Pronounced kuh-gull or koo-gull, this Jewish dish has been around for hundreds of years, and its a popular option for everything from holiday gatherings to regular family brunches. Whether you have Bubbes favorite recipe or are looking to try something new, kugel is an excellent dish for any occasion—like Rosh Hashanah—and one youll come back to again and again. But what exactly is kugel, and what makes it so delicious?
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Hailing from Germany, kugel is—at its core—a baked casserole with starch (usually noodles or potatoes), eggs and fat. While thats the base, kugels have many variations, from savory to sweet. The word kugel comes from German for sphere, which referred to the dumplings that made up the earliest version of the dish.
Today, both noodle and potato kugel are common additions to special meals. Noodle kugel tends to be more popular because of its versatility, and its more likely to be a sweet dish with added fruits and spices. Potato kugel is typically savory and can be made with onions, herbs and meat.
When do you serve kugel?
Kugel can be served at Jewish holidays, special events or even a weekend brunch. It commonly makes an appearance on the dinner table during Shavuot (along with bourekas), when its traditional to consume dairy foods, and Shabbat because its said that kugel resembles the manna that fell from heaven. Its the perfect side dish for a Hanukkah latke party, adding some richness to the meal.
During Passover, a potato kugel is more appropriate because flour-based noodles arent served. It usually accompanies the meat entree, like Jewish brisket or roasted chicken.
What’s in a kugel?
The big three are your starch (potatoes or noodles), eggs and fat. Otherwise, its totally up to you.
For noodle kugel, egg noodles are the most common type because theyre lighter and less dense than Italian pastas. For a casserole-sized dish, try extra-wide noodles, but if youre making kugel in a muffin tin, try wide or medium-width noodles.
When eggs, milk and cheese are added to a noodle kugel, a delicious custard is the result. Many recipes add fruits, like raisins, dried cherries or apples, and spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon. Apricot kugel uses apricot preserves and cinnamon for a sweet variation, while lemon kugel offers a citrusy take. Noodle kugels can be topped with cornflakes, graham cracker crumbs or even a streusel topping.
Potato kugels are often savory, stick-to-your-ribs side dishes and typically have onion, eggs and fat, like rendered chicken fat. Any baking potato, like Russet or Idaho, works well. Some kugel variations may include veggies, like carrots or zucchini, caramelized onions, meat or garlic. Popular herbs to include are parsley and thyme, and savory kugels can be topped with French fried onions. [dam-video dam-id=”40672″]
A Brief History of Kugel
FAQ
What makes something a kugel?
What’s the difference between a kugel and a casserole?
What does kugel taste like?
How do you eat kugel?
What is a Jewish kugel?
This sweet kugel is made with egg noodles baked in a creamy mixture of eggs, cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese. This delicious fluffy casserole is topped with Graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter for a rich and delicious Jewish holiday dish.
What is Kugel casserole?
What is it? Kugel is quite simply a baked casserole of either noodles or potato, mixed with eggs and curd cheese like cottage cheese or farmers cheese, and made either sweet with sugar and spices, or savory with salt and onion and herbs.
What is noodles Kugel?
Noodle kugel, also simply called kugel, is a baked casserole of egg noodles and a custardy sauce, usually made with a combo of cottage cheese, sour cream, and eggs. It is sweet rather than savory, with sugar added to the creamy base and dried fruit (like apricots, figs, and raisins) sometimes studded throughout.
What are the different types of Kugel?
The two main varieties of kugel are the noodle kugel, sometimes referred to as lokshen kugel (לאָקשן קוגל), and the potato kugel. The noodle kugel is the original and most widely eaten variety, and can be either savoury or sweet, while the potato kugel is always savoury.