Noodle Kugel
Updated
Updated
Noodle Kugel is a traditional Jewish holiday casserole similar to bread pudding, but with egg noodles instead of bread. I love how it’s deliciously creamy, slightly sweet, and very easy to make. Serve it as breakfast, a side dish, or dessert, warm or cold.
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5 STAR REVIEW
Easy Noodle Kugel Recipe
There are many iterations for Noodle Kugel, also known as noodle pudding, 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 easy and my favorite as it reminds me of my mom and Nan!
Noodle Kugel is a casserole served at Jewish holidays. Made with egg noodles and a creamy custard, it’s a sweet noodle pudding, similar to bread pudding, but with egg noodles instead of bread. I know it may sound weird, but it’s wonderful—trust me!
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! Kugel can be eaten hot, warm, room temperature, or cold. Not many casseroles you can say that about, huh?
Helpful Tips and Variations
- Boil the noodles in salted water. This helps add flavor and also reduce stickiness. (I use 2 tsp for 6 quarts of water.)
- 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 custard will be dry and crumbly if you bake it too long.
- Add a different fruit. If you don’t like raisins, leave them out or use dried cranberries or dried apricots. Many kugel recipes also use diced apple or pineapple.
- Vary the topping. I 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.
- Omit the cottage cheese. I love cottage cheese, but if you don’t, try using ricotta cheese instead.
Sweet Noodle Kugel
Ingredients
- ¾ cup raisins
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 12 oz. wide egg noodles
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
- ½ tsp cinnamon, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°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 ¼ tsp 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 ¼ 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!
Video
Nutrition
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.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Noodle Kugel Step by Step
Get the oven going and prepare a baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F, place an oven rack in the middle position, and coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Gather all your ingredients.
Soak the raisins: Place ¾ cup of raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let them sit in the water to plump up while you prep the other ingredients.
Cook the noodles: Bring a pot of 5 quarts of water and 2 tsp of kosher salt to a boil. Add 12 oz. of noodles, bring back to a boil, and let them cook until tender but not fully cooked, about 7 minutes. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.
Make the custard: In a blender or the bowl of a food processor, blend 6 eggs, 2 cups of sour cream, 1 cup of cottage cheese, 8 oz. of cream cheese, ¼ cup of melted butter, 1½ tsp of vanilla, ¼ tsp of salt, 1 cup sugar, and ¼ tsp of cinnamon.
Combine the egg mixture and noodles: Pour the egg mixture over the cooked noodles and stir until well combined. Drain the raisins and stir them into the noodles.
Transfer to a baking dish: Pour the noodle mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Whisk together the remaining tablespoon of sugar and ¼ tsp of cinnamon; sprinkle over the top of the kugel.
Bake for about 1 hour until the center 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.
Serve: Serve the kugel warm or cold, as a side dish, for breakfast, or dessert!
What to Serve With Noodle Kugel
When I serve kugel for dessert, I’ll also prepare a raspberry sauce to add some color and even more sweetness. If I’m in the mood to indulge, this homemade whipped cream is my go-to for a topping. If I want to keep it on the lighter side, a fresh fruit salad always tastes great.
How to Store
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. The texture will be denser and slightly more dry, so it’s not my preference.
To store leftover baked kugel, cool completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To freeze, 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.
Reheat in the microwave or in a preheated 325°F oven until heated through (usually about 15 minutes, or longer if previously frozen).
More Jewish Recipes We Love!
- Matzo Ball Soup
- Potato Latkes
- Challah Bread
- Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts)
Excellent results, family and friends loved it. Highly recommended!
Thank you for sharing your recipe with us, I made this a couple times now and both times not a crumb left. So good.
Cut the recipe in half since there’s just two of us. It is a perfect kugel!
My favorite kugel recipe!
This is such a decadent dish! Sweet and creamy. Can’t get enough of it! Five stars for sure.
I loved this recipe. Easy and delicious
Loved this recipe so much. I put a little chopped apple in it, but otherwise no changes.
Made this for Rosh Hashanah. Everybody loves it! I will save this recipe for future holidays.
This kugel was the best. I used ricotta instead of cottage cheese and also added some crushed pineapple, both of which were included in suggestions. Everyone loved it! I’ll be using this recipe again whenever I want to make noodle kugel!
Delicious, and my Mom was sure that I had found my Nana’s lost recipe.
Best Kugle recipe! Obsessed already made twice.
This recipe is great, made it a few times, added a small can of crushed pineapple to it.
I made this with non dairy ingredients and using non dairy ricotta instead of cottage cheese. It came our wonderfully! Thanks so much for the recipe…will be my go to!
This was as close to my Nana’s kugel as I’ve come across. Dare I say, we even liked it better! Thank you so much for sharing and Happy Passover to all.
Best kugel I’ve tried, thanks!
This is the best Kugel recipe!!
When cool I cut it small squares and put them on cookie sheet and flash freeze. Then put them in ziplock. Take out when I want.
I have made this kugel several times and it always gets rave reviews. For add-ins, I use raisins and pineapple chunks (cut in 4ths). It’s comfort food that we grew up on for my friends and family. I am not a cottage cheese fan (texture, not taste) and so I put the cottage cheese into the blender first and cream it for a couple of minutes before adding in the rest of the custard ingredients. We cook the wide egg noodles for six minutes. The recipe is so easy to follow. The kugel keeps well for a day or two in the refrigerator and also freezes and reheats well.
Making this for Christmas, but put crushed pineapple in instead of raisins. MY Mother used to use Ed Asher’s recipe and his had Pineapple. Delicious!
Hello,
I would like to cut the recipe in half. What size baking dish should I use and how long should I bake it? Thank you
Hi Terry! I’ve next tested this as a half recipe, so I can’t vouch for proper results, but my guess would be to bake it in an 8×8 square dish. I think it would still bake the same amount of time, though. Keep an eye on it and start checking at 45 minutes maybe.
Absolutely Delicious!! I might use less sugar next time but definitely loved it!
This sounds wonderful. I will be making for potluck this weekend. There are several guests are gluten gluten free. I found gluten free egg noodles. Do you think it’s substitute will be OK.
Hi Donna – I’ve never tested this with gluten free egg noodles, so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out, but I *think* it would be ok.
It was a hit. Totally put aside my traditional version
Can you add canned Comstock cherries?
Hi Doreen – I’ve never tested this recipe with an addition like that, so I can’t advise or vouch for results, sorry.
I’m making for for the Break Fast next week. Can I either make it in a springform pan or line the baking dish w/ parchment & remove it from the dish for easier serving?
Hi Ilana! It might not cook properly in a springform pan because the overall cooking surface and depth would be different and using parchment paper won’t allow the bottom to get golden and crisp. It’s really quite easy to simply cut portions in the pan and transfer with a flat spatula , I promise.
I made this tonight and it was beyond wonderful. Not only was it delicious, but it also brought back childhood memories.
Sounds great. Can you half the recipe?
Sure!
Outstanding.
Amy thank goodness I found your kugel recipe! I have a time crunch issue. Unfortunately my. Mother-in-law passes away @94 this weekend & I’m in charge of the relatives coming to my house afterwards. I. Making the kugel the night before but not baking it. When I get up in the early morning tomorrow can I pop it in the oven until it’s done after 1 hour. Proceed to the funeral then return while it cools with aluminum foil on top? I’m just going to the service only then heading home. Will it be ok?
Hi Deborah! I’m so sorry for your loss! All the make-ahead and storage info is included in the article.
I’ve been trying to replicate my grandmother’s kugel but without any luck…made this and it’s even better than hers! I won’t tell her that, though. LOL. GREAT recipe, thank you!
Absolutely Delicious.
I loved it – it was just like my Nana used to make. I can personally vouch that it was easy enough for a non-cook, although for us non cooks the prep time is longer than 15 min.
As good as my nanas! So delicious I got asked for the recipe!
This is the BEST! My friend’s Bubba used to make this for us. The only thing I did differently was to add a bit of nutmeg like she did.
Best Kugel EVER!!! Reminded me of my childhood, but this is even better!!
l love this noodle pudding!
Loved making this recipe and I’m saving it for always. Added cherries marinated cherries to it and had to substitute creme fraiche for the cream cheese it came out delicious. Smooth creamy taste.
Best we’ve ever eaten!
I cook for one. I like to cut into single servings & freeze. Then warm one up when I want a special treat. Delicious!
Great recipe! I used ricotta and subbed in chopped montmorency dried cherries. They plumped beautifully while backing and the tart pop complimented the sweetness. Thank you for sharing. This is going to be a family favorite.
This was really easy to make and absolutely delicious! My grandchildren loved it. Next time though, as I don’t have a blender, I will use ricotta instead of cottage cheese.
Hi! I was thinking of trying this recipe but was wondering if reducing the sugar by a quarter to half would have any negative effects on the end result? Since its a casserole and not a baked good i thought there may be more wiggle room for that. Thanks!
Hi Rebecca! It should be fine, although not as delicious. HA.
Made this exactly as written except swapped out the raising with apple. This recipe is fantastic!
I am trying this recipe substituting apple juice for the half and half and the sugar. I hope it turns out okay.
That’s a pretty major alteration that will definitely alter the flavor, and most likely the texture. Hope it sets properly. Good luck!
There is no half and half in this recipe to substitue for.
My mom learned how to make kugel from a friend of my grandfather’s back in the day. She gone now and nobody could find her recipe. I made this and it tastes just like I remember. I could eat the whole pan by myself. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
I’ve never had kugel and would you believe *face turns red* I made my first mac and cheese this past Christmas. Tis true. I had always left it up to the master cooks among my friends and family. I love the ricotta idea. I actually made that for the first time over the holidays, too! Isn’t life wonderful in that there is sooo much good food in the world that you can continually be thrilled by new taste adventures?
I promise to not seem shocked for your lack of making mac and cheese, if you promise to not be shocked that I’ve never seen It’s A Wonderful Life. Deal?
The only thing is I’m not sure whether to eat this for dinner or dessert. Perhaps both?
My brother is lactose intolerant and thank god I am not. I have a stomach of steel. And I love it.
Made this with homemade ricotta. Best kugel recipe ever!
I didn’t think any kugel could beat my moms, but this recipe did. It was PERFECT. I do agree that kugel is best baked and served right away. We’re not fans of leftovers, since it tends to dry out.
Made this recipe with half the amount of raisins called for and added a 1/4 cup diced, cooked apples. So good!!