It takes five words to describe this recipe but we can reduce down to two: comfort food. Our slow cooker pierogi kielbasa casserole is a belly-warming dinner that just screams delicious and satisfying. This is definitely a shortcut meal, meaning: we grab a few items from the grocery store to help us get a dinner on the table that’s big on goodness and short on effort. This recipe pretty much had me at “slow cooker” because this kitchen device does so much to help feed a hungry bunch.

Basically, what we’re serving here is a take on classic meat and potatoes, but it’s so much more than that. We’ve got mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, gnocchi pasta, kielbasa sausage, and cream cheese so there’s no way anyone can say dinner was boring, bland, or not super filling. All of this is put together in our slow cooker and transforms over the next couple of hours into a meal that is rich and creamy, the kind of meal that we don’t serve often but when we do it is met with oohs and yums by everyone seated at the table.

Don’t dismiss this recipe just yet – we know, it’s starchy, cheesy, and definitely rich, but it’s just those qualities that make it so good. We’re not looking for healthy, we’re looking for comfort food and you can’t bet more comforting than a bowlful of pierogi kielbasa casserole. To brighten up the dish, choose some colorful garnishes, like sharp cheddar cheese and some green onion or chives for a pop of freshness and flavor. The next step is easy: grab a spoon and dive right in – you’ll soon understand what makes this meal so good!