Kugel is one of those words that doesn’t really have a good English translation. It's not quite a casserole, or a pudding, but those are probably the closest descriptions.

Traditionally kugels were fried, and since most frying pans are circular, the kugels came out round, which is where the name comes from. Kugel means “round”/“circular.”

Nowadays, kugels are typically baked in square or rectangular pans.


Some of the more traditional kugels include sweet noodle & raisin kugel, Yerushalmi kugel (very thin noodles in a burnt caramel syrup), salt and pepper noodle kugel and, of course, potato kugel.

But almost anything can become a kugel, and some of the less traditional but increasingly common varieties are broccoli kugel, onion kugel, rice kugel, cauliflower kugel and butternut squash kugel.

Probably the most “different” kugel I’ve ever eaten was a heart of palm & tomato kugel.

Today I’m sharing my brown rice kugel recipe with you. It’s similar to rice pudding, but a little more solid so you can cut it into pieces.


You’ll need short-grain brown rice, and water to cook it in. Also orange juice (ideally, with pulp), eggs, sugar, oil, raisins, cinnamon and vanilla.

Place brown rice and water in a strong pot. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, turn the flame down as low as it goes and let it cook about 40–50 minutes until all the water is absorbed in the rice. Do not open the pot or mix while the rice is cooking.


Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover with water. Let them soak about 15–20 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and orange juice. When the rice and raisins are ready, add them in and mix well.


Pour the batter into a greased 9″ × 13″ baking pan.

Bake at 350° F for 1½ to 2 hours, until firm and browned on top. (As you can see below, the edges are much darker after it’s baked.)


Cut into pieces and serve warm.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup short grain brown rice
  • 2½ cups water
  • ⅓ cup raisins, soaked
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup orange juice, with pulp
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup oil
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon

Directions

  1. Place brown rice and water in a strong pot. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, turn the flame down as low as it goes and let it cook about 40–50 minutes until all the water is absorbed in the rice. Do not open the pot or mix while the rice is cooking.
  2. Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover with water. Let them soak about 15–20 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and orange juice. When the rice and raisins are ready, add them in and mix well.
  4. Pour the batter into a greased 9″ × 13″ baking pan.
  5. Bake at 350° F for 1½ to 2 hours, until firm.
  6. Serve warm.

For some people, kugel is one of those foods that brings back old memories and strong nostalgia. What does kugel mean to you? Leave a comment and share your thoughts—I’d love to hear.