My mom's 5-ingredient casserole is always the first thing gone at a potluck

And it couldn't be easier to make.

When you think of summer cookouts, you probably think of burgers, macaroni salads, and corn on the cob. While my family has that, too, I associate family picnics with my mom's pierogi lasagna. Yep, that's right. Pierogi. Lasagna.

I grew up in Pittsburgh, where we literally have an annual festival dedicated to pierogi and a Pierogi Race at our baseball games, so it's safe to say we take them very seriously. However, making enough pierogi to feed a crowd can be daunting, so when my family wants the delicious potato-cheese-and-noodle dish without making a ton of individual dumplings, we turn to pierogi lasagna.

No one is really sure where the pierogi lasagna recipe originated, but there's a good chance it was my grandma's, since the recipe card doesn't include any cooking times or real instructions. It was probably one of those dishes that, when my mom called to ask for the recipe, she just rattled off a list of ingredients with phrases like "a knob of butter" and "bake until cooked through."

But it doesn't really matter how the recipe came to be because it's a keeper in the family, and one my mom brings to every gathering because it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. From the kids to the adults, everyone takes a slice of pierogi lasagna—and raves about it.

The best part? It's only five ingredients and incredibly simple to make, especially with store-bought shortcuts like instant mashed potatoes. 

My mom had only one piece of advice when she passed on the recipe, and I will share it with you now: Make sure to add black pepper to your mashed potatoes. Now, you, too, can be the winner at your next potluck.

My Mom's Pierogi Lasagna

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, divided
• 6 servings instant mashed potatoes
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 large onion, diced
• 8 ounces lasagna noodles, cooked

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Melt 1/4 cup butter; coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with melted butter.
3. Cook instant mashed potatoes according to the package instructions. Mix in 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese; season with black pepper.
4. Meanwhile, melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Set aside.
5. Place 1/2 the lasagna noodles in a single layer in the prepared baking dish; top with 1/2 the onion, followed by mashed potatoes. Top with the remaining 1/2 lasagna noodles; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese and remaining 1/2 onion.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

Read the original article on Allrecipes