I didn’t grow up eating kugel. Ok, maybe let me rephrase that: My grandmother made noodle kugel, but it was almost always dried out and as a kid I was usually too scared to actually eat it. Thankfully I married into a family with an arsenal of great kugel recipes including my husband’s grandmother’s Salt and Pepper Noodle Kugel and his mother’s Cakey Crunch Sweet Potato Kugel. And now I really love kugel, and have been trying my hand at making kugel more and more.
For the last few weeks, green has been everywhere, especially in the abundance of springtime vegetables at farmer’s markets and the grocery store. As I watched the spring veggies arrive, I was trying to imagine how to incorporate the flavors of spring into kugel.
Zucchini kugel is delicious by itself, but add some fresh, bright herbs like basil and mint, and you have an updated dish that’s perfect for spring. If basil and mint doesn’t quite appeal to your taste buds, you could also use fresh parsley for a more subtle flavor.
This easy zucchini kugel recipe comes together in 10 minutes then bakes in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the edges are golden and crispy. You can serve it warm (though I recommend leaving it to cool for at least 20 minutes after removing from the oven) or at room temperature, so it’s a great recipe to have up your sleeve for when you’re entertaining and have a rotating roster of dishes going in and out the oven.
It’s also a gluten-free kugel recipe; you can make it with matzah meal, almond flour or your gluten-free flour of choice. It’s, obviously, perfect for Passover, but, honestly, it’s so good and easy you’ll find yourself making it year-round.
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As you’re already onboard the veggie kugel train, check out these fabulous savory vegetable kugel recipes on The Nosher:
Easy Spring Zucchini Kugel
This simple zucchini kugel bursts with the flavor of spring. It’s great for Passover or anytime you want a light, fresh side dish.
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 12
Ingredients
- 2 lbs/900 g zucchini (2 large, 4-5 medium or 6–7 small)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsps fresh lemon zest
- 2–3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
- ½ cup matzah meal (or almond flour or gluten-free flour)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1–2 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Using a spiralizer or vegetable peeler, make long noodles out of zucchini.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a 9×13 baking dish and place in the oven to heat up while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs with lemon zest, mint, basil, salt, pepper and matzah meal. Add zucchini and stir gently until completely mixed.
- After oil has heated in the pan for around 5-10 minutes, add the zucchini mixture to pan. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon smooth out the top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the edges are crispy and the kugel is set in the middle.
- Once kugel has cooked through, remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Serve at room temperature or warm.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes + 20 minutes rest
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Ashkenazi
22 comments
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kugel
Prounounced: KOO-gull (oo as in book), Origin: Yiddish, traditional Ashkenazi casserole frequently made with egg noodles or potatoes.
can this be frozen?
Can you freeze it?
Yes.
Looks tempting.
Question regarding freezing this zucchini kugel. Do you freeze before or after cooking? Can you provide the reheating instructions?
Hi Beth, we haven’t tried freezing this kugel, please let us know how it turns out if you do.
Are you supposed to cook the zucchini before adding it to the rest of the ingredients in step 4? I’m assuming step 3 is not heating the pan and oil with nothing else.
You do not need to pre-cook the zucchini; you do need to preheat the pan with oil in order to achieve a crisp crust. Enjoy!
Should it be 2tsp pepper or 1/2 tsp? That seems like a lot of pepper for this amount of kugel.
2 teaspoons, though you can reduce the amount if you are not a fan of black pepper.
Good but way too much pepper. Next time I’ll use half the black pepper.
Way too much black pepper! I’d reduce by half or more next time.
love this – will go into year round rotation!
Fabulous recipe, I have been making it for years. So light and fresh, reheats well too!
We like this recipe and have made it 2 years running adapting it to our specific minhagim for Pesach meaning no herbs, no lemon zest, no pepper and with almond meal. I also added sliced almonds on top.
This recipe is delicious. Th mint and basil flavoring made you go back for more. I made it early in the day and reheated it. I’ll make it again.
For non-Passover recipe – how much regular flour should be added ( instead of gluten free or almond flour) ?
The same amount, a half cup.
What size pan
The recipe calls for a 9×13 baking dish.
One of my favorite family recipes handed down generations from Greece/Turkey. I use a food processor to grate the zucchini, lightly salting & let sit for 1/2 hr or so before squeezing out most of liquid. We always seasoned it with an entire bunch of chopped parsley.
You can definitely freeze this, but know it will be more watery although you can try to drain it off a bit with paper towels. If not making parve, the addition of feta, grated cheese makes it a stand alone or wonderful side dish. Serve at any temp!
(Frittata de calabaza)
I have made this several times. Like it a lot! When my spiralizer died I just grated the zucchini. I have frozen it. It’s still good but quite watery. It was too liquidy for me to put on to the Shabbat hot plate Shabbat day.