Description
Polish comfort combines creamy pierogi casserole with smoky kielbasa in this hearty one-pot meal. Rich layers of potato dumplings, sausage, and cheese create a satisfying dinner that connects family traditions with modern convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 packages (16 oz/454 g) frozen potato and cheese pierogies
- 1 lb (454 g) kielbasa sausage, sliced into rounds
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (10.5 oz/298 g) cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Fresh chives or green onions, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Layer Preparation: Meticulously arrange frozen pierogies, kielbasa slices, and diced onions as the foundational base within the crockpot, creating an even distribution across the bottom surface.
- Sauce Creation: Whisk cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, chicken broth, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into a seamless, velvety sauce that will infuse the casserole with rich, savory flavors.
- Sauce Integration: Pour the creamy mixture evenly over the layered ingredients, ensuring complete and thorough coating of pierogies and kielbasa to maximize flavor penetration.
- Cheese Topping: Generously scatter shredded cheddar cheese across the surface, creating a golden, melting blanket that will develop a tantalizing texture during cooking.
- Slow Cooking Process: Cover the crockpot and allow the casserole to simmer on low temperature for 4-5 hours, or alternatively accelerate cooking on high for 2-3 hours until pierogies become perfectly tender and cheese melts into a bubbling, appetizing layer.
- Final Presentation: Embellish with freshly chopped chives or green onions, adding a vibrant, aromatic garnish that complements the hearty dish’s robust flavors.
Notes
- Prevent Pierogi Sticking: Lightly spray or grease crockpot bottom with cooking spray to ensure pierogies don’t adhere and break when serving.
- Customize Protein Options: Swap kielbasa with turkey sausage or vegetarian sausage for dietary preferences without compromising flavor profile.
- Control Sauce Consistency: If sauce appears too thin, mix cornstarch with cold water and stir into liquid during last hour of cooking to achieve desired thickness.
- Enhance Cheese Melt: Briefly broil casserole in oven after crockpot cooking for 2-3 minutes to create crispy, golden cheese topping with perfect browning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Polish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 530
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 1100 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg