Cheesy Pierogi Bake

Ingredients

• ½ pound bacon
• 1 (8 ounce) package kluski noodles
• ¾ cup chopped onion
• 4 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 (12 ounce) container cottage cheese
• 10 ounces Muenster cheese, cubed
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ¼ teaspoon paprika, or to taste

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While that’s warming up, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning it now and then, until it’s nice and crispy—this usually takes about 10 minutes. Once cooked, transfer the bacon to some paper towels to drain.

Step 2

While the bacon is cooking, bring a big pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop in the kluski and cook them until they’re almost tender, which should take around 7 minutes, then drain them well.

Step 3

Add the chopped onion to the bacon drippings left in the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Toss in the cabbage, lower the heat, and let it simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

Step 4

In a large bowl, combine the noodles with the cottage cheese, Muenster cheese, dill, and a pinch of salt. Crumble the bacon and add it along with the cooked onion and cabbage, mixing everything together until evenly combined. Pour this mixture into a 3-quart baking dish.

Step 5

Wipe out the skillet, melt the butter in it, then stir in the bread crumbs until they’re nicely coated. Sprinkle this crumb topping evenly over the noodle mixture, then dust the top with a little paprika for color.

Step 6

Pop the dish into the oven and bake until the top is golden and bubbly, about 25 to 35 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.