salted water. This helps add flavor and also reduce stickiness. (I use 2 teaspoons for 6 quarts of water.)
  • Don’t cook the noodles completely. You’ll only cook the noodles for about 7 minutes (not the full 10 minutes that the package instructs), because they cook further in the custard mixture as it bakes.
  • Blend the custard ingredients. You can whisk everything in a bowl, but I highly recommend blending the custard mixture in a blender or food processor for a smoother and more creamy consistency.
  • Don’t over-bake the kugel or the custard will be dry and crumbly.

Make Ahead and Storing

  • Can noodle kugel be made ahead? This kugel recipe can be assembled, covered, and stored in the refrigerator up to 1 day ahead of baking and serving. The kugel can also be fully cooked a day ahead of time and reheated, but the texture will be denser and slightly more dry, so it’s not my preference.
  • Does noodle kugel need to be refrigerated? Yes, because of the dairy, kugel must be kept in the refrigerator.
  • Storing leftover baked kugel: Let cool completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  • How to freeze noodle kugel: Unbaked or baked, kugel should be tightly sealed in plastic wrap and again in foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking or reheating.
  • How to reheat Noodle Kugel: Reheat in the microwave or in a preheated 325 degree F oven until heated through (usually about 15 minutes, or longer if previously frozen.)
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How to Make Kugel Video

Other Jewish Recipes We Love!

  • Matzo Ball Soup
  • Potato Latkes
  • Challah Bread
  • Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts)

I hope you love this delicious and simple recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onFacebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!

{Sweet} Noodle Kugel Recipe - Belly Full (5)

Sweet Noodle Kugel

Noodle Kugel is a traditional Jewish holiday casserole similar to bread pudding, but with noodles instead of bread. It's deliciously creamy and slightly sweet. Serve it as breakfast, a side dish, or dessert, warm or cold.

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 15

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 12 ounces wide egg noodles
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter , melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar , divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon , divided

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. with an oven rack in the middle position. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

  • Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; let them soak to plump up while you prep the other ingredients.

  • Bring a large pot of 5 quarts water and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a boil. Add the noodles to the pot, bring back to a boil, and let them cook until tender but not entirely cooked, about 7 minutes. Drain thoroughly and return the cooked noodles to the pot.

  • In a blender or the bowl of a food processor, blend together the eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, melted butter, vanilla, salt, 1 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

  • Pour the egg mixture over the cooked noodles in the pot and stir until well combined.

  • Drain the raisins and stir them into the noodles.

  • Pour the noodle mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.

  • Whisk together the remaining tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over the top of the kugel.

  • Bake the kugel for about 1 hour until the center of the kugel is set and the tips of the noodles turn golden brown.

  • Remove from the oven and let the kugel rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

  • Kugel can be served warm or cold, as a side dish, for breakfast, or dessert!

  • (NOTE: see helpful tips and substitutions in the full article.)

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 645IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: kugel, noodle kugel

Did you make this recipe?Snap a picture and mention @bellyfullblog!

{Sweet} Noodle Kugel Recipe - Belly Full (6)
{Sweet} Noodle Kugel Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

Why does my noodle Kugel fall apart? ›

Make Sure to Cool Your Kugel

Once it's baked, a kugel needs to cool, otherwise it will fall apart when slicing. Give it at least an hour to cool and set up, then slice and serve it warm or at room temperature.

Why do Jews eat kugel? ›

Kugels are a mainstay of festive meals in Ashkenazi Jewish homes, particularly on the Jewish Sabbath and other Jewish holidays or at a tish. Some Hasidic Jews believe that eating kugel on the Jewish Sabbath brings special spiritual blessings, particularly if that kugel was served on the table of a Hasidic Rebbe.

How many carbs are in a kugel? ›

Classic Cooking Sweet Noodle Kugel (1 serving) contains 19g total carbs, 19g net carbs, 6g fat, 3g protein, and 140 calories.

What is sweet kugel made of? ›

Kugel is basically the Yiddish/Jewish word for casserole. Sweet noodle kugel is typically made from eggs, noodles, sour cream, and cottage cheese, all baked inside a casserole dish.

Why do my noodles clump together? ›

Pasta needs space to expand as it cooks. And the starch it releases makes the situation stickier. If there's not enough water for that starch to grow, it'll have no other choice than to make clumpy noodles.

Why did my egg noodles turn to mush? ›

You see, the reason those noodles in your homemade soup end up a soggy mess is that they're low alkaline. That means once submerged in a liquid and placed in the fridge, the noodles begin to absorb the liquid. If noodles absorb too much water, then they become soft and gummy as a result.

What does "kugel" mean in Yiddish? ›

The name of the dish comes from the Yiddish word kugel meaning 'sphere, globe, ball'; thus the Yiddish name likely originated as a reference to the round balls of dough that were placed in the center of the cholent, a traditional Shabbat stew, to cook alongside it and absorb its flavors for its later use as a side dish ...

Is noodle Kugel better hot or cold? ›

Do You Eat Noodle Kugel Hot or Cold? While noodle kugel should be removed from the oven and cooled for at least 30 minutes after baking, it can be eaten at any temperature. Eaten warm, when just set, noodle kugel's texture is more akin to a baked mac and cheese (the extra-crunchy noodles on top might be the best part.)

What does kugel symbolize? ›

Some also say that the tangled pasta of the noodle kugel specifically has been said to be a symbol of Jewish unity – from the Ashkenazi to the Mizrahi.

Are egg noodles full of carbs? ›

High in carbs

For example, boiled wheat egg noodles have a glycemic index of 57, while the glycemic index of spaghetti can range from 42–58 (8). Egg noodles are also relatively high in carbohydrates, with over 40 grams in each cup (160 grams) ( 1 ).

How many calories in a slice of Kugel? ›

There are 170 calories in 1 piece of Lochshen Kugel.

Is white pudding high in carbs? ›

Truly Irish Traditional Irish White Pudding (1 slice) contains 5.2g total carbs, 4.5g net carbs, 6.5g fat, 2.4g protein, and 90 calories.

What is the difference between sweet and savory kugel? ›

Today, both noodle kugel and potato kugel are common additions to special meals. Noodle kugel tends to be more popular because of its versatility, and it's more likely to be a sweet dish with added fruits and spices. Potato kugel is typically a savory recipe, and it can be made with onions, herbs and meat.

What is a South African kugel? ›

South African slang (usually derogatory). A type of wealthy young (Jewish) woman, characterized as being shallow and materialistic.

How long will kugel last? ›

Potato kugel keeps well in the refrigerator for four to five days, as long as it's covered. You can eat a cold slice right out of the fridge, or reheat it in a 350 F oven, uncovered so the top can crisp, until hot. Kugel will also freeze well.

How do you cook egg noodles without them falling apart? ›

Draining egg noodles under cool water immediately after boiling not only stops the cooking process but also rinses away the excess starch, ensuring they stay separate and silky.

How do you keep noodles from breaking? ›

Stirring can cause noodles to break, as the spatula can cut them into smaller pieces. This is especially true for delicate, freshly cooked rice noodles. Avoid using a spatula to haphazardly stir the noodles to avoid this. Instead, gently push them from the edges inward or use a flipping motion.

Why do my homemade noodles fall apart? ›

Hanging pasta for long causes it to dry too quickly, and that's what causes curling and brittle or fractured pasta.

What helps noodles not stick together? ›

Generously salt the pasta water

It can help keep the starches in your pasta from gelling together, reducing the risk of your pasta sticking. Aim to put a tablespoon or two of salt for every quart of water—which is about a quarter or half cup of salt for a pound of pasta.

References

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