This recipe for sweet Noodle Kugel is a traditional Jewish dish made with egg noodles, cottage cheese, sour cream, and topped with cornflakes for a delicious crunch. It’s a must-have at Jewish celebrations!
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While noodle kugel has always been a popular Jewish recipe, exactly what it should taste like is still up for debate. Some kugels are sweet, some are savory (like this potato Kugelis). Some are topped with frosted flakes and others are naked.
I have most frequently seen a sweet kugel that blurs the line between dinner and dessert. It has soft egg noodles baked into a sweet custard with warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. While this is the version I’ve decided to go with, just know that this traditional dish does leave itself open to customization.
Whether you’re serving it at a holiday gathering or enjoying leftovers straight from the fridge, noodle kugel is a taste of home in every bite.
If your preference is for a more savory dish, try this Macaroni Pie!
Recipe Origins
Kugel (pronounced koo-gul or koo-gel) comes from Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine and originally began as a baked bread pudding. Over generations, communities adapted it using noodles, potatoes, dairy, and eventually toppings like cornflakes. Families still make it a little differently, which is part of what makes this recipe so special.
This recipe is deeply loved by the Jewish community, and when I posted on my Instagram that I was planning to make it, I had so many people reach out with offers to share their grandmothers’ recipes!
This variation is a combination of a few different grandma-approved recipes, which is why I included cornflakes, removed cream cheese, and suggested adding fruit!
Why Make This Recipe
- Perfect Make-Ahead Dish: Kugel is perfect for entertaining because it is easy to mix up the day before and bake before serving.
- Customizable Sweetness: Whether you prefer a lightly sweetened version or a full dessert-style treat, you can easily adjust it to your taste.
- Celebration of Culture: This dish is a Jewish classic, usually served for Hanukkah or at other celebrations. Just like the culture, it has evolved over the years but it still brings people together.
Key Ingredients for Noodle Kugel
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Wide Egg Noodles: Egg noodles are the foundation of a traditional kugel. The noodles’ structure creates pockets of creamy texture when mixed with the cottage cheese. Cook the noodles to al dente and make sure not to rinse them after cooking to allow the rest of the ingredients to stick to the noodles properly.
- Sour cream: Sour Cream gives the custard a subtle tang that compliments the sweetness of the dish very well. If you’re looking to cut out a few calories you could substitute plain greek yogurt.
- Cottage Cheese: The real creaminess comes from cottage cheese, which gives the dish its signature creamy, tangy richness. If you are not a fan of the curds in cottage cheese, you could substitute with cream cheese
- Nutmeg: Nutmeg is a warm, nutty flavor that complements dairy-based dishes. Use freshly grated nutmeg for the biggest punch of flavor, or pre-ground nutmeg in a pinch.
- Cornflakes: Crushed cornflakes create a light, crisp topping that holds up beautifully in the oven and stays crunchy as the kugel cools. I find that cornflakes work best because they still have a crunch, unlike breadcrumbs. Plain cornflakes work best but you could use frosted if you prefer. Cornflakes add a little extra crunch to the dish!
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon’s warm flavor complements the rich, creamy profile of the cottage cheese. I personally like to keep the cinnamon to the topping to give a punch of cinnamon flavor, but you can also add some to the filling if you want a more all-around cinnamon flavor.
Recipe Variations
Kugel is a familial dish so every “Bubbe” (grandmother) has a different recipe, and everyone is sure that their Bubbe’s is the best!
You can choose to follow my recipe to a T, or you can go rogue and experiment with other ingredients!
Below are some other variations of kugel I’ve heard of:
- Topping Switches: I’ve seen noodle kugel topped with frosted flakes, cinnamon sugar, graham crackers, or even nothing at all, allowing a few noodles to crisp as they bake.
- Fruity Twist: Some recipes call for a little fruit for extra interest like raisins and apricots or canned fruit like maraschino cherries or fruit cocktail.
- Extra Spice: I’ve seen some recipes with cinnamon or pumpkin spice in the custard or even chai!
- Extra Creamy: I’ve seen some recipes that call for only sour cream, only cottage cheese, only cream cheese or some with a mixture of all. I tried adding an 8 oz block of cream cheese to this recipe and it was also delicious.
How to Make this Recipe
Step One: Cook your pasta according to the package instructions.
Step Two: Beat the remaining ingredients together in a mixer.
Step Three: Add the pasta to the custard and mix to coat the pasta.
Step Four: Mix your topping ingredients together.
Step Five: Pour the noodles and custard into a baking dish.
Step Six: Add the topping and bake.
Thank you to Marni from Simple Gray T Shirt for reviewing and approving my Kugel recipe!
Expert Tips
- Instead of the cottage cheese, try out an 8-oz block of cream cheese. It’s also very delicious, but cottage cheese is more authentic.
- Allow the dish to rest about 15-30 minutes after baking to ensure it sets. It will be easier to cut into after it cools a bit.
Recipe FAQs
Whichever way you prefer! Some families serve their Kugel warm, while others choose to chill it before serving.
You can also choose to eat your kugel at room temperature.
I prefer mine at room temperature. This seems to make the most sense to my tastebuds that are trying to figure out if this dish is a main course or a dessert.
You can keep your Kugel in the fridge for about 5-7 days! Make sure to wrap your kugel tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Absolutely! You can leave your kugel frozen for up to 3 months in the fridge. Be sure to reheat in the oven before enjoying it!
When noodle kugel is dry, it usually means the noodles were cooked too long or the dish was baked for too long. For best results, use al dente noodles and keep an eye on the timer when cooking the kugel.
You’ll know your kugel is done when the top and sides are brown and crispy, the custard is set, and there is no extra liquid in the center of the casserole.
Did you like this recipe for noodle kugel? If so, make sure to check out some of my other favorite pasta recipes from The Foreign Fork!
If you tried this Noodle Kugel Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Noodle Kugel
Ingredients
Kugel Ingredients
- 12 oz wide egg noodles
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1½ cups cottage cheese
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 5 eggs
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Topping Ingredients
- 3 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Boil a large pot of water and cook 12 oz wide egg noodles according to the package instructions until al dente.
- In a separate bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the remaining filling ingredients (1 cup sour cream, 1½ cups cottage cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar, 5 eggs, ½ cup butter, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp nutmeg) together.
- Once combined, add the pasta into the filling ingredients and hand mix until the pasta is fully coated. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl, pour the melted butter into 3 cups cornflakes crumbs along with 3 tbsp granulated sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon. Use a fork to mix everything together.
- Sprinkle this topping over your noodle mixture in the pan.
- Place your dish in the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 60-65 minutes, or until the mixture is set and the topping is brown.
Video
Notes
- Sour cream: If you’re looking to cut out a few calories you could substitute plain greek yogurt.
- Cottage Cheese: If you are not a fan of the curds in cottage cheese, you could substitute with cream cheese.
- Nutmeg: Use freshly grated nutmeg for the biggest punch of flavor, or pre-ground nutmeg in a pinch.
- Cornflakes: Plain cornflakes work best but you could use frosted if you prefer. Cornflakes add a little extra crunch to the dish!
- Cinnamon: I personally like to keep the cinnamon to the topping to give a punch of cinnamon flavor, but you can also add some to the filling if you want a more all-around cinnamon flavor.
- Instead of the cottage cheese, try out an 8-oz block of cream cheese. It’s also very delicious, but cottage cheese is more authentic.
- Allow the dish to rest about 15-30 minutes after baking to ensure it sets. It will be easier to cut into after it cools a bit.
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