Polish Casserole For Two
Why make a huge casserole dish when you don’t need it! You can make the perfect amount of this creamy, cheesy, pasta and kielbasa packed Polish Casserole for Two for dinner!
A FILLING AND EASY DINNER FOR TWO
This Polish Casserole for Two is packed with savory flavors and hearty ingredients. From tender chunks of kielbasa to a creamy sauce with pasta and a medley of fantastic seasonings, every bite of this casserole is flavorful and pure comfort food. Not only is it a breeze to make, but it’s also a versatile dish that can be enjoyed on any occasion and can be customized easily. It really is a whole meal in one! Why make a dinner for 6 or 8 when you only need enough for 2?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
This recipe is “for two”, but it does leave a little leftover depending on how big your portion sizes are. It could really be three or four servings, if needed. Enjoy some tonight and have leftovers tomorrow without the extra food waste.
It’s not always easy to get a recipe to make an amount exactly for two people because some people like larger portion sizes than others. For example, two college roommates may want larger portion sizes than maybe two retirees. We also need to work in the confines of using baking dishes that most people own (which are an 8×8-inch and a 9×13-inch baking dish.) So I have to make sure I am accounting for the general public at large.
Sure, I made this recipe for a smaller quantity of servings. If you want to feed more with it, just use a 9×13-inch baking dish and double the recipe.
Ditch it if you don’t like it. That’s why I made it an optional ingredient.
Talk about a flavor punch, the kielbasa adds so much flavor to this dish, plus browning it beforehand adds a little razzle dazzle to the flavors.
Sure, Gruyere or swiss cheese would be good in place of mozzarella.
This would also be good served just all stirred together instead of baked if you wanted to skip that step. The baking just thickens it up a bit.
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat any leftovers in the oven covered with foil, or you can use a microwave safe container in the microwave.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- unsalted butter – if all you have is salted then use that, you can always adjust the additional salt added if you want – not a big deal.
- kielbasa – use your favorite here. We tend to lean towards a beef kielbasa but I live in the south so we have very limited options here as opposed to folks in the midwest. Also, browning the kielbasa really adds color and additional flavor but if you are in a time crunch, you can skip it.
- garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper – these are like the holy grail of seasonings that most people own but please use a seasoning blend that you know you enjoy.
- whole milk– whole milk works best to give it that creaminess, but, it can be swapped for 2% milk if needed. Do NOT use skim milk, it would be too watery.
- Dijon mustard – you can use a spicy brown or grainy mustard. Yellow mustard can be used but you might have a tad stronger mustard flavor. You can also leave it out if you don’t like mustard.
- shredded mozzarella cheese– freshly shredded cheese melts better but pre-shredded store bought can work as well – whatever you have time for or feel like doing.
- sauerkraut – just make sure to drain and rinse it well. This is an option ingredient if you don’t enjoy sauerkraut.
- penne pasta– measured dry and cooked per directions. This can be swapped out for any other short pasta similar in size to penne that you like.
HOW TO MAKE POLISH CASSEROLE FOR TWO
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced kielbasa and cook until lightly charred. Take it out of the skillet and place it on a plate. Add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt, whisk to combine so the flour dissolves into the butter. Cook for 1 minute.
Slowly stream in the milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan from cooking the sausage. Stir in the dijon. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
Take off the heat and stir in ½ of the mozzarella until melted. Add the sausage back to the pan along with the sauerkraut and penne. Stir to combine.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 40-45 minutes until bubbly along the edges and the cheese starts to brown.
Garnish with chopped parsley if desired, and serve.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- White Chicken Enchiladas For Two
- Crock Pot Pork Chops & Potatoes For Two
- Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff For Two
- Baked Ziti for Two
- Chicken and Dumplings For Two
- Lasagna for Two
- Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo for Two
- Crock Pot Chicken Thighs and Gravy For Two
- Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken For Two
- Crock Pot Pork Chops & Gravy For Two
- Chicken Noodle Casserole For Two
- Stuffed Peppers For Two
- Crock Pot Potato Soup For Two
- Baked Spaghetti For Two
- Crock Pot Chicken & Gravy For Two
- Air Fryer Potatoes and Kielbasa
- Glazed Kielbasa Bites
- One Pan Potato and Sausage Bake
- Pierogi Casserole
Polish Casserole for Two
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounce package kielbasa, 1/4 inch sliced
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
- 8 ounce can sauerkraut, drained and rinsed well
- 1 cup penne pasta, measured dry, cooked per directions
- fresh chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced kielbasa and cook until lightly charred. Take it out of the skillet and place it on a plate.
- Add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt, whisk to combine so the flour dissolves into the butter. Cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly stream in the milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan from cooking the sausage.
- Stir in the dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Take off the heat and stir in ½ of the mozzarella until melted.
- Add the sausage back to the pan along with the sauerkraut and cooked penne. Stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until bubbly along the edges and the cheese starts to brown.
- Garnish with chopped parsley if desired, and serve.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- Get more info on serving sizes and portions in the FAQ section as well.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Can you add a can of Rotel to this in place of saurkraut? Thank you for the recipe.
I’ve never tried it honestly. I hate to say for sure unless I’ve tested something myself. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it turns out for you! 🙂
Is it possible to substitute 2% milk for whole milk in recipes? I never have whole milk.
I follow your post and think you have very practical recipes, and appreciate the way you explain.
For most recipes, yes. You lose a little creaminess because there’s less milk & sometimes it will be more liquidy but you can do it. And thanks so much!
is turkey kilbosa ok to use? I find it doesnt do well in some recipes.
I don’t see why it wouldn’t. I haven’t personally tried it though.
Made this for dinner last night. It was a huge hit. I like sauerkraut, but I found it to be a very subtle component of this dish. I will certainly be making this again. Thanks for all your efforts and the great recipes you share.
I love, love sauerkraut, so would I really need to rinse the sauerkraut?
In place of pierogi use hash brown potatoes. Half bag thawed !
I will make this next week in remembrance of my Polish Mother-In-Law.
I can tell already that it will be yummy. For those that don’t like sauerkraut you can always just sauté some chopped cabbage and add to the dish instead.
A delicious an excellent version of a Polish Casserole for two. I can’t hardly wait to try it out. Thank you for sharing it with us all.
Hope you love it!
loved it
i will definitely make it again.