Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

Pierogi filled with cheesy potatoes, tossed with crisp bacon and melted butter and served with sour cream is the ultimate comfort food.

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (1)

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Growing up, this potato pierogi recipe or “Vareniki” was my favorite. My Mother rolled huge batches of pierogi dough, stuffing, and expertly molding them. Each buttery batch disappeared so fast!

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (2)

What is a Pierogi?

Pierogi are dumplings with a tender dough and savory or sweet fillings, similar to ravioli. They are boiled in water and tossed in butter to serve. Pierogi are a staple in Eastern European countries and are well-loved throughout the world.

Most Americans know them as polish pierogi or “Mrs. T Pierogies” (a sad store-bought substitute), but we know them as Ukrainian Vareniki.

Potatoes are just one of many fillings – in the summer months, Mom would make the juiciest blueberry pierogi.

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (3)

More Pierogi Filling Ideas:

  • Potatoes and Cheese served with bacon (recipe below)
  • Savory Meat filled dumplings (a.k.a. “pelmeni“)
  • Sweet Blueberry Pierogi served with a sprinkling of sugar
  • Cherry Pierogi – a summertime favorite
  • Sweet Plum Pierogi(or use your favorite stone fruit)

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (4)

Ingredients for Homemade Pierogi:

  • We used russet potatoes to make the filling but you can use leftover potatoes (see notes below)
  • Bacon is a real treat with a generous amount of butter. You can use butter only if you prefer.
  • Our go to cheeses are cream cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese, but you can sub mozzarella with your favorite cheese.

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (5)

Can I Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes?

  • You can use refrigerated leftover mashed potatoes for pierogi.
  • Mashed potatoes should not be overly creamy or soft which can cause the pierogi to fall apart while cooking.
  • Do not use instant potatoes or flaked potatoes.
  • If using leftover mashed potatoes, omit the butter from the pierogi filling and mash cream cheese and mozzarella into cold mashed potatoes.

How To Freeze Pierogi:

Generously dust a baking sheet with flour and arrange pierogi so they are not touching then cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a large zip-loc bag. Pre-freezing in a single layer keeps them from sticking together in the freezer.

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (6)

Watch How to Make Pierogi:

Please note, we updated the recipe in 2022, adding oil to the dough to make it softer and more tender. This mini-scoop from OXO(Amazon affiliate link) made it really easy to add the potato filling.

I hope you love these and don’t forget to recruit others to help you make them! My kids love playing with pierogi dough more than play-doh!

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (7)

Pierogi Recipe

4.96 from 262 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (9)

Pierogi filled with cheesy potatoes, tossed with crisp bacon and melted butter and served with sour cream is the ultimate comfort food.

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Prep Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs

Ingredients

Servings: 12 servings (5 pierogi per serving)

Ingredients for Potato Filing:

  • 2 lbs russet potatoes, (5 medium), peeled
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

For the Pierogi Dough:

For the Toppings (For 1/3 batch):

  • 4 oz bacon, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • Sour Cream, to serve

Instructions

How to Make Potato Cheese Filling:

  • Place potatoes in a pot, add enough water to cover potatoes then bring to a boil over medium/high and continue cooking 25 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain and cool 5 minutes then mash potatoes.

  • Mash in 1/2 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp melted butter and 2 oz cream cheese. Mash in 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Partially cover and set aside while rolling out the dough.

To Make Pierogi Dough:

How to Mold Pierogi:

  • Divide dough into 2 pieces. Cover the second piece and thinly roll the first piece out onto a floured surface to just under 1/8” thickness.

  • Use a 3” diameter round cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough, keeping them as close as possible (collect scraps and place under the bowl to re-use). Add 1/2 Tbsp of potatoes over each round.

  • To form pierogi, pull the 2 edges together and pinch tightly to seal. To ensure a tight seal, crimp the edges a second time with a pinch and twist motion. Cook or freeze pierogi for a future dinner (see freezing instructions in post).

How to Make Bacon Topping:

  • Make the topping before boiling pierogi so it’s ready to drizzle over pierogi to prevent sticking. In a medium skillet, saute 4 oz chopped bacon. Once crisp, melt in 2 Tbsp butter and remove from heat.

How to Cook Pierogi:

  • Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 Tbsp salt. Add fresh or frozen pierogi. Once they are floating and water is back to a boil and pierogi are floating, remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon drizzling buttery bacon between layers.

Notes

This recipe makes 55-60 pierogi, based on how thinly you roll.
Recipe updated 8/20/22 - we added oil to the dough to create a softer and more tender dough.
*See our post on How to Measure Ingredients

Nutrition Per Serving

246kcal Calories32g Carbs8g Protein8g Fat4g Saturated Fat36mg Cholesterol583mg Sodium68mg Potassium1g Fiber270IU Vitamin A56mg Calcium2.1mg Iron

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Pierogi Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

246

% Daily Value*

Fat

8

g

12

%

Saturated Fat

4

g

25

%

Sodium

583

mg

25

%

Potassium

68

mg

2

%

Carbohydrates

32

g

11

%

Fiber

1

g

4

%

Protein

8

g

16

%

Vitamin A

270

IU

5

%

Calcium

56

mg

6

%

Iron

2.1

mg

12

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian

Keyword: Pierogi, Pierogi Recipe

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $

Calories: 246

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

This Potato and Cheese Vareniki Recipe was first posted 9 years ago. You might recognize this photo. We cut the recipe in half, making a much more reasonable portion and improved on the dough making it softer than ever!

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (10)

Also, if you have a unique filling that you make, please share in a comment below!

Natasha Kravchuk

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (11)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Pierogi Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to boil frozen pierogies before frying? ›

However, it's not a must—you can also cook frozen pierogies right in the skillet without boiling them—and they will turn out delicious. But, if you're a stickler for tradition, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, drop the pierogies in and wait for them to float. It takes around 3 minutes.

How to perfectly cook perogies? ›

Place frozen perogies flat side down on a non-stick baking pan. Spray tops of perogies with cooking oil or brush perogies with light coating of cooking oil. Place in oven at 175 °C (375 °F) for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with non-fat sour cream or other favourite toppings.

Are perogies better boiled or fried? ›

Boiling Pierogi is the most popular method of cooking Pierogi because it adds no additional calories to your meal. It also offers a soft, delicate texture which is the more traditional way of eating Polish pierogi.

How many perogies per person? ›

Though pierogies are a classic Polish dish, food editor Paul Grimes had them every Easter at his Russian grandmother's house. Pierogies are satisfyingly rich, so you'll only need to serve 2 or 3 per person as a first course; leftovers make a great breakfast.

Is it better to fry pierogies in butter or oil? ›

Perogies taste great when you brown them in butter in a frying pan with some onions. Dollop of sour cream, some kishka on the side.

What side dish goes with perogies? ›

Sautéed onions and mushrooms: The aromatic duo of sautéed onions and mushrooms seamlessly complements pierogi. The caramelized onions' subtle sweetness, paired with the hearty mushroom taste, creates a harmonious blend. Fresh vegetable salads: Fresh vegetable salads offer a crisp, refreshing juxtaposition.

Are pierogies good in the air fryer? ›

Comforting and satisfying, Air Fryer Pierogies are a wonderful dish! Air-fried to a delicious golden brown and topped with crispy bacon, melted cheese, and rich sour cream, this recipe is drool-worthy!

How do you keep cooked perogies from sticking together? ›

To prevent sticking, dust your pierogi with a bit of flour or cornstarch and place them in a single layer or use parchment paper between layers. Ensure they are completely cool before storing.

How to make perogies taste better? ›

Add onion and drained pierogies and season to taste with salt and pepper or House Seasoning. Cook over high heat until the onion is soft and browned and pierogies are nicely browned. The pasta shell will get a little crunchy - it's delish! Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Do Polish people boil perogies? ›

And that's precisely what pierogi are: delicious boiled pastry parcels filled to the brim with all sorts of yummy things: cheese and potato, sauerkraut and mushrooms, meat, spinach, lentils, sweetened farmer's cheese or berries. I too remember my grandma's kitchen, and how she taught me to make pierogi.

What is the difference between perogies and pierogies? ›

Also called perogi or perogy, Polish pierogi (pronounced pih-ROH-ghee) or homemade pierogies are small half-moon dumplings. They're also chock-full of fabulous fillings. Interestingly, the word pierogi is actually plural. But the singular form pieróg is hardly ever used.

Can you overcook perogies? ›

Be careful not over-cook or they will come apart. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a dish towel to remove excess water. Serve with butter, sour cream, whipped cream, white sugar, brown sugar, or fresh fruits.

Are perogies good or bad for you? ›

Pierogies can be high in fat; the fat content depends on how the pierogies are cooked, the size of the pierogi and what they are stuffed with. However, pierogies can also be a healthful addition to your diet.

Is it better to cook perogies frozen or thawed? ›

Frozen: Defrost pierogi overnight and use the above instructions to sear them. If you're boiling or steaming them you don't have to defrost them but boil them for 5 minutes and steam them for 8 minutes. Alternatively you can cook them from frozen but don't start them too hot.

Are frozen perogies precooked? ›

Remember that these frozen pierogi are already fully cooked, so you really just need to heat them through. If you're planning to boil and then saute the pierogi, you can remove them from the boiling water as soon as they all float.

Why are my perogies mushy? ›

Never put too many perogies is the pan at once they can not cook evenly or properly if they are all piled on one an other they will slowly thaw and end up as a pile of mush. Once you place the perogies in the boiling water cover with a lid immediately and LEAVE THEM alone for a 3-5 mins.

Can you boil Mrs T's pierogies? ›

A great recommendation for preparing our pierogies for a crowd is to boil the pierogies, add butter or oil and place them in a slow cooker on low heat.

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