This deliciously sweet and creamy noodle casserole is a traditional Jewish dish. Kugel is a baked pudding usually made with noodles or potatoes combined with an egg mixture and sometimes cottage cheese, milk, or even meat and vegetables. Some kugels, like this one, have raisins, pineapple, and cinnamon. During Passover, matzo is normally used instead of noodles. It’s not my favorite way to make kugel so I was excited to discover a Passover-approved noodle to use instead of matzo in this dreamy dish. I’ve cut way down on the fat and calories by using reduced-fat cottage, fat-free sour cream, some egg whites, and adding no margarine or nuts used in a regular recipe. Each slice has 216 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 9 Blue WW Freestyle SmartPoints, and 9 Green. It’s great for brunch, lunch, or a side for dinner. You don’t have to celebrate Passover to fall in love with this yummy dish!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 50-60 minutes
Ingredients
1 package (12 ounces) Manischewitz Passover Gold egg noodles, see shopping tips
1 pint reduced-fat cottage cheese
1 pint fat-free sour cream
1¼ cup sugar
2 eggs, I like Eggland’s Best eggs
2 egg whites
1 can (8 ounces) crushed unsweetened pineapple, drained
¾ cup raisins
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon for topping
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13×9 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Cook the noodles as directed on the package. Drain and rinse in cold water.
3. In a large bowl, mix together cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, eggs, and egg whites, pineapple, and raisins. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in noodles. Mix thoroughly. Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle cinnamon evenly over the top.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes until light golden brown on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 16 slices (each serving, 1 slice)
Food Facts
Kugel is a baked pudding. The first kugels were made with bread and flour and had a savory not sweet taste. Years ago in Germany, they replaced the bread mixture with noodles or farfel. Later, eggs were incorporated. Today anything goes. From savory to sweet, noodles, potatoes, matzo, and dairy, there are so many varieties of kugel.
Healthy Benefit
Cottage cheese and sour cream provide lean sources of calcium.
Shopping Tips
Passover-approved noodles are available in most supermarkets during Passover. During the rest of the year or if you don’t celebrate Passover, use “no yolk” noodles. There are several brands available in the pasta section of the market.
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 9–Blue
WW SmartPoints 9-Green
WW POINTS PLUS 6
| SKINNY FACTS: for 1 slice 216 calories, 2g fat, 1g sat. fat, 52mg chol, 9g protein, 41g carbs, 2g fiber, 225mg sodium, 24g sugar |
| FACTS: for Freestyle SmartPoints 205 calories, 1g sat. fat, 7g protein, 24g sugar |
