Baked Pierogi Casserole is an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love. This hearty casserole is creamy, cheesy and so satisfying; It’s one of those recipes that gets devoured every time I make it. It is great to bring to family and friends as well.
If you find the combination of pasta and potatoes irresistable, try my crock pot pierogies or my pierogi lasagna recipe. They are both so delicious and popular.
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Why this Baked Pierogi Casserole Recipe is a Keeper
The result is a warm, layered casserole that offers the familiar taste of pierogi in a much easier-to-assemble format. You get the creamy, cheesy potato filling, the sweetness of caramelized onions, and the satisfying bite of the noodles, topped with melted cheese. It’s a comforting and often quite rich dish, perfect for a hearty weeknight meal or a potluck.
- Ultimate Comfort Food: It’s a warm, hearty, and satisfying dish that evokes feelings of home-cooked goodness.
- Easy to Customize: You can easily adapt the recipe to your preferences by adding different vegetables, meats, cheeses, and sauces.
- Crowd-Pleasing Appeal: It’s a guaranteed hit with both kids and adults, making it perfect for family dinners, potlucks, and gatherings.
- Versatile Meal: It can be served as a main course or a side dish.
- Efficient Use of Leftovers: It’s a great way to use up leftover pierogi or other ingredients.
- Make-Ahead Convenience: You can assemble the Pierogi Casserole Recipe ahead of time and bake it when you’re ready. It’s a great option for meal prep.
- Simple and Satisfying: It’s a relatively simple recipe that delivers big flavor and satisfaction.
- It is a Comforting Meal: It is a dish that is very comforting, and enjoyable.
Can I Use Vegetables in this Casserole and What Do you Suggest?
I love to include sauerkraut, mushrooms, or spinach to the tempting casserole. You can add peas or anything that you want just like the traditional dumplings.
Pro Tip: Add Meat such as Kielbasa or Sausage
You can assemble the casserole and add your favorite protein to the dish.
Ingredient Notes and Pierogi Casserole Variation and Substitution Suggestions
This recipe is super easy to customize. Feel free to experiment with different types of cheese, potatoes or use different flavors.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Mashed Potatoes: Feel free to use plain potatoes or try any flavor.
- Broth: For extra flavorful potatoes, use a little chicken broth in with the water.
- Cooking Variations: Slow cook or make in the instant pot. Cooking time will vary.
- Vegetable Variations: Add vegetables like bell peppers, green onions, spinach or kale.
- Meat Variations: Use different meats, such as ham, sliced kielbasa, smoked sausage, chicken, or turkey.
- Sauce Variations: Use different sauces, such as a tomato-based sauce, a mushroom cream sauce, or a pesto sauce.
- Cheese Variations: Experiment with different shredded cheeses, such as Gouda, Gruyere, shredded cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese or Parmesan.
- Topping Variations: Add a crispy topping, such as breadcrumbs, crushed potato chips, or fried onions.
- Dairy Substitutions: Sour cream can be replaced with greek yogurt or cream cheese.
- Spice Variations: Add dried herbs, or spices like paprika, or garlic powder to the sauce, or to the layers of the casserole.
How to Make Pierogi Casserole Recipe
Pierogi casseroles come together in 3 quick and easy steps. This pierogi and kielbasa casserole is so good, it quickly became one of my favorite recipes.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Prep Butter Mixture: Preheat the oven and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Slice onion and place in melted butter. We will add ⅓ of the butter at a time.
- Layer the Casserole in Baking Dish: Add half of the macaroni into the bottom of a casserole dish. Drizzle butter, sprinkle half of the cheese, half of the potatoes, then drizzle more butter.
- Bake: Repeat layers of prepared macaroni, butter and onions, cheese and prepared mashed potatoes. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese on top is lightly browned.
Prep Ahead Suggestions to Make this Recipe
Preparing this creamy and delicious recipe ahead of time can be the best way to go. Make a recipe in advance to be able to enjoy it whenever.
- Cook the Pierogi: Cook the pierogi according to package directions or your preferred method. They can be cooked a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Chop onions, mushrooms, or any other vegetables you plan to include in the casserole ahead of time. You can sauté them ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator.
- Mashed Potatoes: Whisk together the mashed potatoes ahead of time. Store in an airtight container
- Make the Sauce: If you’re planning on drizzling a homemade sauce over the top, you can prepare it a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Feel free to add the cheddar cheese on top or a dollop of sour cream.
- Grate the Cheese: Grate any cheese you’ll be using and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Casserole
- Storing: Store the casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover pierogi casserole in the microwave or in the oven.
- Using Leftovers: Enjoy all the flavors of this dish with Brussel Sprouts Shaved Salad with Apples.
Common Faqs About This Recipe
I can also make this delicious recipe as slow cooker or Crockpot Pierogi Casserole.
The recipe recommends American cheese but you can really use whatever cheese you want. I like to add sharp cheddar cheese over the top.
A great way to ensure your casserole doesn’t dry out is to over with foil and bake. You can always remove the foil and bake uncovered for the last few minutes to make sure the cheese melts on top.
This casserole freezes well. Bake it, cool it and wrap it well for freezing. Thaw this comforting casserole and then bake until heated through to reheat.
Expert Tips for Making Pierogie Casserole Recipe
- Don’t Overcook the Pierogis: Cook the pierogi until they’re just tender, as they’ll continue to cook in the oven.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Sautéing the vegetables before adding them to the casserole enhances the flavors of the dish.
- Use a Creamy Sauce: A creamy sauce, like a creamy cheese sauce or sour cream-based sauce, helps keep the casserole moist and flavorful.
- Layer the Ingredients: Layer the ingredients evenly to ensure each serving has a good balance of pierogi, vegetables, sauce, and cheese.
- Use a Generous Amount of Cheese: Cheese adds flavor and moisture to the dumpling casserole.
- Let it Rest: Let the potato and cheese casserole rest for a few minutes after baking to allow the flavors to meld.
- Short Cut Version: To make the lazy version, use frozen pierogies. I prefer to pan fry them in a little bacon grease.
- Serve this Recipe With: Serve this potato pierogies lasagna with Pressure Cooker Ham with Pineapple and Brown Sugar or Ranch Crack Bread with Bacon.
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Baked Pierogi Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter, 2 sticks melted
- 1 Onion, sliced
- 1 pound Elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
- 6 servings Instant mashed potatoes, prepare according to package directions
- 16 slices American cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Slice onion and place in melted butter.
- Layer half of the macaroni into the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish. Add ⅓ of the melted butter and onions.
- Place half of the cheese in a single layer on top of the macaroni.
- Layer half of the mashed potatoes on top of the cheese. Add another ⅓ of the butter and onions.
- Repeat the layers – macaroni, butter/onions, cheese and potatoes.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
Christina’s Notes
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- Don’t Overcook the Pierogis: Cook the pierogi until they’re just tender, as they’ll continue to cook in the oven.
-
- Sauté the Vegetables: Sautéing the vegetables before adding them to the casserole enhances their flavor.
-
- Use a Creamy Sauce: A creamy sauce, like a creamy cheese sauce or sour cream-based sauce, helps keep the casserole moist and flavorful.
-
- Layer the Ingredients: Layer the ingredients evenly to ensure each serving has a good balance of pierogi, vegetables, sauce, and cheese.
-
- Use a Generous Amount of Cheese: Cheese adds flavor and moisture to the dumpling casserole.
-
- Let it Rest: Let the casserole rest for a few minutes after baking to allow the flavors to meld.
-
- Short Cut Version: To make the lazy version, use frozen pierogies. I prefer to pan fry them in a little bacon grease.
-
- Serve this Recipe With: Serve this potato pierogies lasagna with Pressure Cooker Ham with Pineapple and Brown Sugar or Ranch Crack Bread with Bacon.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
The recipe says 2 cups butter – 2 sticks melted
2 sticks = 1 cup, what about the other 2 sticks (cup)?
This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make american pierogies recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
This casserole was soooo good! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing recipes, look delicious
Enjoy! 🙂
I made this the other night for dinner and LOVED it! I used real potatoes instead of instant and I used cheddar cheese. Next time I am going to make this without all the butter and instead oil the baking dish. Then people can add butter on top if they want. I also think I will make it into Spinach Feta Pierogis which are my favorite (plus it will add some nutritional value!)
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing your alterations too! I like the idea of spinach and feta. 🙂
This does look good – but you should make real pierogies someday (the Polish kind – with the home made farmers cheese!) They are very good.
Things for posting this recipe – we will have to try it!
It is on my list to try someday, Angel! Hope you like this short cut version! 🙂