Description
Comfort meets convenience in this hearty Crockpot Pierogi Casserole with Sausage, merging Polish culinary traditions with modern slow-cooking ease. Creamy layers of potato-filled pierogies and savory sausage meld together, promising a satisfying meal that brings warmth to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) smoked sausage (kielbasa or Polish sausage), sliced
- 1 package (16 oz or 454 g) frozen pierogies (cheddar or potato-filled)
- 1 ½ cups (170 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 can (10.5 oz or 298 g) cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)
- 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional, for depth)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried thyme or parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preparation: Lightly coat the interior of the slow cooker with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Layering Foundation: Create alternating layers of frozen pierogies, sliced sausage, and diced onions, ensuring even distribution throughout the cooking vessel.
- Sauce Composition: Whisk cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, freshly ground black pepper, and paprika into a smooth, well-integrated sauce.
- Moisture Integration: Gently cascade the prepared sauce over the layered pierogies and sausage, allowing it to seep between the ingredients and provide complete coverage.
- Cheese Crowning: Generously sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese across the top, creating a melty, golden surface.
- Slow Cooking Technique: Secure the crockpot lid and select cooking duration – LOW setting for 4-5 hours or HIGH setting for 2-3 hours, ensuring ingredients are thoroughly heated and sauce becomes bubbling and rich.
- Serving Preparation: Once cooking is complete, allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes, enabling flavors to meld and sauce to slightly thicken before serving.
Notes
- Choose smoked or Polish kielbasa for authentic flavor, or swap with turkey sausage for a leaner option.
- Lightly brown sausage and onions before adding to crockpot to enhance depth of flavor and maintain ingredient integrity.
- Add cheese during the last 30 minutes of cooking to prevent overcooking and maintain its creamy, smooth consistency.
- For gluten-free version, use gluten-free pierogies and cream of mushroom soup, ensuring all ingredients meet dietary requirements.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Polish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg