Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese {Jewish Noodles & Cheese} is a dish many Jewish kids enjoyed growing up. It is a simple comfort type recipe.
Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese {Noodles and Cheese}
Interestingly enough, I grew up with my Grandma Rose’s Jewish Kugel and more Kugle and more Kugel.
This Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese recipe, dates back to the early 1900’s, I believe. You might have heard this dish referred to as Creamettes and Cheese.
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What is Lokshen Mit Kaese?
- Lokshen Mit Kaese means Noodles with Cheese.
- It is made with Egg Noodles or Elbow Macaroni, Pot Cheese, Farmer Cheese or even Cottage Cheese.
- In homes of Eastern European Jews, this was a staple. A quick, easy and cheap meal, which is delicious and filling.
Simple.
Pot Cheese and Farmer Cheese are very similar and are referred to as other names around the World.
Cast of Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese
What is Pot Cheese?
- Pot Cheese is somewhere in between Cottage Cheese and Farmers Cheese.
- Pot Cheese has the water strained out it.
- It is drier than Cottage Cheese.
Essentially, Ricotta Cheese! You can use Ricotta Cheese, if you like. Mexican Queso Blanco also has the same consistency as Pot Cheese!!!!
My friends mom, Rose Meshaka, used to make Lokshen Mit Kaese for her daughter Donna and I when I came to visit. I don’t recall if she used Pot Cheese or Farmer Cheese, or even cottage cheese. There is a lot I don’t remember about my childhood, but for some reason, Mrs. Meshaka, Donna and the Noodles and Cheese have been in my mind’s eye forever. And I always remember Donna’s birthday, even though we have not seen each other since we were kids. It’s December 5th.
Place Noodles or Pasta in Pressure Cooker
What is Farmer Cheese?
- Farmer Cheese, usually sold in a brick.
- It goes a step further that Pot Cheese, so it is very dry.
- Farmer Cheese is squeezed even more than Pot, to remove even more of the water. Therefore, it is super crumbly and it is super dry.
- You can cut Farmer cheese into pieces and eat it in slices.
Farmer Cheese is essentially Indian Paneer!
The only difference between Farmer Cheese and Paneer is that after squeezing out as much water as possible, the Farmer Cheese is wrapped up in a brick, usually in the shape of a rectangle. We ate a lot of Farmer Cheese when I was a kid, so it is no wonder that I love Paneer.
When making Homemade Paneer, after pressing out all the water (like in the Farmer Cheese method), the Paneer is tightly wrapped, refrigerated and then cut into cubes. It is then used in Indian curries. I’ve made Paneer on the stove for years and you can find my Pressure Cooker recipe in my new This Old Gal Pressure Cooker Cookbook.
Use Any Kind of Noodles or Pasta
Mrs. Meshaka used Egg Noodles, but I chose to use Elbow Macaroni Noodles for this recipe. A thin, less sturdy Noodle, like Egg Noodles or Elbow Macaroni or even Bow Tie Pasta (Farfalle), are all perfect for this recipe.
Mrs. Meshaka cooked the noodles in a pot of water on the stove and then drained. Converting the Lokshen Mit Kaese to the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker was super, duper simple.
Instead of adding in the Salt after the Noodles were cooked, I just salted the Fresh Water and tossed in the Elbow Macaroni.
The Noodles cook up fast, so make sure to have all the ingredients handy.
For another traditional Jewish recipe, check out my Sweet and Sour Stuffed Cabbage. It’s my Grandma Rose’s recipe and you are going to love it!
Make the Cheese Sauce
This Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese recipe, really could not be easier. As the Pot Cheese, Farmer Cheese or Cottage Cheese, hits the hot Noodles, an interesting thing happens. A sauce forms and the Cheese become stretchy and gooey! Whoda thought?
Mrs. Meskaka heated up a skillet and added the Cheese. She then mixed in a little Sugar and lunch was served.
Some people add in a little Sour Cream and then Salt and Pepper. I like it both ways. Since I added Salt with the Water, I just added Pepper, to do a Salt and Pepper version.
Here is another tidbit from my childhood. I was a fat kid (ya think) and was forced to eat Cottage Cheese. Therefore, I hated Cottage Cheese. My Dad was in Weight Watchers. He made a “Weight Watchers Cheese Danish.” He would put Cottage Cheese on top of a piece of lightly toasted bread and sprinkle it with little Sweet N Low and Cinnamon. Then under the broiler (now I use a Mealthy CrispLid). Same principle really. That cheese melted and became so yummy.
I loved those Cheese Danishes. I miss my Dad.
Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese
Yum. I like this best with just Sugar. The bowl in the background is just with Sugar.
But it is very good with Salt and Pepper too.
I served it in Corelle dishes, just like Mrs. Meshaka. Enjoy!
More Jewish Noodle Dishes to Make:
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Grandma Rose’s Jewish Noodle Kugel (Luchen Kugel)
- Instant Pot Bagels Lox and Cream Cheese Pasta + Video
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
- Porcelain & Bamboo Salt Box with Spoon
- Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese {Jewish Noodles & Cheese}
Print Pin Save RateIngredients
- 1 pound Elbow Macaroni (or Egg Noodles)
- 4 cups Fresh Water
- 1 pound Pot Cheese (Cottage Cheese or Farmer Cheese)
- 3-4 Tablespoons Sour Cream optional
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
For Sweet
- 1 Tablespoon White Sugar or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon or to taste
For Savory
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper or to taste
Recommended Products
Instructions
- Add pasta and 1/2 teaspoon salt to pressure cooker cooking pot and cover with fresh water.
- Lock on lid and close pressure valve. Cook at high pressure (most machines default to high pressure) for 2 minutes.
- When Beep sounds, wait 5 minutes and then slowly toggle the pressure value to release the pressure.
- Remove lid and Select Saute/Browning. Click for the "less" (lower heat) setting.
For Sweet
- Mix in pot cheese (cottage cheese or farmer cheese) and sour cream (if using).
- Stir in sugar and cinnamon and keep mixing until the cheese breaks down and a sauce forms.
For Savory
- Mix in pot cheese (cottage cheese or farmer cheese) and sour cream (if using).
- Add pepper and stir until a nice sauce forms. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
PIN this Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese!
Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese
We tried this and liked it—used cottage cheese and salt and pepper and sour cream. I’m intrigued about the sugar. If sugar is used, how much? Is it supposed to make it a dessert-like dish? I’d like to try it that way and any guidance on how much sugar would be great. Thanks!
Jen, that is a personal choice. Start with a teaspoon and you can always add more. Jill
My mother made this with egg noodles, butter, cottage cheese, sugar and cinnamon. It was actually more dessert-ish than dinner-ish, but it was a treat! My son (41 now) still loves it.
My mom did also but left out the sugar and cinammon. I forgot all about it but it was delicious.
Hi! Made this tonight. Thought it tasted great!! I shredded the farmers cheese. It melted well but the dish came out pretty goey. Is that how it’s supposed to be? Thanks!
Hi Gina. Gooey is good! The cheese get stringy and melted and yummy. So glad you enjoyed. Jill
The above recipe is another version of kugel. It’s the kind I would use with soup instead of the sweet one which my mother made for meat dishes and such. Funny, I just went and bought a package of wide noodles the other day with making a luchen kugel in mind.