Classic Noodle Kugel

By Melissa Clark

Updated Dec. 28, 2025

Classic Noodle Kugel
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brett Regot.
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
4(599)
Comments
Read comments

With its wide ribbons of egg noodles bound by cottage cheese, sour cream and eggs, this classic dairy kugel recipe celebrates the sweeter, richer side of noodle puddings. You can make it the day before, store it in the fridge, then reheat it in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes just before serving. But it’s also great at room temperature. Blending the cottage cheese gives this version a smooth, almost cheesecakelike interior. For a more nubby texture with bits of cottage cheese peeking through the noodles, don’t use a blender; just whisk everything together in a big bowl.

Featured in: Celebrate a Sweeter Side of Noodle Kugel

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 12 servings
  • ½teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed
  • 10tablespoons/142 grams unsalted butter, melted
  • 12ounces/340 grams extra-wide egg noodles
  • ⅔cup/106 grams raisins or diced dried apricots, dates, apples or prunes (optional)
  • 6large eggs
  • 2cups/454 grams cottage cheese
  • 2cups/454 grams sour cream
  • ⅓ to ⅔cup/66 grams to 132 grams light brown sugar, depending upon how sweet you like your kugel
  • ⅓cup/79 milliliters whole milk
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon, cardamom or ginger or a combination, or use grated lemon zest
  • ¼teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or black pepper (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

472 calories; 27 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 333 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a rimmed sheet pan in the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

  2. Step 2

    Grease a 2½ quart baking dish or a 9-by-13-inch pan with 2 tablespoons melted butter.

  3. Step 3

    Add noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until just tender. Put the raisins or dried fruit, if using, into a colander.

  4. Step 4

    As the noodles cook, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg or pepper (if using), and ½ teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor. Pulse until well combined. Pulse in about 6 tablespoons of the butter, saving about 2 tablespoons for the top of the kugel.

  5. Step 5

    When noodles are done, drain them in the colander over the raisins. The boiling water helps plump the raisins. Add drained noodles (and any raisins) to a large bowl, add the cottage cheese mixture, and use a spatula to mix well.

  6. Step 6

    Scrape into the prepared pan, evenly spreading out the noodles. Drizzle with remaining melted butter. Place the kugel on the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is browned in spots. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
599 user ratings
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Comments

Susan

In my family’s recipe (which we lovingly refer to as “death by kugel”), we add a 4 oz block of cream cheese to the purée. The topping is a mix of corn flake crumbs and cinnamon and sugar. It’s a little like cheesecake with noodles, and makes the perfect dish for a Yom Kippor break-fast buffet.

Kenneth

The crushed pineapple is in the Hummingbird Cake, where it belongs.

MJ

When making a dairy kugel, we use farmers cheese instead of cottage cheese when it's available, or whole milk ricotta in a pinch. It makes for a creamier kugel. Also, white sugar is actually better in this dish than brown. Add the butter/margarine to the hot noodles, and then the sugar (you can eyeball it). Then the cinnamon, the dairy products (no milk needed), and finally the raisins. Kugel was the very first thing I learned to make after scrambled eggs. I think I was 7.)

EHSMD

Made this dish for a potluck & got rave reviews!Followed recipe as written except I took advice from prior comments and 1) used white sugar instead of brown, and 2) added a few tablespoons of softened cream cheese into the dairy mix. Next time I’ll add more raisins!

Rita

I prefer a sweeter kugel - with pineapple. But also, I was surprised by how starchy and dry this kugel got with each passing day. I consulted AI to find out why. Here’s what I learned: “Kugel becomes denser and tastes "starchier" or firmer over time due to starch retrogradation, a process where starch molecules (from noodles or potatoes) recrystallize and firm up as they cool and sit. The noodles or potatoes continue to absorb moisture from the custard base, causing the texture to become gummy and dense. “ Bottom line: eat it the day you make it.

Elsie

Dear Melissa, After 48 years of marriage to a man who only ate store-bought kugel at funerals (and did not like it), I decided to try making it myself. I followed your recipe to a T, using cinnamon, and he loved it. So did I. This is my first taste of kugel so I'm not sure how 'crispy' the noodles on top should be. Even with an extra TBSP of melted butter on top the upper edges came out hard. Is that the way it should be? If not, what might help to avoid ? Thank you, Elsie

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