These Homemade Pierogi are filled with creamy mashed potatoes and cheese. Boil then pan fry and serve with butter, sour cream, and green onions for an irresistible side dish.
The Best Homemade Pierogi Recipe
This homemade pierogi recipe makes the most wonderful, flavorful pierogies with an irresistible mashed potato and cheese filling. Pan-fry in butter for extra flavor and to crisp up the outside, then serve with sour cream for dipping. They make the perfect snack, appetizer, or side dish.
Watch The Recipe Video!
If you’ve never made pierogies before, you’re definitely in for a treat! I’ll be honest, this recipe does require some time to prepare but it’s so worth it! They turn out a thousand times better than Mrs. T’s or any other store-bought version. Plus, you can easily make a double batch so you always have extra in the freezer.
What Are Pierogi?
Pierogi are Polish dumplings, usually filled with savory ingredients like potatoes and cheese. They are boiled and can be pan-fried after to add a crispy outside.
Though the dish has long been popular in Eastern Europe, they’re becoming more popular in the US, especially in cities, like Pittsburgh, which have a large Polish population.
The word “pierogi” is both the singular and plural form of the dish, though pierogies is a common American spelling for the plural form as well. I use them both interchangeably throughout this post.
Recipe Ingredients
This classic Polish recipe is made with just a handful of simple ingredients, like potatoes, butter, sour cream, and flour. See the recipe card below for measurements.
- Potatoes – I used russet potatoes to make the mashed potato filling.
- Salt – To season the potatoes.
- Butter – Melted butter adds flavor to the potatoes.
- Shredded cheese – I used mozzarella but cheddar is also a popular option.
- Warm water – You’ll want water that’s warm to the touch for the dough.
- Heavy cream
- Sour cream – Adds moisture and flavor to the dough.
- Egg – Helps hold the dough together.
- All-purpose flour
Tip: Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes
If you already have some leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge, you can use them in this recipe! Just warm them up and stir in some shredded cheese. It’s a great way to turn leftovers into something new and cut down on the prep time of your homemade pierogies.
Other Pierogi Filling Ideas
If you’ve ever seen boxes of Mrs. T’s pierogies in the store, you know that while potato and cheese pierogi may be the most popular, there are many other varieties out there! Here are some other things to consider adding to your filling:
- Sauteed onions
- Cooked spinach
- Mushrooms
- Crumbled bacon
- Sauerkraut
- Sweet potato or pumpkin
- Feta and other types of cheese
- Ground meat
- Fruit like blueberries for a dessert pierogi
How to Make Pierogi
While homemade pierogi are not exactly quick to prepare, they are worth every second of it!
- Make the potato filling. Boil the potatoes with salt until tender then drain and mash. Add the salt, butter, and cheese. Cover and set aside.
- Make the pierogi dough. Whisk together the water, heavy cream, sour cream, oil, egg, and salt. Add a cup of flour at a time, until fully incorporated.
- Knead the dough. Knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Add an additional tablespoon of flour at a time if needed.
- Let rest. Cover the dough and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll out and shape the dough. Cut the dough in half. Shape both halves into balls. Roll one half out to 1/8″ thickness. Use a 3″ round cookie cutter to cut out circles. Set the scraps aside to roll out again later.
- Fill the dough. Add 2 teaspoons of filling to the center of each circle. Pull the edges together and pinch tightly, then crimp with your fingers or a fork. Repeat until all dough is used.
- Boil the pierogies. Cook the pierogies in batches of 10 in salted, boiling water. Cook until they begin to float, then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Pan fry the pierogies. If desired, pan fry the pierogies in butter until golden brown. (You must boil them first.)
- Enjoy. Garnish with desired toppings and enjoy!
Tips for Success
Making homemade pierogi for the first time can seem a bit overwhelming but these tips will help you simplify and perfect the process!
- Mash the potatoes well. For a smooth filling, be sure to mash the potatoes until super smooth and creamy.
- Measure the ingredients carefully. Be sure to measure the ingredients carefully, especially the flour, as too much or too little can affect the texture. It’s better to slowly add extra flour than to start with too much.
- Avoid overfilling the dough. It’s important that each pierogi can be sealed completely, so take care to not overstuff them with the mashed potato mixture. If you have a teaspoon cookie scoop, that’s a great way to measure the filling.
- Cook in batches. To ensure that each dumpling fully cooks, avoid overcrowding the pot. In a large pot, 10 pierogies usually fit perfectly.
- Always boil the pierogi first. While you can enjoy the boiled pierogies without pan-frying them, you can’t pan-fry them without boiling them first. The boiling process is what cooks the dough.
What to Serve with Potato and Cheese Pierogi
I like to top my pierogi with chives and butter with sour cream on the side for dipping. The kids often dip theirs in ketchup.
For extra flavor, you can add some onions while sautéing them.
These can be served as the main course or as a side dish. For a quick and easy dinner, serve these up with some hot dogs or chicken tenders. Fried cabbage and kielbasa are also a popular combination to enjoy these with.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftover (cooked) pierogies in an airtight container or zip top bag for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Can I Freeze Pierogi?
One of the wonderful things about this recipe is that it freezes super well. In fact, I often make a double batch just to have some in the freezer whenever I need a quick and easy side dish.
To freeze pierogies (before cooking) arrange them on a baking sheet so they are not touching, lightly dust them with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze. When they are completely frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag.
The pierogies can be boiled from frozen.
More Potato Recipes:
Pierogi
Ingredients
Mashed Potato Filling:
- 2 Pounds Russet Potatoes Peeled and Rinsed
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 4 Ounces Butter Melted
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
Pierogi Dough
- 1 Cup Warm Water
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
- 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 4 Cups All Purpose Flour
For Serving:
- Sour Cream
- Melted Butter
- Sliced Green Onion
Instructions
Mashed Potato Filling:
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork tender, drain and mash the potatoes. (About 25 Minutes)
- Stir in the salt, melted butter and mozzarella cheese, cover and set aside.
Pierogi Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water, heavy cream, sour cream, vegetable oil, egg and salt.
- Mix in the flour 1 cup at a time until fully incorporated.
- Using clean hands, knead the dough in the bowl for 4-5 minutes until smooth and elastic, add in more flour if needed 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Assembling:
- Cut the dough in half and shape both halves into balls.
- On a lightly flour surface roll out one half of the dough using a lightly floured rolling pin until about ⅛” thick.
- Use a 3” round cookie cutter, remove the scraps and set aside to roll out later.
- Add 2 teaspoons of the mashed potato mixture to the middle of each dough round, pull the edges together and pinch to seal tightly. Crimp the edges with your fingers or using the tines of a fork. Repeat this process until you’ve used up the dough and mashed potato mixture.
Cooking the pierogies:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add 10 fresh pierogies to the boiling water and cook until they begin to float, remove with a slotted spoon and repeat with the remaining pierogies. (the pierogies can be garnished and eaten at this point) The pierogies must be boiled before pan frying.
- To pan fry the pierogies, melt one tablespoon butter over medium heat and fry the pierogies for 3-4 minutes on both sides or until lightly golden brown. Cook in batches.
- Serve the pierogies with sour cream, melted butter and sliced green onion, enjoy!
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1 thought on “Pierogi”
Pierogi is plural. Pieróg is singular.