EST. 2011 BY LIZ RUEVEN
7 Kugel Recipes to Enthrall All Tastes
Photo: @Amy Kritzer;What Jew Wanna Eat

7 Kugel Recipes to Enthrall All Tastes

The old Southern adage, “There’s a lid for every pot.” has me thinking about kugel.

It used to be, that dairy kugel* was more or less the same kosher recipe of wide egg noodles, creamy cottage cheese, thick sour cream, loads of butter and a good dose of sugar. But the days of getting that first familiar bite of home is not what we should expect anymore.

While some of us still hanker for the classic, food writers and creative home cooks have explored many variations on the theme. We’ve turned to some of our favorite food writers asking for sweet or savory, wheat lokshen (noodles) or gluten-free, full fat or lightened up, seasonal or all seasons varieties.

We’ve rounded up seven kugel recipes to suit all tastes. We think we’ve found a match for each of you.

Click on the recipe name and be sure to return to this page for more. Read on!

Kosher Like Me dairy kugel
Photo: Amy Kritzer; What Jew Wanna Eat

Amy Kritzer’s Noodle Kugel with Candied Pecans is a classic so if you’re looking for that traditional dairy kugel you remember, this is it.

But leave it to Amy to encourage us to indulge even more by dotting the entire shebang with sweet candied pecans or walnuts. You can buy them already candied at Trader Joe’s if you’re trying to lighten your prep. I won’t tell and nobody will know. Easy!

Photo: Jessica Levinson

I found Jessica Levinson, Registered Dietician and culinary nutrition expert on Instagram (@jlevinsonrd) and love reading about how she “healthifies” recipes. Her Cinnamon Apple Noodle Kugel is her updated version of a dairy-free recipe passed down to her from her Mom and her Bubby.

She’s lightened it up considerably by reducing the oil and sugar by 50%, using unsweetened apple sauce and choosing Manischewitz extra wide whole grain noodles. Thanks for reducing our guilt, too, Jessica.

Kosher Like Me savory mushroom kugel
Photo: @LizRueven

If you’re a mushroom lover and yearn for savory dishes, your kugel hankering can still be satisfied. When I wrote this Savory Mushroom Cheese Kugel recipe for the Nosher I wanted to marry my rich dairy kugel with bold umami flavors. Note the crispy parmesan topping. If you want to enjoy something unexpected, this is the one. Serve with a great green salad.

vegan kugel recipe
Photo: @Vicky Cohen and Ruth Fox; May I Have That Recipe

The words plant based, high protein and high fiber are not attributes normally associated with kugel. But now the tofu lovers can have their kugel and enjoy it too. Leave it to the sisters at May I Have That Recipe to create this High Protein Apple Noodle Kugel for the vegans around the table. Grated apples and carrots add autumn sweetness to this dairy-free kugel.

Sweet Lokshen Kugel The Gefilte Manifesto
Sweet Lokshen Kugel with Plums_credit Lauren Volo_THE GEFILTE MANIFESTO

AHHH, I adore this Sweet Lokshen Kugel with Plums from The Gefilte Manifesto by Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz. I also believe that their book is one of the most important Jewish food books of the last decade. You should own it.

The bright purple-pink plums scattered across the top of this kugel provide a sweet/tart contrast to the creamy pudding and a welcome pop of color. We never minded  the pale goodness of cream cheese, sour cream and eggs but who wouldn’t welcome fuchsia to the buffet line-up? This one is definitely a classic, like the one we grew up loving, just waaaaay prettier.

Pumpkin Kugel Kosher Like Me
Photo: @Miriam Pascal

Seasonal kugel? YES!

Miriam Pascal signals autumn with her Pumpkin Noodle Kugel, a dairy free, pumpkin laced, bourbon infused treat that will steer you away from pumpkin pie in a flash. That, or start thinking about this pumpkin kugel as your new Thanksgiving side.

Kosher Like Me dairy free noodle kugel
Photo: At Home with Shay

Last but not least, especially for our gluten-free friends, I share this Fastest, Easiest and Best Gluten-Free Kugel from At Home with Shay. Now, that title is a bold proclamation so I looked very carefully at this recipe before reaching out to Shay, a meteorologist in Tampa, Florida.

I decided that her title may not be an overstatement. Shay mixes all of the dairy in her a blender, DOES NOT pre-cook the Barilla gluten-free elbows, tosses it all together in her pyrex dish and refrigerates it overnight. The next day, she bakes it off an hour before she needs it. The only thing she does a la minute is make and distribute the topping so it crackles. Brilliant!

Do you have a kugel story or recipe to share? Please share in the comments, below. Please know that it can take up to a few hours for your comments to appear. For security, I read and approve all of them. It’s a good thing.

ALSO: Yom Kippur begins at sundown on 9/27/20 and ends after sundown on 9/28/20.We wish all of our readers a meaningful and easy fast. End it off with kugel, of course.

*In many Ashkenazic Jewish homes, dairy noodle kugel (often mistakenly translated as “pudding”) is a carb loaded, super rich, sweet casserole, often enjoyed as we break the Yom Kippur fast.

Disclosure: When readers purchase items through some of the links in this post, Kosher Like Me may benefit by receiving a small percentage of that sale. There is no cost for the buyer. Thanks for supporting this blogging habit of mine.

4 Comments

  1. Our family classic kugel is mushroom and onion. It’s always parve — although back in the day my grandma used shmaltz (I use olive oil or vegetable oil). Never thought to make it dairy with cheese, but you have inspired me. Thanks!

    Reply to this comment

    • You are most welcome, Maddie. Looking back at my earlier kugel posts, I saw that gluten- free and/or vegan options never occurred to me. As much as I love a cheesy gluten loaded kugel, I wanted to provide options for as many readers as possible. Glad my mission was accomplished! Wishing you a meaningful fast . Xo

      Reply to this comment

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SIDE DISH
Photo by Jerri Graham Photography

Hi. I’m Liz and I welcome you to Kosher Like Me.

When I’m not caressing fruits and veggies at my local farmers’ market you’ll likely find me chatting with like-minded eaters, probing the scene in NYC or seeking inspiration in my spice cabinet. Life outside of this blog is all about my family, tasty travel adventures and power walks deep in the CT woods or along the shore.

Please brew a fragrant cup of tea, grab a nosh and stay a while.