Loaded Pierogi Casserole - A Quick & Easy Store Cupboard Favorite

 

 

This Loaded Pierogi Casserole is the kind of easy, comforting bake that turns a handful of simple ingredients into something truly irresistible. Frozen cheddar pierogi are tucked into a creamy Alfredo sauce, then topped with crisp streaky bacon, sweet spring onions, and a generous blanket of melted mozzarella and cheddar.

Everything bakes together into a bubbling, golden dish that delivers all the cozy flavors of classic pierogi with none of the fuss. It’s quick to assemble, wonderfully satisfying, and perfect for busy weeknights or whenever you’re craving a hearty, stick‑to‑your‑ribs supper.

 

Pierogi were not anything that was ever cooked in our house the whole time I was growing up. In fact I never tasted one until I moved out West to Winnipeg, Manitoba as a young bride.   When we moved to Calgary, a Ukrainian friend of mine taught me how to make my own from scratch one year at Christmas time.

They were so easy to make and so delicious.  I fell in love with them. I've been making my own and freezing them ever since. (I use lots of cheddar because I like to really taste the cheese.) When I lived in the U.K. you could get fresh readymade Polish ones in the grocery shops that were very good.  The ones filled with Sauerkraut were my favorites.

My sister had made a Loaded Pierogi Casserole a few weeks back.  She made her own cheese sauce to layer them with and added smoked sausage.  It sounded really delicious.

Today I decided to make this casserole for myself and Eileen using store cupboard ingredients that I had in the house.  I was feeling rather lazy and wanted something quick and easy, so I used a bottled Alfredo sauce. This turned out to be incredibly delicious. We enjoyed this small batch recipe with a tossed salad on the side, and agreed it is something we want to make again real soon!

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE LOADED PIEROGI CASSEROLE

Simple ingredients put together in a really delicious way.

• 1 pound of frozen cheddar cheese pierogi, unthawed
• 8 ounces (1 cup/240g) Alfredo sauce
• 6 rashers of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped, divided
• 3 spring onions, trimmed, washed and finely sliced, divided
• 1/2 cup (115g) shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup (117g) shredded medium cheddar cheese
• salt and black pepper to taste

 

Not all pierogi are created equal.  I have bought some in the past that were really bland.  Use the ones with the cheddar cheese filling for the best flavor.  Better yet make your own. Once or twice a year I have a pierogi making day and fill my freezer with a few bags of homemade pierogi.

Use a good quality Alfredo Sauce. I like Rao's.  It is rich and creamy. You won't need the full jar, but you can freeze what you don't use for another purpose

Cook the bacon fairly crisp.  Alternately, if you are really wanting to save time, use the real bacon crumbles that you can buy ready cooked.

Grate your own cheeses. 

Spring onions are also called green onions or scallions.

 

HOW TO MAKE LOADED PIEROGI CASSEROLE

I would call this a real doddle to make. Quick, easy, delicious.

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Butter a 7 by 11 inch baking dish. (You can use any baking dish large enough to hold the pierogi in two layers.)
2. Layer half of the frozen pierogi in the prepared baking dish. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Top with 1/2 of the Alfredo sauce. (Season lightly as the sauce may be salty, and the bacon and cheese will be for sure.)
3. Reserve 2 TBS each of the chopped onions and bacon. Set aside. (This will be used to garnish the casserole at the end of the baking.)
4. Top the pierogi and Alfredo sauce with half of the cheeses, and remaining chopped onions and bacon. (Half of each the cheeses, onions and bacon.)
5. Top with the remaining half of the Pierogi. lightly season and repeat the layers as before ending with the onions and bacon.
6. Lightly cover the casserole dish with some aluminum foil. (You can grease the foil if you are worried that the cheese might stick.)
7. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes, until heated through thoroughly, the casserole is bubbling and the cheese has melted. (No need to brown this casserole.)
8. Remove from the oven. Scatter the reserved spring onions and bacon over top and serve. (A tossed salad works very nicely on the side.)

 

RECIPE HINTS AND TIPS

• Read through the recipe several times before beginning to help familiarize yourself with any ingredients, equipment or steps required to make this dish.
• Assemble all of your ingredient before beginning. This will help to prevent you from leaving anything integral out of the recipe.
• Do be sure to grease the casserole dish. This will prevent anything from sticking and make for an easier cleanup.
• There is no need to thaw the frozen pierogi before you put everything together.
• Use a good quality Alfredo sauce. I like Rao's. You can freeze any that you don't use in this recipe for another time.
• Grate your own cheese. Those pre-grated cheese have things added to them (like cellulose which is wood fiber) to help them flow easier.
• If you wanted to you could slice some smoked sausage, brown it and then add it to the layers for an extra meaty version. You could also add browned bulk sausage meat.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DO YOU NEED TO USE FROZEN PIEROGI?

Frozen pierogi are used for convenience here. You can use your own homemade pierogi if you wish, but the bake time would be considerably less. There is no need to thaw the pierogi before using.  I have an excellent recipe which shows you how to make homemade from scratch pierogi here. 

MUST YOU USE JARRED ALFREDO SAUCE?

If you are keen you can make your own Alfredo Sauce from scratch. A part of the appeal of this recipe is using ingredients that you already have in your store cupboard.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED?

Absolutely. Simply double the amounts of the ingredients required. Bake time may be a bit longer, but not by much. Keep an eye on it.

HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave at a 50% power. 

To freeze this casserole, cool it completely, then wrap it with two layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven at 300*F/150*C for about 20-25 minutes or in the microwave at 50% power.

 

A FEW OTHER STORE CUPBOARD SUPPERS TO ENJOY

I like to keep a healthy store cupboard in the house filled with a variety of ingredients. That way a delicious main meal is never very far away. These types of meals also come in very handy when unexpected company drops by. Quick, easy, delicious.

EASY STORE CUPBOARD LASAGNA PIE -  This easy lasagna is the ultimate midweek lifesaver — a comforting, family‑pleasing bake made entirely from ingredients you’re likely to have on hand. Fresh lasagna sheets, a jar of tomato basil sauce, creamy white sauce, baked ham, olives, and a trio of cheeses layer together in a simple pie dish to create a fun, fuss‑free twist on classic lasagna. It comes together in under 45 minutes, yet tastes like you spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen. Just add a crisp salad and some crusty bread, and supper is sorted.

HAZEL'S BAKED SPAGHETTI - This is the kind of comforting, no‑fuss family recipe that feels like it’s been passed around kitchen tables for generations. Made from simple store‑cupboard staples — spaghetti, tinned tomatoes, tomato soup, cheddar, and bacon — it’s a wonderfully nostalgic bake that comes together with almost no effort. The spaghetti finishes cooking in the oven, soaking up a creamy tomato sauce while pockets of melty cheese and crisp bacon create irresistible texture and flavor.

  

Pin this recipe to your Main Dish, Casserole, Store-Cupboard or Cooking for Two Recipe boards and remember to FOLLOW ME on Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram! 

That way you can be assured that you are always up to date with fresh content as soon as I post it. You can also sign up to receive a weekly newsletter from Grow. Thank you!

Yield: 3 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Loaded Pierogi Casserole

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 50 Min

A delicious store-cupboard mealtime shortcut that the whole family will love. This is a small batch recipe that can very easily be multiplied to serve more.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of frozen cheddar cheese pierogi, unthawed
• 8 ounces (1 cup/240g) Alfredo sauce
• 6 rashers of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped, divided
• 3 spring onions, trimmed, washed and finely sliced, divided
• 1/2 cup (115g) shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup (117g) shredded medium cheddar cheese
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Butter a 7 by 11 inch baking dish.
2. Layer half of the frozen pierogi in the prepared baking dish. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Top with 1/2 of the Alfredo sauce.
3. Reserve 2 TBS each of the chopped onions and bacon. Set aside.
4. Top the pierogi and Alfredo sauce with half of the cheeses, and remaining chopped onions and bacon.
5. Top with the remaining half of the Pierogi. lightly season and repeat the layers as before ending with the onions and bacon.
6. Lightly cover the casserole dish with some aluminum foil.
7. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes, until heated through thoroughly, the casserole is bubbling and the cheese has melted.
8. Remove from the oven. Scatter the reserved spring onions and bacon over top and serve.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com. 

 Thanks for visiting! Do come again!! 

 If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.