A broccoli kugel is a crustless quiche-style casserole, bound with eggs and a dry absorbing agent like cornstarch. Passover Friendly.
This broccoli kugel is a dairy, gluten-free, no mayo-dish and a go-to for midweek meals or holidays because it’s so easy to make. Yes, it’s Passover friendly too.
Kugel
Originally, a Kugel was just a ball of dough that was slow-cooked inside a legume stew, called Cholent, created by Jews in Germany.
Nowadays, many types of Kugels are dairy.
Upon the arrival of noodles to Europe, Kugel contents started to evolve and ended up made of noodles as this Jerusalem Kugel, (also known as Kugel Yerushalmi.
Kugels are popular among Jews in USA, Canada, Britain, Australia, South Africa and of course Israel. The ingredient combinations and flavoring are endless.
Storage
Refrigeration:
You can store it up to a few days in the fridge and you wouldn’t know the difference.
Freezing:
Freeze in an airtight sealed container for up to 2 to 3 weeks.
Ingredients of This Dairy Broccoli Kugel – Dairy
Broccoli – Frozen broccoli or fresh broccoli florets.
Parmesan is a semi-hard cheese and can be swapped for any similar cheese you know; these cheeses stay soft while helping the kugel hold a smooth texture.
Onions – White or red onions contribute to the kugel’s sweet aroma as well as luscious smooth and moist texture.
Scallions – Use the amount called for in the recipe below.
Raw Eggs
Dry binding agent options –
Corn starch – for a gluten free diet. See Notes section down below to use potato starch instead. For every portion of corn starch use 1/2 or 1/3 amount of potato starch.
subbing corn starch with wheat flour –
Wheat flour:
Use around a 1:1/2 ratio. Meaning, for every 1 portion of corn starch (measure in volume and not weight) use around 1/2 portion of wheat flour.
Instructions for Easy Broccoli Kugel
- Defrost broccoli florets (in a bowl of hot water, for example), then strain them.
- Next, cut into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces.
- Combine them with the rest of the ingredients and pour into a parch-lined oven pan or greased casserole dish and bake it.
Bumping Up this already delicious kugel
For extra nutrition, a subtle crunch, and an exotic, hard-to-place flavor, add black nigella seeds. See the Notes section below for tips on using nigella seeds in the kugel.
Side Note on Nigella Seeds (Kalonji)
I love adding these tiny black jewel – Nigella seeds – to whatever recipes I can. And as much as they are small in size, they are packed with nutrients.
How to Serve this Dairy Broccoli Kugel
Broccoli kugel is a versatile dairy dish served hot or cold. It works well as an appetizer, starter, or light main—served in squares on a platter or straight from the casserole—and pairs nicely with fresh salads such as a tomato cucumber salad, or a green herb-cranberry salad, or quinoa salads: carrot-quiona, and tomato quinoa
Health Benefits of Broccoli
According to WebMD, broccoli is rich in vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Phosphorus, Zinc, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin A, B6, B12, D, E, K, and folate.
Broccoli also contains plant compounds that may help prevent or fight disease.
Enjoy!
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or reviews sections below.
Related Recipes
- Dairy-Free Broccoli Patties/Fritters
- Leek Patties/lLatkes (swap panko bread crumbs, or potato starch for the matzo meal).
- Dairy-Free Cauliflower Casserole/Kugel
- Crustless Dairy Mushroom Crustless Quiche/Kugel – gluten-free
- Vegetarian Spinach Crustless Quiche/Kugel
- Dairy-free broccoli fritters (patties / latkes)
Broccoli Kugel Recipe - No Mayo
Broccoli Kugel - Dairy, no mayo, Gluten Free, low-calorie, with a Kosher for Pesach option in the Notes section below.
Ingredients
- 1 (24 oz.) package defrosted and strained broccoli florets (700 g)
- 1 cup Parmesan (semi-hard cheese) coarsely grated
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 2 scallion stalks, chopped (optional)
- 4 raw eggs
- 1/3 cup corn starch
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder, or 1/3 oz. (8 g)
- 1½ teaspoons Kosher salt, or 1/5 oz. (6 g)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 390 F° (200° C).
- Cut broccoli florets + stems into 1" to 2" pieces.
- Toss into bowl and mix with rest of ingredients.
- Bake in parch paper lined 10" x 11" oven pan for 45 minutes.
Notes
Nigella seeds - Optional: 2 Tablespoons
Onion - red or white
If you plan on having fresh/raw broccoli as your hero ingredient and not the frozen florets, here are several options to prepare them before mixing them in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
Instructions to pre-cooking FRESH broccoli florets attached to stems:
Rinse fresh broccoli under running tap water, then slice into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces, including stems on a cutting board.
- Pre-Steaming: Place the cut broccoli florets in a steamer (a pot with holes in its bottom with another pot half full of water fitting perfectly underneath. Steam above a high heat for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from steamer, cool a bit and squeeze out some water.
- Pre-Cooking: Place fresh room-temp broccoli in a pot. Fill with tap water that reaches 1 inch above the broccoli. Add 1 teaspoon of neutral oil and cook in shallow tap water. Bring to boil, then simmer 3 to 4 minutes.
I've adjusted the recipe. It comes out more loosly packed. The feature image if of a broccoli kugel with more of a bouncy and tightly packed texture. For that texture, you can follow what I did:
- Use 5 instead of 4 eggs.
- Add 2 teaspoons for baking powder and not 1½ teaspoons.
- Add 3/4 cup potato starch (instead of corn starch which makes it KfPesach for those who don't eat legumes during this holiday). You can use 3-4 eggs and less potato starch and it will end up less bouncy.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 109Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 75mgSodium 450mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 6g
Nutrition values are estimated.