Tova's Shabbos Kitchen Make-ahead Shabbos and Yom Tov cooking

Sweet Pareve Noodle Kugel (Lokshen Kugel) That Freezes Well

Pareve · · By Tova's Shabbos Kitchen · Jump to recipe

A sweet, cinnamon-scented pareve noodle kugel with a cornflake topping. Assemble it Thursday, bake it Friday, or freeze it baked for up to 3 months. Pareve.

There are two kinds of people at a Shabbos table: potato kugel people and lokshen kugel people. This one is for the second group. It is sweet, it smells like cinnamon, and the crunchy top disappears first.

Most sweet noodle kugels are dairy, made with cottage cheese, sour cream, and butter. That’s great for Shavuos, but it can’t sit next to the chicken on Friday night. This version uses oil and applesauce, so it is pareve and works with any meat meal.

Why it’s a good make-ahead kugel

Noodle kugel actually improves when it sits. The noodles drink up the custard overnight, so a kugel assembled Thursday and baked Friday is just as good as one made start to finish on Friday, maybe better. It also freezes beautifully once baked.

Three ways to get ahead

OptionWhenWhat you do Friday
Assemble ThursdayThursday night, 15 minutesAdd topping, bake 55 to 70 minutes
Bake earlier in the weekUp to 4 days aheadReheat covered, 20 to 25 minutes
FreezeUp to 3 months aheadThaw Thursday, reheat Friday

Keep the topping crunchy

Add the cornflake topping right before baking, not the night before, or it will soften. If you are freezing the kugel, bake it with the topping on. It will re-crisp in the oven if you uncover it for the last 10 minutes of reheating.

On the menu

Sweet kugel is a natural next to overnight cholent at Shabbos lunch, or next to lemon za’atar chicken on Friday night. If you are deciding which kugel goes with which week, the printable Shabbos menu planner keeps it all on one page.

Recipe card · Pareve

Sweet Pareve Noodle Kugel

A sweet lokshen kugel made with egg noodles, eggs, oil, applesauce, and cinnamon, topped with cinnamon-sugar cornflake crumbs. No dairy.

Prep
15 min
Cook
55 min
Total
1 hr 10 min
Yield
One 9x13 pan, 12 to 15 pieces
Kashrus
Pareve

Ingredients

  • 12 oz wide egg noodles (check that the package is marked pareve)
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil, plus more for the pan
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
  • Topping: 1/2 cup cornflake crumbs, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 Tbsp oil

Instructions

  1. Prep: Heat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13 pan with oil.
  2. Cook the noodles: Boil the noodles in salted water for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package says. Drain well.
  3. Make the custard: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, sugar, applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
  4. Combine: Add the warm noodles and the raisins, if using, and toss until every noodle is coated. Spread in the pan.
  5. Top: Mix the cornflake crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and oil with a fork and sprinkle evenly over the top.
  6. Bake: Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, until the center is set and no longer jiggles and the top is golden. Cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Make-ahead and storage

  • Assemble ahead: cover the unbaked kugel (without the topping) and refrigerate overnight. Add the topping and bake Friday, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
  • Refrigerator: baked kugel keeps up to 4 days, covered.
  • Freezer: cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze up to 3 months.
  • Reheat: thawed, covered, at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes. From frozen, covered, at 350 F for 40 to 50 minutes, uncovered for the last 10.

Notes

  • Some egg noodles are made on dairy equipment. If you need this to be pareve for a meat meal, check the label and the hechsher.
  • Undercooking the noodles slightly keeps them from turning mushy as they soak up the custard.
  • Skip the raisins if your family doesn't like them. Nothing else changes.

Questions people ask

Can you freeze noodle kugel after baking?

Yes. Cool it completely, wrap it well in plastic and foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat covered at 350 F, about 20 to 25 minutes if thawed or 40 to 50 minutes from frozen.

Can I make noodle kugel the night before and bake it the next day?

Yes. Assemble it, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. Add the topping just before baking so it stays crunchy, and add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.

Is noodle kugel dairy?

Many noodle kugels are dairy because they use cottage cheese, sour cream, or butter. This one uses oil and applesauce instead, so it is pareve and can be served with a meat meal.

Save it for Thursday night

Sweet Pareve Noodle Kugel (Make-Ahead, Freezer-Friendly)

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