Noodles Kugel

Noodle kugel is one of those Jewish comfort foods that shows up at every holiday table for good reason. Broad egg noodles get tossed in a sweet custard of beaten eggs, sugar, and lemon juice, then layered with raisins and chopped walnuts before baking under a bread crumb crust.

The lemon juice is the ingredient that keeps this from tasting like straight-up dessert. It cuts through the sweetness and gives the custard a brightness that balances the rich egg base. Don’t skip it, even if it seems like a small amount.

Cook the noodles just until tender, not soft. They continue cooking in the oven for 45 minutes, so overcooked noodles will turn to mush. You want them to still have some bite when they go into the baking dish. Rinsing under hot water stops the cooking and washes off excess starch so they don’t clump together.

Kitchen Tips

• Use broad egg noodles, not thin ones. They hold up to the long bake and give the kugel its signature chewy texture.
• Layer the raisins and walnuts in the middle so they don’t all sink to the bottom or burn on top.
• Coat the baking dish generously with melted shortening. This creates a crispy, golden edge that’s the best part of any good kugel.
• Let it rest for 10 minutes after baking before cutting. The custard needs time to set or it’ll ooze when sliced.

Variations

• Dairy kugel: Replace shortening with butter and add cottage cheese or sour cream to the egg mixture for a richer, creamier version.
• Cinnamon sugar top: Skip the bread crumbs and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top before baking for a caramelized crust.
• Apple kugel: Layer thinly sliced apples with the raisins for a fruit-forward autumn version.