{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.)
{Sweet} Noodle Kugel Recipe - Belly Full (4)

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? ›

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.

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 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.

Do you eat noodle kugel 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.)

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.

What does "kugel" mean in English? ›

kugel in American English

(ˈkuːɡəl, ˈkuɡəl) noun. Jewish Cookery. a baked casserole resembling a soufflé or pudding.

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 ...

Why is kugel sweet? ›

Kugel is a sweet, egg noodle casserole. The noodles are boiled and then baked with some sugar, eggs, sour cream and cottage cheese. It's our family tradition to also add raisins.

What did Jews eat for breakfast? ›

The Israeli breakfast is a dairy meal, and a variety of cheeses are offered. Fish is pareve and so is permitted with a dairy meal, and herring is frequently served. Other smoked or pickled fish dishes are also common, including sprats, sardines and salmon.

Why do Jews eat gefilte? ›

However, since Jewish law forbids the separating of the flesh of fish from its bones, pre-made fish cakes such as gefilte fish obviate the need to perform such separation, thus making a preparation such as gefilte fish a regular Sabbath staple, and the perfect vehicle for the requisite fish aphrodisiac.

Do Jews eat pretzels? ›

Pretzels – this bread twisted into a knot hails from Germany's Jewish population. These can be eaten as snacks and come in hard and soft variants as well as in different flavours – salted pretzels, cheese pretzels, chocolate-covered pretzels, etc. are a few.

What goes well with kugel? ›

Kugel is traditionally served as a side dish alongside something meaty like brisket or roast chicken. In this case it would normally be served warm, but it can also be refrigerated and eaten cold the next day.

Can you freeze sweet noodle kugel? ›

One more simple tip

If you are making the noodle kugel in advance, don't add the crunchy topping until just before you are ready to bake and serve it. You can freeze the noodle kugel just before baking or keep in the fridge overnight.

How long does leftover kugel last? ›

Wrap the kugel very well in storage wrap and aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to two months. Reheat the kugel in a 325° oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes.

Why do my homemade noodles fall apart? ›

Tearing can be caused by your pasta dough sticking to the roller on your pasta machine. A sprinkle of cornflour should help. Pasta can also tear if you move the dough through the machine too quickly, so slowing down the process could help too.

Why did my egg noodles turn to mush? ›

With their delicate composition, egg noodles can quickly absorb liquids and become overly soft. Adding them too early in the soup-making process might lead to a soggy, gooey outcome, losing that satisfying bite.

Why do noodles fall apart? ›

You over- or undercook the noodles.

"The most common mistake is either undercooking or overcooking.

How do you keep egg noodles from clumping together? ›

Toss with a bit of oil or sauce

If you're not using the noodles immediately, toss them with a little bit of oil to prevent sticking. This will create a thin coating on the noodles, preventing them from clumping together.

References

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