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This One Skillet Kielbasa and Pierogies Recipe is an easy dinner that only requires 5 minutes of prep for a quick weeknight option! It’s full of flavorful sausage, cheese filled pierogies and green beans.
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I stood in front of my refrigerator, doors wide open, staring blankly at the contents inside…just willing a ready-made meal to jump out and grab me. Save for some eggs, milk, tired grapes, and a few stalks of celery; those shelves looked pretty darn bare.
But the kielbasa! Weeks earlier, I had picked up some turkey kielbasa sausage when I saw it on sale at the grocery store, and then promptly shoved it in the drawer with our lunch meat and forgot about it. I pulled out that kielbasa, and I instantly knew that it was going to form the basis for our dinner that evening — no last-minute runs to the grocery store necessary! With a box of pierogies, some diced onion, and a bag of cut green beans from the freezer, dinner was practically done!
And before you run off and assume that your kids won’t enjoy kielbasa, just WAIT. Here’s a tip from a mom who’s been there: don’t actually tell the little ones what they’re eating.
You don’t have to lie, but when I served this meal for the first time, my kids looked at their plates and thought that they had seriously lucked out…HOTDOGS and RAVIOLI for dinner! I just didn’t correct them, and they happily finished their meals while reveling in their good fortune. I suppose a last-minute dinner from a bare refrigerator isn’t such a bad thing after all!
What Is Kielbasa Sausage?
Kielbasa is a Polish sausage that’s usually flavored with garlic and caraway. The difference between Kielbasa and smoked sausage is that the kielbasa is not usually smoked and has a much more powerful garlic flavor. It’s super delicious and can be used in many dishes, from simple hot dog buns to chopped up in pasta or one-pan skillets like this meal here. Browned kielbasa has the best flavor — it’s spiced and savory, enhanced by pan-seared caramelization and flavors of the other ingredients.
You can easily find kielbasa sausage at your local grocery store — it’s usually in the pre-packaged meats section, or you can sometimes find it behind the meat counter or at a butcher shop. There are multiple varieties of kielbasa, including beef kielbasa, classic Polska kielbasa, and turkey kielbasa, which I use in this recipe.
Ingredients for One-Skillet Kielbasa and Pierogies
You only need a handful of ingredients for this one-skillet recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Below is an overview of the simple ingredients you need for a sausage and pierogi skillet recipe. As always, the complete ingredients and simple steps are listed in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Kielbasa sausage: any variety will work, but I use turkey kielbasa in this recipe.
- Frozen pierogies: no boiling needed! I use classic cheese pierogi but use whatever variety you like best.
- Onion: sauteed onions add so much flavor to this one-skillet meal; it’s a must!
- Green beans: a package of cut frozen green beans adds freshness and color, making it a well-rounded dish.
- Salt and pepper: for seasoning.
- Olive oil: for sautéing the ingredients.
Best Pierogies for a Kielbasa and Pierogi Skillet
So, what kind of pierogies should you use for this fast meal? Mrs. T’s Pierogies are a classic and can be found in just about any grocery store frozen food section. It’s smart to keep a couple of boxes on hand for quick dinners. Most pierogi recipes are a mixture of creamy potato and different fillings like cheese, onions, and other ingredients. I love the classic cheese pierogies, but many other flavors would fit perfectly in this skillet — like the classic onion pierogies, loaded baked potato pierogies, or traditional sauerkraut pierogies.
How to Make Kielbasa and Pierogies
With just five minutes of prep, you can have an entire meal that cooks in one skillet, making cleanup a breeze!
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Saute the sausage, pierogies, and onions until golden brown and heated through.
- Add the green beans and cook until tender.
- Season with salt and pepper, serve, & enjoy!
Do you have to boil pierogies before frying them?
In this recipe, you can sauté the frozen pierogies without boiling them. However, you certainly can boil them before frying! Boiling pierogies results in a pillowy-soft outer dough and warms the filling. Pan-frying gives the pierogies a perfectly crispy, golden-brown crust. Together, it’s a delicious meal.
What kind of sauce goes with pierogies?
If you want to make a sauce with this dish, I suggest a garlic butter sauce. Pierogies are best when pan-fried with some butter and garlic. It would also be delicious with a cream sauce or tomato-based sauce. But personally, I don’t think this recipe needs any special sauce — it’s delicious as-is!
Tips For Making This One Skillet Kielbasa Sausage
- If you use frozen pierogies, there’s no need to thaw or boil them beforehand. If you choose to make homemade pierogies, I suggest boiling them before pan-frying.
- Many kinds of sausage can be used in place of Kielbasa, like Italian sausage, smoked sausage, andouille sausage, or even bratwurst.
- For an even deeper flavor, caramelize the onions before sauteing the pierogies and sausage. Caramelized onions take a bit longer to cook, but the deep caramelized flavor is to die for when combined with creamy cheese pierogies and savory sausage.
- If you want to add more veggies to this kielbasa and sausage skillet, some good additions would be bell peppers, green onions, broccoli, or sliced mushrooms.
- Serve with a sour cream and chive dip (or cream cheese dip) for some added flavor and creaminess.
- If you don’t want to use full-sized pierogi, swap in mini pierogies. Mrs. T’s pierogies carries mini pierogies in many of the same flavors.
- I would not recommend refreezing pierogies that have already been frozen. Instead, keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and reheat them in the microwave.
What to Serve with Kielbasa and Pierogies
This one-skillet meal is a full meal, but if you want to serve it along with some side dishes, I recommend going light! Here are some of my favorite recipes for quick and easy sides:
- Couscous Salad
- Summer Corn Salad
- Wedge Salad
- Classic Ceasar Salad
- Cast Iron Cornbread
- Cornbread Muffins
- Cheddar Chive Beer Bread
- Crusty Baguette
More Easy Sausage Recipes
Hawaiian Kielbasa Kabobs
30 minutes mins
Sheet Pan Italian Sausage with Potatoes
45 minutes mins
Foil Pack Italian Sausage and Peppers
35 minutes mins
“Country Comfort” Smoked Sausage Casserole
50 minutes mins
One Skillet Kielbasa and Pierogies
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 13 ounces fully-cooked Kielbasa turkey sausage sliced into rounds
- 1 16 ounce package frozen cheese pierogies (there’s no need to thaw these in advance)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 10 ounces frozen cut green beans there’s no need to thaw these in advance
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Saute sausage, pierogies, and onion in oil until golden brown and heated through (about 7-8 minutes per side). During the final 5-7 minutes of cooking, add green beans to the skillet and cook until tender.13 ounces fully-cooked Kielbasa turkey sausage, 1 16 ounce package frozen cheese pierogies (there’s no need to thaw these in advance), 1 cup chopped onion, 10 ounces frozen cut green beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.Salt and pepper
Notes
- If you use frozen pierogies, there’s no need to thaw or boil them beforehand. If you choose to make homemade pierogies, I suggest boiling them before pan-frying.
- Many kinds of sausage can be used in place of Kielbasa, like Italian sausage, smoked sausage, andouille sausage, or even bratwurst.
- For an even deeper flavor, caramelize the onions before sauteing the pierogies and sausage. Caramelized onions take a bit longer to cook, but the deep caramelized flavor is to die for when combined with creamy cheese pierogies and savory sausage.
- If you want to add more veggies to this kielbasa and sausage skillet, some good additions would be bell peppers, green onions, broccoli, or sliced mushrooms.
- Serve with a sour cream and chive dip (or cream cheese dip) for some added flavor and creaminess.
- If you don’t want to use full-sized pierogi, swap in mini pierogies. Mrs. T’s pierogies carries mini pierogies in many of the same flavors.
- I would not recommend refreezing pierogies that have already been frozen. Instead, keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and reheat them in the microwave.
Now this is the kind of meal that my husband would devour in no time! He loves pierogies, and I do too, so I’ve got to try this. Love that it’s made in one skillet, too!
Thanks, Gayle! It’s definitely a great man (and kid)-friendly meal!
This sounds like perfect dinner for busy weekdays – easy and healthy. My hubby is a huge sausage fan. He will love this. I’ll save this recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Natalie! I’m so glad that you stopped by, and I hope you’ll give it a try!
My Gma used to make kielbasa all the time, and I always loved it! Now I haven’t had it in quite a few years, but it was always a regular thing in the house. I LOVE the idea of it with pierogies! I usually do sausage and onions with pierogies, but what a fabulous change-up! You’ve inspired me to grab a package of kielbasa, it’s been too long!
Thanks, Sarah! For some reason kielbasa (and sausage in general) + pierogies always fall off my radar and I forget to make them. That’s unfortunate, because they taste great and they’re so easy. I’m bringing them back! 🙂
This is such a genius meal Blair! I love the fact that it takes just one skillet and is so easy! I love easy meals like these!
Thank you so much, Ami! You can never go wrong with quick and easy one-skillet meals, right?!
This looks like serious comfort food! I’ve never tried pierogies before!
Oh, I hope you’ll try them. They’re basically like ravioli! So good…
I too open the refrigerator and stare thinking what I should make for dinner 🙂 It always helps, when your freezer is stocked . I would say this is an easy peasy dinner 😉 Btw love what the kids said “hot dogs and ravioli” !
Thanks so much, Ruwani! Hope you’re having a great weekend!
I just made this today. My husband and I have never eaten Pierogies, but my sister said that they are great, so I picked your recipe. I have to say that we both are now lovers of Pierogies!
Thanks so much for a simple recipe that introduced us to something new.
That’s so great, Ann! I’m glad that you found a new ingredient to add to your rotation! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I have cheese raviolis in the freezer and was wondering if those would work in this just as well as the Pierogies do. I have made this dish several times (it’s a family favorite) so I’m hoping it would work! Thanks!
Hi, Ashley! I honestly haven’t tried the recipe with ravioli, so I’m not sure. I know that you can pan-fry ravioli, so it should work fine — the cooking time might just be different. Keep an eye on them and let me know if you give it a shot! 🙂
Maybe it was my pan, but the pierogie stuck to the bottom and broke apart. They ended up being greasy and mushy. It was terrible! I loved the concept, but was very disappointed with the outcome…tasteless and terrible texture! ????
I added a little honey mustard dressing on it at the very end. Yum!!!
Sounds perfect. Thanks, Kathleen!