Corned beef and cabbage get some leftover lovin’ in this tasty casserole with tender potato-cheddar pierogies and a toasty rye breadcrumb topping.
Last week our Sunday supper was delicious slow-cooker corned beef, roasted potatoes and carrots, and fried cabbage. We enjoyed the meal, and I had plenty of leftover corned beef and uncooked cabbage.
With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, you may be making the traditional St. Patty’s supper, which means you’ll likely have some leftovers, too. My delicious St. Patty’s Pierogi Bake makes good use of the cooked corned beef in a hearty casserole that features cheddar-potato pierogies, grated sharp cheddar, and a toasty rye bread topping.
You may remember seeing my Easy Corned Beef Casserole, something my mom often made with the leftovers from our traditional St. Pat’s dinners. My St. Patty’s Pierogi Bake is similarly comforting, and I think Mom would appreciate the use of Polish-style pierogies, given her Eastern European heritage. The tasty, buttery rye breadcrumb topping is a nod to a Rueben, one of my favorite diner sandwiches. Let’s get cooking!
You will need the following ingredients to make my St. Patty’s Pierogi Bake, which yields 3 servings.
1 (16-ounce) box of frozen potato and cheese pierogies
8 ounces cooked corned beef
1/3 head of raw green cabbage
½ yellow onion
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
2 slices pumpernickel rye bread (or rye bread of your choice)
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Follow these directions to make St. Patty’s Pierogi Bake
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Put the pierogies in a covered microwave-safe dish and add about ¼ cup of water. Heat on high for 2 minutes. Drain and set pierogies aside.
In a 10-inch skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Tear bread into a small food processor or blender to make crumbs. Add crumbs to melted butter and toast for about 2 minutes until butter has been absorbed. Remove crumbs to a small plate and set aside.
Wipe pan with a paper towel, return to stove and add canola oil, sliced cabbage and onion. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper to your taste. Cook vegetables until onions are translucent and soft and cabbage just starts to turn golden. Remove to a large plate and set aside.
Wipe pan with a paper towel, add remaining butter and the drained pierogies to skillet. You want to see golden brown color on bottom of pierogies.
While pierogies cook, cut two thick slices (2 to 2½ inches) of corned beef. Slice each in half vertically and cut into cubes.
Spray a casserole with non-stick. Line the casserole with half of pierogies, followed by half cabbage mixture, half of the corned beef, and half of the cheese. Repeat layers and top with the toasted breadcrumbs.
Bake covered for 25 minutes, remove oven-safe lid (or foil) and bake the remaining 5 minutes so crumbs get toasty.
A tip from the kitchen
It will be easier to cube the corned beef when it’s cold. And remember to cut across the striations in the meat. Corned beef is a salt-cured beef brisket that comes around the chest of the animal. It’s typically tougher, requiring a low-and-slow method of cooking. The brine also tenderizes the brisket.
As you enjoy your plate of corned beef and cabbage this St. Patrick’s Day, remember the 19th-century Irish and Jewish friends in New York’s ethnic neighborhoods. Cheaper than pork and potatoes, the bland cabbage took on flavor from the salty beef. Once the foothold was made in NYC, the dish was picked up across the U.S.
St. Patty's Pierogi Bake is a winner in my book. It's delicious, quick, and clean up is minimal (all the things a busy home cook loves). I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what your family said.
About the blog
Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.
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