Sheet Pan Pierogies with Kielbasa and Brown Butter Mustard Sauce

This sheet pan pierogies recipe (or, pierogi) is a take on the classic preparation of pierogi with onions and butter, but with a little spin. Here, instead of pan frying the pierogi, we’ll bake them on a sheet pan with some savory Polish style sausage (kielbasa) and a scattering of red cabbage and red onions. The mustardy brown butter sausace/dressing ties it all together in a most delicious way.

Why we’re loving this easy sheet pan recipe

Sheet pan recipes are always so very welcome in my kitchen – just really any night of the week. I’ll never not be satisfied with the utter ease and efficiency with which you can just throw a big ol’ pan of food into the oven and create a full meal in a matter of minutes, with almost no effort. This kielbasa and pierogies sheet pan recipe does exactly that – it’s a full meal that brings so much flavor and interest to the plate in a very small number of ingredients. The mustardy brown butter sauce (is it a dressing? Is there a difference?) really just seals the whole deal beautifully, I think.

Speaking of the buttery mustard sauce, you can literally just stick with mustard and brown butter and call it good. Or, you can build on that foundation and add a little sweetness to the thing via a drizzle of maple syrup or honey (a brown butter honey mustard sauce, if you will). Then, if you like, you can add a little splash of vinegar to really make a vinaigrette out of things. Up to you! It’s not a strict sauce at all … This dressing reminds me a little of the brown butter vinaigrette in this pasta recipe that I make VERY regularly.

What are Pierogies?

Pierogies or pierogi are a type of dumpling that originated in Eastern Europe. They are typically made with unleavened dough and filled with a variety of ingredients, such as potatoes, cheese, or meat. Pierogies are typically boiled, fried, or baked, and can be served as a main dish or side dish. They are loved for their comforting taste and versatility in both traditional and modern recipes.

What to serve with this sheet pan Pierogies recipe

The beauty of this sheet pan pierogi and sausage dinner is that you really don’t have to worry too much about making anything else. Thus the great beauty of a sheet pan meal, right? That said, something on the sweeter side, to go along with all of this deeply rich and savory sheet pan goodness might be a nice move.

So, maybe give some thought to whipping up my favorite ambrosia recipe. It’s not Eastern European, of course. But it’s fluffy and sweet and whimsical as all get out, and I personally am on this low key campaign to get more people to love the stuff. So, maybe give it a whirl …

Or, this sweet-leaning salad of roasted squash with radicchio would balance out that savory sheet pan situation real quick, and also really stay on brand, so far as the the colors go.

What you’ll need to make this Sheet Pan Pierogies recipe

This is a minimalist’s dream of a recipe, as it requires very little of you to prepare. The ingredients list is a pretty short one, all told, and each item is important and impactful; nothing superflous going on here.

Sheet pan Pierogies with kielbasa INGREDIENTS

Kielbasa: This is what gives the protein to our sheet pan meal – a big savory link of kielbasa sausage. This is readily available at just about every supermarket in America and beyond, but if you happen to not be able to find some, or maybe you want to use up some smoked sausage you’ve got hanging around – that’s cool, too.

Red cabbage: My not-so-secret favorite vegetable, red cabbage is absolutely fantastic when coasted fat (here, olive oil), seasoned with salt and pepper, and roasted until crisp and lightly browned. It’s the perfect companion to our pierogies and sausage, as the pan really needs some fresh elements to work. The pierogi are frozen (we’re not making them from scratch here) so the addition of fresh caggabe and onions, along with a scattering of fresh herbs as a topping is really important to balance things out. Hence the term I always use, “Homemade-ish.”

Red onion: It’s just so lovely looking, but you can absolutely use any variety of onion you have. Pierogies are traditionally cooked in a pan with lots of butter and often onions, so the onions are a nod to tradition here.

Frozen Pierogies: In my experience, most major grocery stores in the States have at least one brand of type of frozen Pierogies available. Just use whatever you can find, and any flavor will work beautifully.

Butter: Classic with pierogi, but we’ll take the melted butter step further here and simmer it away until it’s browned and nutty tasting

Whole grain mustard: This meal needs the balancing powers of something acidic, and mustard is classic as can be. You could use a spicy brown mustard or even a honey mustard if you like.

Honey or maple syrup: Optional, but nice for a little hint of sweetness with all of these savory components going on.

Vinegar: Like the honey/maple, this is an optional ingredient, as the mustard does technically bring the acid needed here. But the vinegar rounds things out and helps to thin out the sauce, creating a lovely vinaigrette for us.

Serving Suggestions: Freshly chopped dill, chives, and/or parsley for scattering over top, lemon for squeezing, crunchy salt for sprinkling

How to make this Kielbasa and Pierogies sheet pan meal

A very chop and drop kind of event this one is. Not a whole lot to it, really. The most noteworthy thing re: the directions here is the order of operations. If you toss the pierogi with the cabbage/sausage it will be just fine, but they will become quite pink in the process, which isn’t really the goal. So, I lay them atop everything else right before going in the oven, and brush them with some oil for good measure.

Pierogies and kielbasa sheet pan recipe DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper (optional, but quite helpful for cleanup).
2. Put the kielbasa, cabbage, and onion on the sheet pan and drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Evenly spread everything across the pan, and then evenly top with the pierogies. You can brush them with a little oil, if you like. Bake until cabbage and sausage bites are nice and browned around the edges, and the pierogies have some good color as well, about 15 to 20 minutes (note: sometimes I’ll crank up the broiler during the last minute or two to get that color on lock).  
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Allow it to continue browning after it’s melted until you can smell its nuttiness and it’s gone quiet, another few minutes or so.
4. Cut the heat and add the mustard to the browned butter, along with a tablespoon of olive oil, stirring to melt everything together. You can use it just like this, if you like, or add a couple teaspoons of honey (Or hot honey! Or maple syrup!), if you want a touch of sweetness. A small splash of vinegar is also nice here (white wine, red wine, white distilled, or apple cider vinegars are great). Customize it to your liking! But do season with salt and pepper, please.
5. Plate the browned pierogies, sausage, and cabbage/onions and drizzle the buttery mustard mixture over top. I like to top with fresh green herbs and a squeeze of lemon (on everything, all the time), but that’s optional. Keep the extra sauce close for dipping and drizzling as you see fit.

If you like the looks of this sheet pan pierogies meal, you might also want to check out:

Five-Ingredient Sheet Pan Shrimp and Sausage Bake

Sausage, Apple and Red Cabbage Bake

Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops

Maple Balsamic Pork Chops

Warm Pierogi Potato Salad

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