Pierogi or Perogies are dumplings typically filled with mashed potato and cheese wrapped with unleavened dough. This National dish in Poland is traditionally served with sour cream and onion, boiled then fried. Perfect to serve as an appetizer, side dish or snack!
This Pierogi recipe is my version of Polish Pierogi Ruskie stuffed with potato cheese and fried onion. The potato and cheese pierogi are called “Pierogi Ruskie” in Poland often pan-fried after boiling, then topped with fried onion.
How to make Pierogi
How to make potato, cheese and onion filling
1. Place whole potatoes into a pot and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender for about 20 minutes, it depends on the size.
2. While boiling the potatoes, cook the onion until tender and caramelized.
3. Drain and cut the potatoes in half. Press and push through the cooling rack over a medium-sized bowl.
4. In a small bowl microwave and melt the butter. Add the cream cheese and stir until well blended. Pour over the hot mashed potatoes and add the rest of the filling ingredients. Mix until incorporated.
If a bit chunky, use an immersion blender. Press pulse to chop. Be careful not to over blend, otherwise, it will be gluey. Refrigerate to cool completely until ready to use.
How to make Pierogi dough
1. Measure and mix the milk, water and melted butter in a measuring cup. In a bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour and salt, mix with dough hook attachment. Add the wet ingredients, and mix until smooth for about 5 minutes or by hand for 10 minutes. Cover and let it stand and rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. On a floured flat surface or use a large wooden chopping board, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Cover the 3 pieces and set them aside.
3. Using a rolling pin, thinly roll the first piece out onto a floured surface to about 1/16″ thickness.
4. Use a 3” to 3.5″ diameter round cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough. Collect scraps and set them aside for re-rolling later.
How to stuff, mould and seal the Pierogi
1. Brush the edges around the circles with a little water.
2. Use a tablespoon size ice cream scoop with a trigger or use a tablespoon measuring spoon. Scoop one tablespoon of filling into the center.
3. Fold the dough over the filling into half-circles.
4. To form and mould the pierogi, pull the 2 edges together and pinch tightly or pinch twice to ensure a tight seal.
Cook or freeze the pierogi.
How to cook Pierogi
1. Over medium-high heat, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add about a tablespoon of salt. Add fresh or frozen pierogi.
2. Carefully drop each pierogi one at a time in boiling salted water or use a spoon to drop it.
3. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until they float and tender.
4. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon.
How to serve Pierogi
You can serve it right after boiling, drizzle with olive oil or melted butter, served with fried onion and sour cream.
For the Pierogi toppings.
1. Chop bacon and add in a frying pan to cook until crispy.
2. In the same frying pan with bacon fat, cook the sliced onion until tender and caramelized.
3. Frying the Pierogi. Pan-Fry the pierogi with the bacon fat or butter over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
4. To garnish and to serve. Top with caramelized onions, crispy chopped bacon and chopped fresh parsley. Serve with sour cream.
More Potato recipes
Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls with bacon bits
Pierogi Ruskie - Potato and Cheese Pierogi Recipe
Watch How to Make It
Equipment
- 3" cookie cutter
Ingredients
For boiling the potatoes
- Water just enough to cover potatoes
- garlic 2 cloves, optional
- Salt about a ½ tbsp
For the potato cheese Filling
- 1 kg potatoes russet or Yukon gold
- ½ cup onion 1 medium-sized, finely chopped and sautéed
- 1 cup parmesan cheese substitute cheddar or mozzarella cheese grated
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- 3 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tsp parsley optional
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Pierogi Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 500 g plus for dusting
- ½ cup milk warm
- ½ cup water warm
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted or olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
For the optional toppings
- Crispy chopped bacon
- Caramelized sliced onion
- Sour cream to serve
For the garnish
- parsley chopped
- Green onion chopped
Instructions
How to make potato, cheese and onion filling
- Place whole potatoes into a pot and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender for about 20 minutes, it depends on the size.
- While boiling the potatoes, cook the onion until tender and caramelized.
- Drain and cut the potatoes in half. Press and push through the cooling rack over a medium-sized bowl.
- In a small bowl microwave and melt the butter. Add the cream cheese and stir until well blended. Pour over the hot mashed potatoes and add the rest of the filling ingredients. Mix until incorporated.
- If a bit chunky, use an immersion blender. Press pulse to chop. Be careful not to over blend, otherwise it will be gluey. Refrigerate to cool completely until ready to use.
How to make Pierogi dough
- Measure and mix the milk, water and melted butter in a measuring cup.
- In a bowl of stand mixer, add the flour and salt, mix with dough hook attachment.
- Add the wet ingredients, and mix until smooth for about 5 minutes or by hand for 10 minutes.
- Cover and let it stand and rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- How to stuff, mould and seal the Pierogi
- On a floured flat surface or use a large wooden chopping board, divide dough into 4 pieces. Cover the 3 pieces and set them aside.
- Using a rolling pin, thinly roll the first piece out onto a floured surface to about 1/16" thickness.
- Use a 3” to 3.5" diameter round cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough. Collect scraps and set them aside for re-rolling later.
How to stuff and mold Pierogi
- Brush the edges around the circles with a little water.
- Using a tablespoon size ice cream scoop with a trigger or use a tablespoon measuring spoon. Scoop one tablespoon of filling into the center. Fold the dough over the filling into half-circles.
- To form and mold the pierogi, pull the 2 edges together and pinch tightly or pinch twice to ensure a tight seal. Cook or freeze the pierogi.
How to cook Pierogi
- Boiling the Pierogi. Over medium-high heat, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add about a tablespoon of salt. Add fresh or frozen pierogi.
- Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until they float and tender. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon.
- You can serve it right after boiling, drizzle with olive oil or melted butter.
- For the Pierogi toppings. Chop bacon and add in a frying pan to cook until crispy. In the same frying pan with bacon fat, cook the sliced onion until tender and caramelized.
- Frying the Pierogi. Pan-Fry the pierogi with bacon fat or butter over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- To garnish and to serve Pierogi. Top with caramelized onions, crispy chopped bacon and chopped fresh parsley. Serve with sour cream.
