Last week, when I asked for suggestions for winter holiday dessert recipes, one request stood out — Lydia asked for: “Noodle kugel. I need some yummy Hanukkah desserts. =)” That inspired me to develop a gluten-free, vegan noodle kugel suitable for Hanukkah.
I loved this suggestion because kugel is a distinctive holiday dish and I hadn’t had a version of it since adopting a gluten-free diet. For readers unfamiliar with kugel: it’s traditionally prepared with egg noodles (or farfel) and eggs, and can be either savory — sometimes with potatoes — or sweet, commonly made with sweetened cheese and apples. The classic combination is simple but unexpectedly delicious. That posed an exciting challenge: how to recreate a dish that depends on gluten, eggs, and dairy as its foundation while keeping it entirely gluten-free and vegan?
I don’t back away from a baking puzzle, so I experimented until I found a solution that worked. The end result was a kugel our household adored. I served it to people who grew up eating kugel and to friends who had never tried it — everyone loved it and wished there had been more. Below I explain the choices I made so you can adapt them if you like.
First, the noodles. Traditional egg noodles are yellow and have eggs and gluten. For the closest look and texture I used a gluten-free corn fettuccine; its color resembles egg noodles and it holds up well in baking. You can substitute any wide-ribbon gluten-free pasta such as rice, quinoa, or amaranth fettuccine, but a yellow corn pasta gives the most familiar kugel appearance.
Next, the dairy components. While commercial non-dairy cream cheeses are an option, many contain ingredients I prefer to avoid. Instead I made a simple cashew cream cheese — just soaked cashews blended with a bit of non-dairy milk (or water), maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. It’s easier to make than it sounds and creates a rich, creamy base that replaces both cream cheese and the structure eggs normally provide in a sweet kugel. Because this cashew-based cream cheese is so creamy, the kugel holds together nicely without eggs.
Dessert kugel often includes small curd cottage cheese for little pockets of chewiness; to replicate that texture while staying vegan, I added chopped raw cashews. Cashews are relatively soft and add a pleasant chew and nuttiness without overpowering the dish. The rest of this kugel’s flavor comes from a classic, beloved combination: apples, cinnamon, and raisins. It’s straightforward, seasonal, and delicious.
Gluten-Free Vegan Noodle Kugel Dessert
A gluten-free, vegan take on the traditional holiday noodle kugel: corn-style wide noodles tossed with a cashew-based “cream cheese,” apples, raisins, and warming cinnamon. No dairy and no refined sugar.
- Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 9″ x 13″ kugel
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw cashews, pre-soaked and strained (cover with boiling water for 15 minutes, then strain)
- 3 tbsp non-dairy milk or water
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- dash of salt
Remaining Ingredients:
- 8.8 oz gluten-free wide-ribbon noodles (fettuccine-style; corn-based pasta recommended for color)
- 7 tbsp non-dairy butter
- 6 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Fold-in Ingredients:
- 1 apple, cored and finely chopped
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup raw cashews, chopped (no need to pre-soak)
Topping:
- Additional cinnamon for sprinkling; optional sliced almonds or extra chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or oil a 9″ x 13″ baking dish (or a similar oven-safe dish).
- Place all cream cheese ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the noodles until al dente according to package instructions.
- Drain the noodles and return them to the pot. Add non-dairy butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon; stir until the butter melts and the noodles are evenly coated. Add the cashew cream cheese mixture and toss to combine. Fold in the chopped apples, raisins, and chopped cashews.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle extra cinnamon and nuts on top if desired.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and the kugel is set. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing into squares and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Customize the fold-ins to your taste: increase or decrease apples or raisins, swap raisins for dried cherries, or add walnuts or pecans. The recipe is flexible and welcomes variations.
