This creamy Vanilla Noodle Kugel is sweet and aromatic, a slightly different take on a traditional lokshen kugel. Made with vanilla pudding, cream cheese and a crunchy wafer cookie topping, it’s a dessert-style kugel that is just perfect for brunches, potlucks and holiday gatherings.
There is nothing better than pulling a cold slice of noodle kugel out of the refrigerator as a midnight snack. Or for breakfast. Or whenever, really! If you’ve enjoyed a good traditional lokshen kugel before, you understand. This Vanilla Noodle Kugel is a simple yet luscious twist on the basic noodle kugel concept.
A kugel is a quintessentially Jewish dish that is best described as a baked pudding. The dish originated over 800 years ago in Germany. It quickly became popular with Jewish families throughout Eastern Europe.
Usually kugel is served as a side dish. For families who keep kosher, either dairy or parve (neutral) kugels are prepared to suit kosher dairy or meat meals. This Vanilla Noodle Kugel, is a dairy kugel. Dairy kugels are enjoyed on dairy meal holidays like Shavuot, Hannukah, and for the break-fast meal after Yom Kippur.
Today, you can order a slice of noodle kugel in almost any American Jewish deli… but why buy, when it’s so simple to make yourself? Kugel is actually one of the easiest Jewish dishes to cook.
Once you know the basic components (starch, eggs, and dairy or non-dairy fat), there are endless possibilities. You can even get creative by adding fruit, flavorings, and different toppings to create your own “signature” kugel.
I’ve come up with many variations on kugel over the years. The one I’m sharing today will be a favorite with people who like vanilla. The addition of pudding makes it extra creamy, and the crunchy vanilla cookie topping adds texture. It’s a sweet, fun, unique dish for a potluck or family gathering.
I try to use organic ingredients whenever possible to cut down on our exposure to unhealthy additives and preservatives. To make this kugel, I bought organic kosher-certified vanilla wafers at Whole Foods (365 brand) and kosher organic vanilla pudding, too (Dr. Oetker brand).
If you prefer to use more standard store brands, Nilla Wafers and Jello vanilla pudding mix are both kosher certified… they’ll work great. Feel free to cut down on calories by using lowfat ingredients, but I wouldn’t use the nonfat stuff. Fat = flavor. Enjoy!
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Food Photography and Styling by Kelly Jaggers
Vanilla Noodle Kugel
Ingredients
Kugel Ingredients
- 1 cup prepared vanilla pudding (homemade or from a mix)
- 1 pound egg noodles
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk (any percentage is fine, except nonfat)
- 3/4 cup lowfat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping Ingredients
- 8 ounces vanilla wafer cookies (makes about 2 cups of crumbs)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Take cream cheese out of the refrigerator to let it soften. Prepare pudding according to package directions and chill until soft set (thickened, but it doesn't need to be completely firm).Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Boil the egg noodles according to package directions until they reach an al dente texture (cooked, but not too soft or limp). Drain and rinse with cold water until noodles are cool. Drain again.
- Use an electric mixer to cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Add the eggs and mix again until blended.
- Add pudding, milk, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Mix on medium high until all ingredients are well blended.
- Pour noodles into the liquid mixture. Stir to combine noodles and liquid, making sure all noodles are covered in liquid and no noodle clumps have formed.
- Pour noodle mixture into a greased casserole or baking dish.
- Crush vanilla wafer cookies to a crumbly texture using a food processor, or by placing the cookies into a sealed plastic bag and pounding them with a mallet. You want them crushed fine, but not to a powder-- a little texture is good. Place crumbs into a small mixing bowl.Add sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter to the crumbs. Mix with a fork for a couple of minutes until all of the crumbs are evenly moistened by the butter.
- Evenly sprinkle the crumbly topping across the top of the kugel.
- Bake kugel uncovered on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, turning the dish once during baking to make sure it bakes evenly. Kugel is done when the topping lightly browns all the way across. Remove from the oven.
- You can serve this kugel warm or cold. Store it in the refrigerator to avoid spoilage. The topping won't be as crunchy the second day, but it will still taste delicious. Enjoy!
NOTES
Nutrition
Do you think it would be ok to use instant vanilla pudding? Thought it might cut down on the time.
Hi Vickie– absolutely. I used the cooked kind because I couldn’t find instant organic pudding, but the instant will work just as well. Just make sure it’s soft set (I think it only takes about 5 minutes for the instant type to set that way). Enjoy!
Oh, what a wonderful version of kugel! I’m sending this post to my girlfriend in Toronto – I used to eat kugel with her family regularly in Montreal while going through law school …. her kind and generous parents fed me well 🙂 Love the vanilla and delicate egg noodles here… beautiful Tori!
I have a jewish friend who made this for me, except she put pineapple in hers. It was fabulous! I bookmarked it and will make it for her, the next time we get together.
Hey Veronica! If you want to try a kugel with pineapples, check out my recipe for Creamy Noodle Kugel… it’s also really yummy! http://theshiksa.com/?p=1344
Is that instant pudding? What is the weight of the package? I live in Israel and the packaging is a bit different.
Thank you
Hi Fanny, you can use regular or instant pudding, whichever you prefer… just make sure it sets and thickens in texture before you work with it. You need one cup of prepared pudding (about the amount that would fit in a standard coffee mug), which can generally be made using the smallest pudding box available. I’m not sure what the weight would be, but you might check the package to see how many servings it makes… usually a serving is about 1/2 a cup… so 2 servings should be enough. Don’t worry about it too much, kugel is very forgiving. 🙂
Hey Tori, you have made me a very happy lady today. You see today is my birthday, and I was feeling the need for some of Mama’s comfort food. Getting older is a bit daunting this year now that I am eligible for AARP. LOL Your kugel sounds perfect. I will definitely make it over the next week. Thanks for the “hug”.
Happy birthday Mammaleh! Mazel tov! Your comment made my week, haha. Enjoy the kugel! xoxo
I have heard of a kugel before but never tried making one. This looks delicious so I must remedy that soon. It looks like such a great comfort food.
I never had kugel before, but boy, do I want a slice of that! Looks delicious!! =]
Ohh woww, this looks amazing and very very delicious.. something that I would enjoy so much!!!! Thanks for sharing!!
I can’t remember the last time I had this for a treat. I am so making this one!
I must have this!! — I love Kugels and I love Vanilla — How can I go wrong?
I’ve never had Kugel, and it looks absolutely delicious! I’m gonna have to make this soon. 🙂
That looks so tasty! I’ve heard of Kugel, but didn’t know what it was… Can I have a slice?
Looks delish! Please find some recipes for savory kugels!
Hey “T”.. you’ve done it again… :)…
Sounds delicious, but think I’ll wait until it gets a bit cooler out to make it – I’m going to add this to my break fast this year!
Hi Stacy! I live in Florida, so i understand about baking in hot weather. The cookies i crushed the night before, and the pudding was made the night before. so all i had to do was make the noodles, put it together and bake it at 5pm the next day. =)
I did this with a chicken and rice casserole for dinner, with the Kugel for dessert.
wow..I would serve this for a dessert. Please post another Kugel..I love them all.
How fascinating! I’ve never had a kugel before but now I want some!
HOLY MOLEY LADY!!! Can’t wait to try this! We’ve made it with frosted flakes on top 🙂
Where does the pudding come in to the recipe, I don’t see where you added it to the noodles.
Good eye, Bunlady! Add it with the milk, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Thanks for catching that, I updated the recipe! 🙂
That looks absolutely fabulous. Can’t wait to try it! Thanks!
You’re welcome Lisa, enjoy!