Sweet Noodle Kugel
Kugel is a baked noodle pudding that lands somewhere between a side dish and a dessert. This sweet version, rich with eggs, sour cream, and cottage cheese, is a staple at holiday and Shabbat tables.
Ingredients
- ●12 oz wide egg noodles
- ●4 large eggs
- ●1/2 cup sugar
- ●2 cups sour cream
- ●1 cup cottage cheese
- ●1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- ●1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- ●1/2 cup raisins, optional
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- 2Cook the egg noodles until just tender, then drain.
- 3Whisk the eggs and sugar, then stir in the sour cream, cottage cheese, melted butter, vanilla, and cinnamon.
- 4Fold in the drained noodles and the raisins if using.
- 5Pour into the dish and smooth the top.
- 6Bake 45 to 55 minutes until set and golden on top. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.
For a crunchy top, sprinkle with crushed cornflakes and cinnamon sugar before baking.
More Tips
- ●Wide egg noodles are the classic choice. They hold their shape in the custard and give the top crisp, browned edges.
- ●Cook the noodles only until just tender. They keep softening as the kugel bakes.
- ●Bake it a day or two ahead, refrigerate it covered, and reheat it in a 350°F oven until warm in the center.
- ●This kugel is dairy. In a kosher kitchen, serve it at a dairy meal, such as the Yom Kippur break-fast or Shavuot, not alongside brisket.
Sweet or Savory? A Short History of Kugel
Kugel is German for ball, and the name may come from the round pans the first ones were baked in, as My Jewish Learning notes. The earliest kugels were savory, made from bread and flour. Sweet versions came later, and adding cottage cheese and milk gave noodle kugel the custardy texture it is known for today.
Lokshen kugel, Yiddish for noodle kugel, is a fixture of Ashkenazi holiday and Shabbat tables, and a sweet dairy kugel like this one is a favorite at the Yom Kippur break-fast and on Shavuot, when dairy foods are traditional. Potato kugel, its savory cousin, is close to a giant baked latke; our potato latkes are the fried version.
Common Questions
What is the difference between sweet and savory kugel?
Sweet kugel, like this one, uses sugar, cinnamon and often raisins or other fruit, and many people serve it as a side or a dessert. Savory kugels skip the sugar and lean on onion, salt and pepper, as in potato kugel or a salt-and-pepper noodle kugel.
Can you make noodle kugel ahead of time?
Yes. Bake it a day or two ahead, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate it. Reheat it in a 350°F oven until warm in the center, or serve it at room temperature.
Is noodle kugel dairy or pareve?
This recipe is dairy: it has sour cream, cottage cheese and butter, so kosher-keeping homes serve it at dairy meals, not with meat. A pareve noodle kugel leaves out the dairy and uses oil and eggs instead, often with fruit for sweetness.
What noodles are best for kugel?
Wide egg noodles are the classic choice. They hold their shape in the custard and brown nicely on top. Cook them only until just tender, since they keep softening in the oven.
When is noodle kugel served?
At Shabbat and holiday meals, at the Yom Kippur break-fast and on Shavuot, when dairy foods are traditional. It works as a side dish or as dessert.