There’s nothing more comforting than macaroni and cheese. Hearty noodles, covered in creamy, cheesy sauce and topped with herbed breadcrumbs is one of my go-to comfort meals. Growing up, macaroni and cheese meant a bright blue box of Kraft Dinner (which is what Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is called in Canada), and kugel was made with sweet raisins, sour cream, and crispy cornflakes. This Tahini Mac and Cheese Noodle Kugel marries my childhood comfort classic and the quintessential Jewish noodle kugel with a nutty twist and an abundance of rich smoked Gouda.
Ingredients
Servings 8
Kugel
- 1 pound wide egg noodles
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 1½ cups 12 oz shredded mild Cheddar cheese
- 2 cups 16 oz shredded smoked gouda
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Topping
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Nutritional Facts
Nutrition Facts
Tahini Mac and Cheese Noodle Kugel
Amount per Serving
Calories
774
% Daily Value*
Fat
45
g
69
%
Saturated Fat
22
g
138
%
Trans Fat
0.3
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
6
g
Monounsaturated Fat
13
g
Cholesterol
263
mg
88
%
Sodium
959
mg
42
%
Potassium
414
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
52
g
17
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
41
g
82
%
Vitamin A
1112
IU
22
%
Vitamin C
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
695
mg
70
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Make the kugel: Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions until al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. drain and set aside. let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, tahini, Cheddar cheese, smoked gouda, and nutmeg. add the cooled noodles to the cheese mixture and mix until combined. Transfer to the greased baking dish.
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, tahini, melted butter, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt and mix well.
- Top the noodle mixture with the bread crumb mixture and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing.
Notes
Store leftover kugel in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Wrap cooked kugel in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. I like to drizzle more tahini on top of my kugel when I eat it as leftovers for added moisture.
Variations: Use breadcrumbs or cornflakes in place of the panko breadcrumbs. Smoked Gouda lends a lovely, rich flavor, but you can use mozzarella or Gruyère, plus 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, for similar results.
Step 3 has you combining the tahini with other ingredients, and step 4 has you using it with the topping. Which is it - or how do you divide up it up?
Look at the ingredients for the kugel; it says 1/3 cup of tahini. Look at the ingredients for the topping; it says 2 tablespoons of tahini. Each part gets its own amount of tahini. I hope this helps.
Yes thanks!
Any ideas to simulate techina for Pesach?
Could Quinoa be used instead of Pesach pasta?
That would be a lot of changes to make this work, I am really not sure how it would come out and there is no real sub for tahini, if you want to make a quinoa kugel you could try but I'd leave out the tahini idea.