Honey Sweetened Carrot Kugel (Parve)

Carrot kugel

The Spruce / Miri Rotkovitz

Prep: 2 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 47 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings

Sweetened with honey and brightened with lemon zest, this carrot kugel is reminiscent of carrot cake, but can still hold its own as a side dish for savory fare. Whipped egg whites lighten the texture, and makes this less pudding-like than many vegetable kugels. Bake the kugel in loaf pans for easy freezing, muffin tins for individual servings, or a Bundt pan for a pretty presentation on special occasions. This recipe freezes well.

Ingredients

  • 8 medium carrots (shredded)
  • 4 large eggs (separated)
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 4 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease either two loaf pans, two 12-cup muffin tins, or a Bundt pan. Be sure to grease the pan(s) well, or the kugel will be hard to unmold. 

  2. Using a food processor fitted with a shredding disc or a box grater, finely shred the carrots.

  3. In a large bowl, use electric beaters, a manual rotary beater, or a wire whisk to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside. 

  4. Place the shredded carrots into another large bowl. Add the egg yolks, honey, oil, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix well. 

  5. In another bowl, whisk together the flour(s) and baking powder. Add the flour mixture into the carrot batter and mix just until smooth. Stir in the raisins if using. 

  6. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the kugel batter in 3 additions. Pour or spoon the kugel mixture into the prepared pan(s).

  7. Bake the kugel in the preheated oven until firm, golden, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes for muffins, 35 to 40 minutes for loaf pans, or 45 to 50 minutes for a Bundt pan.

Tips

  • This recipe is tastiest—and the texture is most kugel-like—when served warm. If you make it in advance, reheat, wrapped in foil, in the oven until warmed through. 
  • Because you'll be using the zest, seek out organic lemons; non-organic lemon skins are likely to contain pesticide residues and are often shellacked in wax and treated with fungicides.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
275 Calories
11g Fat
43g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 275
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 90mg 30%
Sodium 237mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Protein 5g
Calcium 70mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)