Pierogi Casserole

The only thing I love more than a comfort food mashup? Transforming store-bought ingredients into an innovative, unique dinner. Enter: Pierogi casserole. This casserole is one of my go-to dinners when I need something impressive that requires very little effort. This easy-to-make casserole takes frozen potato pierogi to the next level with layers of spinach, sausage, and cheese that will leave everyone craving more. The best part? You can easily customize it with your favorite ingredients to suit your taste. Whether you're making dinner or attending a potluck, you can change this up with whatever ingredients you know your friends and family will love. Here's everything you need to know on how to make it the best it can be:

What People Are Saying:
"Amazing! This was delicious and I'm looking forward to cooking again!" - Janela

How To Make Pierogi Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• Pierogi: I went with potato here, but feel free to use your favorite variety—cheddar, jalapeño, even sauerkraut if you really want to lean hard into the Polish theme. You could even mix and match two options to give this casserole even more flavor, or use homemade pierogi if you’ve got some kicking around in your freezer already.
• Soup: A creamy soup adds a rich, velvety texture that perfectly complements the hearty pierogi, without any more effort from you than just opening up a can. Feel free to experiment with your family’s favorite cream-of-soups here too—broccoli, potato, chicken could all be good here.
• Cheddar: Though usually I’m all for shredding your own cheese (seriously, it’s THE easiest tip to take cheesy dishes to the next level), there’s so much going on here that using pre-shredded is totally fine. Makes things easier too!
• Farmer’s Cheese: This is definitely worth seeking out, as its lower moisture content and slight tang pair well with all the heavier ingredients here. That said, if you can’t find it, ricotta or cottage cheese make for a solid replacement—because these have varying moisture levels, start with half the amount and only add more if it seems dry.
• Spinach: Gotta love a recipe where fresh or frozen greens work! If you do go with frozen, make sure to thaw and drain your spinach to avoid a watery casserole.
• Yellow Onion: A yellow onion is a solid choice here, but other options can also work if that’s what you have—check out our guide to all the types of onions to help you choose.
• Kielbasa: Pairing pierogi with kielbasa is a no-brainer—the salty, smoky flavor helps cut through the heavy, creaminess of the potato dumplings. Can’t find kielbasa? Other sausages could work, though they might change the flavor profile a bit. One member of our test kitchen even suggested hot dogs, so feel free to try swapping in your go-to sausage.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

You’ll start by preheating your oven and greasing your baking dish. We tried this with both a 13" x 9" and an 11" x 7", and preferred the latter. The larger pan really only works if you’re using low-moisture farmers cheese and your pierogi are on the larger side. Then arrange your pierogi on the bottom of the prepared dish, making sure they reach to the edges as much as possible.

Next you’ll mix the soup and three-quarters of the shredded cheddar in a medium bowl. If you’ve got a large measuring cup with a pour spout, even better to make it easier to measure out half and pour it over your pierogi. If not, eyeballing it is totally fine.

Then crumble roughly half of the farmer’s cheese (or cottage cheese, ricotta, etc.) over your pierogi. Sprinkle with half of the rest of the ingredients (spinach, onion, sausage), then season with salt to taste.

Repeat this process again, and don’t worry if it’s not perfect—this is a rustic casserole, after all. Top with the remaining one-quarter of shredded cheddar, then drizzle with a little oil and a sprinkle of salt.

Bake the casserole for around 45 minutes, or until it’s bubbling and thick. If you want a nice crispy top, pop it in the broiler for a few minutes to finish it off. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!

The full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

What To Serve With Pierogi Casserole

This is a full meal all on its own, but if you're looking for side dish ideas, you can't go wrong with caramelized Brussels sprouts, a fresh spinach salad, or roasted potatoes (our onion soup mix roasted potatoes shouldn't be missed).

Storage

Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for 4 to 6 months. If you’d like to make it ahead, you can assemble the casserole the night before, then bake it the following day. You can also freeze the assembled (but not baked) casserole—just tack on up to 10 additional minutes of bake time to account for it being frozen.