Pierogi casserole, also called pierogi lasagna, is a double carbohydrate delight beloved in Western Pennsylvania. Pierogi are potato-filled dumplings of Eastern European origin. While delicious, like any other bite-sized dumplings, they’re somewhat laborious to make from scratch, especially if you’re feeding a crowd. Think of pierogi casserole as a shortcut that sidesteps that labor. Instead of forming and filling individual pierogi, layer lasagna noodles with mashed potato and creamy cottage cheese to make this pierogi casserole. Buttery onions and a little more cheese on top nail that classic sauteed pierogi flavor profile, but you can make it start to finish in under an hour.
Ingredients for Pierogi Casserole
- Butter: The butter in this recipe is the fat used to sauté diced onion which is the topping for this pierogi casserole.
- Onion: Well-cooked onion is an essential element that connects the flavors of pierogi casserole to a pan of traditional pan-fried pierogi, rich with buttery onion flavor.
- Onion salt: This dry seasoning, available in the spice aisle, is a combination of table salt and granulated onion. It amps up the onion flavor while seasoning the cottage cheese layer. If you don’t have it you can substitute table salt with a pinch of onion powder.
- Cottage Cheese: Drained 4% cottage cheese adds creaminess and a slight tang to the bottom layer of pierogi casserole. While most grocers stock fat-free and low-fat (1% or 2%) cottage cheese, we recommend seeking out whole milk (or 4% milkfat) cottage cheese for this recipe for the best texture and flavor.
- Egg: A beaten egg mixed into the cottage cheese helps it set while the pierogi casserole bakes.
- Mashed potatoes: Mashed potato is the base of the potato layer in pierogi casserole. You can start with holiday leftovers or instant mashed potato doctored with butter and cream. It’s important for the potato to be tasty on its own before adding it to this casserole, or the whole thing will taste bland and under-seasoned.
- Cheddar cheese: Shredded cheddar binds the potato layer of pierogi casserole and browns with buttery onions into a golden crust on top.
- Salt and Pepper:Â Traditional pierogi has minimal seasoning, so adding salt and pepper ensures your pierogi casserole will have the best flavor.
- Lasagna noodles: Three layers of cooked and drained lasagna noodles help form the structure of pierogi casserole. Our recipe calls for boxed noodles, cooked until tender in boiling water, but you can also use fresh lasagna noodles if you prefer. See below for info on using no-cook noodles.
- Sour cream and chopped chives: Tangy sour cream and piquant chives offer a cool and sharp contrast.
Directions
Step 1: Prep ingredients for each layer
In a skillet, sauté onion in butter until tender. In a bowl, combine the cottage cheese, egg and onion salt. In another bowl, combine the potatoes, 2/3 cup cheddar cheese, salt and pepper.
Step 2: Build the casserole and bake
Place three noodles in a greased 13×9-in. baking dish. Top the noodles with the cottage cheese mixture and add three more noodles. Top this layer with the potato mixture, remaining noodles and sauteed onion. Top it with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese. Cover and bake at 350°F until heated, for 25 to 30 minutes. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, top with chopped chives and serve with sour cream.
Pierogi Casserole Variations
- Sauerkraut Pierogi Casserole: Add a thin layer of well-drainedsauerkraut or sautéed cabbage on top of the potato layer.
- Add cooked meat: Cooked ground meat, sliced smoked kielbasa, or cooked bacon add additional protein and flavor to pierogi casserole. Mix any of the above into the mashed potato, if you like. Do make sure anything you add is cooked already as the casserole may not bake long enough to cook raw meat sufficiently.
- Customize with different vegetables: Add sauteed mushrooms, steamed broccoli florets, sautéed cabbage, or any other vegetables you like to the mashed potato mixture for your pierogi casserole. You could even do different types in different parts of the casserole dish so people could pick and choose.
- Change the cheeses: If you’re having trouble finding 4% cottage cheese, substitute an equivalent amount of whole milk ricotta. Swap the cheddar for any other melty-grated cheese you like.
How to Store Pierogi Casserole
Let pierogi casserole cool completely before wrapping it and storing it in the refrigerator.
How do you reheat Pierogi Casserole?
Reheat individual servings in the microwave or reheat the entire dish in a 350°F oven until heated. Refrigerated pierogi casserole will be kept for about three days.
Pierogi Casserole Tips
Can I use no-boil lasagna noodles to make pierogi casserole?
Yes, you can use no-boil noodles but we don’t recommend using them straight out of the box. While there is moisture from the cheese, egg and potato in this casserole, there’s not enough liquid in this recipe to ensure the no-boil noodles will soften completely. For that reason, we recommend soaking no-boil noodles for ten minutes in hot water before assembling this pierogi casserole recipe. Follow the instructions on the no-boil noodle packaging for adding additional liquid to this recipe to ensure success.
Can I serve this casserole immediately out of the oven?
We recommend letting pierogi casserole stand for at least ten minutes once out of the oven. This gives the moisture in the casserole time to soak into the noodles and for the whole thing to solidify so the layers don’t slide apart as you cut and serve it.
What else should I serve with pierogi casserole?
Apple sauce, either store-bought or homemade, is a favorite accompaniment to classic pierogi, and a natural addition dolloped alongside sour cream and a slice of pierogi casserole. To round this casserole into a meal, warm smoked kielbasa and offer a crunchy salad on the side and you’re good to go.
