Some recipes stay in a family because they are fancy, and some stay because they are sensible enough to save supper on a busy night. This old Midwestern casserole belongs to the second kind. It borrows the cozy flavors of pierogi—potatoes, cheddar, butter, and onion—and turns them into an easy baked dish with lasagna noodles standing in for dough. It is the sort of church-supper, clipping-from-a-magazine recipe that earned its place by being thrifty, filling, and reliable every single time.
This casserole is rich and comforting, so I like to serve it with something fresh and simple alongside, such as cucumber salad, buttered green beans, sautéed cabbage, or a dish of applesauce if you enjoy that sweet-savory pairing common with pierogi. For a fuller meal, smoked sausage or ham makes a natural partner, and a spoonful of sour cream on each serving never hurts a thing.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient Lazy Pierogi Casserole
Servings: 8
Ingredients
9 lasagna noodles, boiled
4 cups prepared mashed potatoes, warm
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 onion, diced
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly butter or grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, stir the shredded cheddar into the warm mashed potatoes until evenly combined and easy to spread.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium to medium-low heat, add the diced onion, and cook slowly until tender and buttery, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not rush this step; the onion should soften and turn lightly golden.
4. Arrange 3 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread one-third of the potato-cheese mixture over the noodles. Repeat the layers two more times, ending with the last of the potato mixture on top.
5. Spoon the buttery onions evenly over the top.
6. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the top is hot and lightly browned around the edges.
7. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving, so the layers hold together neatly.
Variations & Tips
Add sour cream: If you like a tangier, more traditional pierogi flavor, stir a few spoonfuls of sour cream into the mashed potatoes before layering. It makes the filling especially creamy.
Try extra cheese on top: For a browner finish, reserve 1/2 cup of the cheddar and sprinkle it over the top before the casserole goes into the oven. You will get a more pronounced cheesy crust after uncovering.
Make it heartier: A layer of cooked crumbled bacon, chopped ham, or browned smoked sausage between the noodles and potatoes turns this into a full one-pan supper while keeping that old-fashioned comfort-food spirit.
Use leftover potatoes: This is one of the best ways to use leftover mashed potatoes from the refrigerator. If they are very stiff, warm them slightly first so the cheese blends in and the filling spreads without tearing the noodles.
Mind the noodles: Boil the lasagna noodles just until tender, then drain and lay them flat so they do not stick together. If they are overcooked, the layers can turn too soft after baking.