Pierogi Casserole

Pierogi Casserole is a great weeknight dinner made with layers of pierogies, creamy ricotta cheese, smoky kielbasa and cheddar cheese. A fun meal that is also great for parties and potlucks. Always a family favorite.

 

Let me start this off by saying I am not Polish and in no way, shape or form am I claiming this recipe is authentic or in fact, Polish. So haters, keep on hating. Everyone else, please enjoy my delicious pierogi casserole!

Can you believe that my first experience with pierogies wasn’t until I was an adult? Yep! I can tell you exactly when, actually. My friend Nathalie, who is actually Polish, brought them over for our Friendsgiving celebration.

She brings them over with freshly cased sausage and fries them up with butter and onions. As I am typing this, I’m craving the butter laden meal.

A few years ago I had an epiphany moment to try and make them into a Pierogi Casserole after seeing a similar concept, Ravioli Casserole or Ravioli Lasagna. Somehow I couldn’t bring myself to call this dish Pierogi Lasagna since there isn’t really a sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Pierogi Casserole

This is a great recipe that is loved by everyone. Here are a few reasons why we do:

• Simple ingredients – All of these ingredients are super easy to find, and so you probably already have in the refrigerator or pantry.
• Family friendly – This has become a favorite recipe for my whole family. It’s full of cheesy goodness loved by both kids and adults.
• Easy to make – With easy prep, this recipe is ready and in the oven in only 15 minutes. Then you let the oven do the rest of the work!

Ingredients

The simple ingredients of this recipe can easily be found at your local grocery store if you don’t already have them on hand.

• Butter – I always like to use unsalted butter when cooking. That way I can control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe. If you use salted, just leave out the extra salt in the recipe.
• Frozen pierogies – The best part about this easy casserole is how versatile it is. You pick the flavor of pierogies! You can choose pierogies filled with caramelized onions, mashed potatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, whatever your whole family will enjoy.
• Onion – I used a yellow onion for this delicious casserole becuase I like that they’re a little sweeter. We saute them with the pierogies for even more flavor.
• Ricotta cheese – This is what helps us to achieve the creamy factor of this recipe. Not so much a creamy sauce, but a creamy topping to go on top of the pierogies.
• Eggs – Eggs act as the binder for this cheesy pierogi casserole. When mixed with the cheeses and seasonings, it creates a wonderful base for the creamy aspect.
• Fine sea salt – As stated above, leave this out if you used salted butter. You can add this to taste, but it does take the flavor of this easy pierogi casserole up a notch.
• White pepper – I like the fact that white pepper is a little more mild than black. Freshly ground black pepper is the next best thing to use if you don’t have the white.
• Cheddar cheese – I mush prefer to shred my own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has an additive that prevents it from clumping- but it also prevents it from melting smoothly.
• Kielbasa – I like to add a little protein to my lazy pierogi casserole, and kielbasa is both easy and delicious.
• Scallions – These are optional, but I like the color, texture and flavor that they add to the top of this pierogi casserole recipe. If you slice them at an angle, they’re even prettier.

How to Make Pierogi Casserole

Easy recipes are a must for busy weeknights, and making this favorite comfort food couldn’t be easier.

1. Prepare oven and pan. Preheat oven and coat a 2 quart casserole dish or glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 
2. Sauté pierogies. In a large, heavy bottom skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add half of the perogies and chopped yellow onion. When the first half is browned, remove and add second half.
3. Allow to cool. Fry until lightly browned. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool while preparing other ingredients. 
4. Combine filling ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, eggs fine sea salt and ground white pepper. 
5. Layer pierogies. In casserole dish, place a layer of perogies on the bottom in a single layer, trying to place together and avoid gaps the best you can. Some gaps are inevitable. 
6. Top with cheese. Top with 1/3 ricotta mixture, 1/3 kielbasa and 1/3 shredded cheddar cheese. Repeat two more times ending with cheddar cheese and kielbasa.
7. Cover and bake. Loosely over with aluminum foil and bake. 
8. Remove foil and bake again. Remove aluminum foil and bake for an additional few minutes. 
9. Allow to cool. Remove and allow to cool, then top with scallions and serve. 

What to Serve with This Pierogi Casserole

Because this casserole is pretty carb heavy, I like to serve mine with veggies or something green. A nice leafy side salad is always a great option, but you can also serve with broccoli, carrots, green beans or any veggie of your choosing.

Most dinners at our house are also served with some sort of crusty bread. A flavorful garlic bread or our easy roll recipe are perfect.

Variations

I like this recipe just the way it’s written, but there are several ways you can make it your own.

• Make it crunchy – If you’d like to take this casserole one step further, top with some bread crumbs to make it nice and crunchy. Add them for the last ten minutes of baking and bake until golden brown.
• Toppings – Because pierogies are traditionally served with sour cream, top each slice with a dollop of sour cream.
• Meat – If you’re not a big fan of kielbasa, you can swap it out for Italian sausage or even bacon. You can also leave the kielbasa in and just top the casserole with crumbled bacon bits.
• Sauce – This casserole would also taste great with an alfredo sauce. You can use the jarred version, or make your own with this alfredo recipe.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: Any leftovers of this best pierogi casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also wrap in plastic wrap.

Freezing: This casserole also freezes well. If you have leftovers to freeze, check out my tips for freezing a casserole here.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Casserole Recipes

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