This delicious, sweet, gluten-free kugel is made with thick, gluten-free rice fettuccine noodles. My Grandma’s classic recipe is perfect for Shabbat or any Jewish holiday. Think of a kugel as noodles in a rich, sweet custard.

A slice of sweet gluten free noodle kugel on a plate.

This kugel features a delicious, crisp, gluten-free cinnamon Chex topping. One bite of this homemade noodle kugel and you and your family will be hooked!

If you love this kugel recipe, you may want to try more of my Grandma’s homemade recipes, like her homemade chicken soup. While you are visiting my blog, check out these tasty gluten-free Hanukkah recipes!

Recipe At A Glance:

  • Skill Level – Beginner
  • # of Ingredients – 11
  • Total Time – 45 minutes

Allergen Information:

This recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free. I have not tested a dairy-free version. If you try this, please drop a comment and let us know how it turned out!

Why we love this gluten-free kugel recipe:

  1. This recipe is a must-try because it is so easy to make and just crazy good. The whole family will love it, even your picky eaters!
  2. I experimented with a lot of different gluten free noodles to re-create my Grandma’s recipe. The biggest struggle I had in trying to convert my Grandma’s recipe to gluten-free was finding a gluten free noodle that would hold up to a lot of moisture.
  3. I highly recommend adding diced or shredded apples to your kugel for Rosh Hashana. You can also use a gluten-free honey cornflake topping (by Nature’s Path for your apples and honey.)
A box of jovial gluten free pasta.

What is the best gluten-free pasta for kugel?

There is a gluten-free, kosher egg noodle, but it literally turned to mush! I tried many brands of gluten free penne, rotini, and spaghetti. My best success, the one I used for this recipe, is a gluten-free tagliatelle noodle by Jovial.

The Jovial brand of gluten-free pasta seems to hold up the best in recipes, as shown in my gluten-free macaroni salad recipe. You can make sweet or savory kugels, depending on what you enjoy. Kugel can be made with noodles, potato, rice, or even matzo (for Passover).

Ingredient Notes:

Photos of the kugel ingredients.
  • Jovial Gluten-Free Pasta – as I mentioned above, will hold up the best to a cream sauce. Tinkyada also holds up well, though they don’t have the shape of the pasta I used.
  • Eggs – Use size large.
  • Heavy Cream – Don’t use half and half.
  • Sour Cream – I use full-fat sour cream. I think it adds to the creaminess. *Note: I have also had great luck with full-fat Greek yogurt if you prefer yogurt.
  • Cream Cheese – Again, you want to use full-fat cream cheese. Trust me; it tastes much better in this recipe. See which cream cheese brands are gluten-free.
  • Salt – kosher salt is better than Himalayan salt in this recipe.
  • Vanilla – you can use pure vanilla extract or fresh vanilla beans.
  • Mandarin or Orange – juice + the zest because this adds that special something!
  • Cinnamon Chex Cereal

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Step 1: Cook the gluten-free noodles according to the package directions. Preheat your oven to 350º F.

Step 2: Add your wet ingredients to a bowl and use an electric mixer to whip them together.

Step 3: Add your cooked noodles to the cream cheese mixture. The noodles do not need to be cooled before adding them to the cream mixture. Mix to coat all of the noodles. Put the noodle mixture into an 8×8 greased casserole dish.

Step 4: If you use the cereal for a topping, put it into a sealed bag and crush it into crumbs.

Step 5: Sprinkle the crumbs over the noodle mixture.

The top view of a baked noodle kugel in a white dish.

Step 6: Bake at 325º F for 30 minutes.

Topping Ideas:

You can top a sweet kugel many different ways or leave it without a topping. My favorite topping is using Cinnamon Chex cereal, but here are a few more ideas:

  • Make a streusel topping like the one I used in this gluten free coffee cake recipe.
  • Gluten Free Honey Cornflakes by Nature’s Path is also gluten-free and delicious!
  • You can also have some fun toppings using Enviro Kids gluten free cereals.
  • Toasted coconut.

Recipe FAQ:

Is kugel a sweet dessert or a side dish?

As perfect as a noodle kugel would be for dessert, it is considered a side dish served with the main meal.

Do you serve kugel hot or cold?

You can eat it hot or cold. My personal preference is warm so that the creamy sauce is not cold and hard.

Can you add fruit to a noodle kugel?

Yes, you can add fruit. Apples and raisins are the most commonly added fruits.

How long will a gluten free kugel keep?

This kugel will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.

More Delicious Side Dish Recipes to Try:

A slice of sweet gluten free noodle kugel on a plate.

Gluten Free Noodle Kugel

Sandi Gaertner
A sweet creamy gluten free noodle kugel for Rosh Hashana or any special occassion.
5 from 11 votes
gluten free allergy icon
nut free allergen icon
soy free allergy icon
vegetarian icon
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Gluten Free Side Dish Recipes
Cuisine Jewish
Servings 10 people
Calories 360 kcal

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups gluten free pasta I used Jovial brand
  • 4 large eggs
  • 8 ounces sour cream full fat
  • 8 ounces cream cheese full fat
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup cane sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • ¼ cup orange juice I used a large mandarin orange
  • 2 cups Cinnamon Chex Cereal

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions (see note)
  • Preheat the oven to 325º F.
  • In a standing mixer or large bowl, add the eggs, sour cream, cream cheese, orange juice and zest, vanilla, salt, sugar, and heavy cream. Mix until creamy.
  • Add the noodles to the cheese mixture and mix to coat all of the noodles.
  • Pour the noodles into a greased 8×8 baking dish.
  • Put the Cinnamon Chex cereal into a large Ziplock bag and crush into crumbs.
  • Sprinkle the cereal mix over the kugel and put the dish into the oven.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.

Notes

  1. Every gluten free pasta brand has different cooking directions so please use the cook times listed on the box.
  2. Use full-fat sour cream and cream cheese. It will make the custard creamier.
  3. If you do not have Cinnamon Chex Cereal, you can use any sweet topping. You can make a streusel topping, use toasted coconut, or use another fun sweet crushed cereal.
  4. This kugel will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 10gCalories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 8gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 324mgPotassium: 158mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 873IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 5mg
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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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Recipe Rating




7 Comments

  1. How do I keep a kosher home and cannot possibly imagine eating diary in the kugel with brisket, what to do. HELP

  2. 5 stars
    I alway’s love a good ‘Grandma’s Recipe’! I’ve never heard of this dish but I also enjoy trying new family recipes that even my picky eaters will enjoy!

      1. I am anxious to try the gluten free kugel but don’t know how much pasta to use. It says 4 cups. Is that one pkg of 9 oz Jovial or more? Looking forward to your response.

  3. 5 stars
    This IS like Grandma used to make! It was super creamy and, I did as you suggested, and used full fat ingredients. The citrus juice and cinnamon were a delicious surprise when I took a bite. I would definitely make this again.