Learn how to make Authentic Polish dumplings–pierogi with potatoes. Pierogies are my favorite potato dumplings, topped with sautéed onions and sour cream!
What is a Pierogi?
Don’t mistake Pierogi-Polish dumplings with Pyrohy, which are fried Eastern European yeast buns. Pierogi are boiled dumplings very similar to varenyky. This pierogi dough recipe is so easy to work with, and tastes way better than the store-bought frozen ones we know as Mrs. T Pierogies!
We serve them mainly as a main dish because they’re very filling, but check out my Varenyky recipe for sweet fruit or cheese-filled dumplings. If you prefer a savory cabbage filling, then try these Cabbage-Filled Pierogies.
The Best Potatoes To Use for Pierogies?
Russets are the choice of potatoes for pierogies. They will give a lighter, fluffier texture, however, other popular choices are red-skinned potatoes (peeled) or Chefs potatoes. Use your favorite, “mashing” potato! Cut potatoes into thick 1/2-inch slices rather than cubes when cooking, they’ll cook more evenly.
Ingredients in Pierogi:
There are three parts to savory homemade pierogies, the filling, dough, and onion butter sauce. Pierogies can be stuffed so many different ways, but for us, they are either with sauerkraut mixed into fried cabbage or with mashed potatoes.
- Pierogi filling- can be any leftover mashed potatoes! I’ll include a mashed potato recipe specifically for this amount of dumpling dough in the recipe card below but know that you can use any kind of whipped potatoes. Mashed potatoes are an Eastern European staple, so it only makes sense that cooks would use leftovers for dumplings or croquettes.
- Dumpling dough- adding sour cream to the dough mixture gives more flavor and lightens up the dough. I add it to Pelmeni dough (meat dumplings), and here, which makes an easy-to-work-with dough!
- Onion butter sauce- is a must! Melted butter is okay but adding some fried onions to the butter makes it packed with flavor. All this to say we still use a generous amount of sour cream when serving!
How To Make Pierogi:
Preparation is not as hard as it seems. I make the dough by hand because using bread flour cuts down the kneading time. Originally, this pierogi dough was a combination of all-purpose flour and semolina flour which makes a high-protein dough but using all bread flour makes it nice and elastic too.
Cook’s Tip: Use store-bought refrigerated biscuit dough for a dough hack! I use that as a shortcut to dumplings and it boils wonderfully!
- Start with making the russet potatoes for the filling to cool before stuffing. Mash the potatoes until smooth and spread the filling out into a square baking dish, so that it chills quicker. Cool until firm. While the potatoes cook you can knead prepare the dough and allow it to rest while the filling cools.
- To make the pierogi dough use bread flour and sour cream to make an easy-to-knead dough. You could add everything to a stand mixer but I simply knead it by hand until it comes together smoothly and doesn’t stick to my hand. Whisk the dry ingredients first, then add the wet.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to an 18-inch circle (about 1/8″ thick). Cut out circles using a 3-inch biscuit cutter or cup. Reuse and roll out scraps to make additional dumplings.
- Fill with 1 tbsp of filling and crimp the edges shut. You will see how easy to work with this dough is, you won’t even need to seal them with water, and they crimp easily!
- Place dumplings on a floured tray. To cook pierogi, boil them in salted water for exactly 5 minutes. Toss in carmelized onions before serving. I like to boil mine in two batches so as not to overcrowd the pot.
How To Fill Pierogies:
Place the filling right in the middle of a cutout circle of dough. Simply fold the dough together in half, right in the middle (to form a half-circle), and pinch the seams tightly together working from one end, to give the pierogi a final solid pinch so the filling stays inside once cooked.
Can I Freeze Homemade Pierogis?
Yes! This pierogi recipe freezes very well! To freeze, fill, and seal each pierogi and place all pierogies onto a well-floured tray. Place the tray into the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer all dumplings into a gallon-sized freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 6 months.
How Long To Cook Pierogies:
Usually, pierogies are done cooking once they float to the top. A good rule of thumb to cook pierogies is to boil them in salted water for exactly 5 minutes. If they are frozen cook for an extra 3 minutes.
Reheating Pierogies:
Leftovers are best fried. Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a skillet and add the cold pierogies. Fry over med-low heat until golden brown and lightly crisp (about 7-8 minutes). Add additional onions when melting the butter for more flavor.
Pierogi Tips:
- Salt your water when cooking dumplings, it seasons the pierogis dough as it cooks and adds savory flavor.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer batches into a bowl or frying pan. A colander is handy to drain the water.
- When making large batches boil no more than 10-12 pierogies.
- To reheat, fry in a skillet with butter.
- If the dough springs back too easily, allow it to rest for 20 minutes so it can be elastic when rolling out.
- Drain the dumplings and keep them all in a large mixing bowl. Then pour the onion butter sauce over the top and toss gently to coat the pierogies. Transfer dumplings to a serving dish and enjoy.
- You could also arrange 5-6 dumplings per plate and drizzle each serving with the onion butter sauce. This method is ideal for restaurants.
- The dough will look rough and shaggy when you first, mix the dough but it will smooth out the longer you knead it.
- We don’t mix water into our onion butter sauce, the butter helps keep the pierogis from sticking so keep it pure.
- Make ahead and freeze pierogies for cooking up fresh later. Pierogis can be boiled from frozen, typically it’s 8 minutes of boiling for al dente dumplings.
- Cook pierogies in 3 liters of boiling water with 1 tbsp of salt. I usually fill my 7-quart pot about halfway full and bring it to a boil then add the salt and pierogis.
- Save the scrap pieces of dough, gather them into a ball, and cover them with plastic wrap as you seal the dumplings. This allows the worked-out dough to rest and helps with rolling it out again.
More Dumplings:
We love dumplings! Here are more Eastern European dumpling recipes and more!
Pierogi Recipe (Polish Dumplings)
Equipment
- mixing bowl (to knead the dough by hand)
- 1 (1.22 oz) ice cream scoop for portioning the filling
- 1 3-inch dough cutter (biscuit cutter)
- 1 6-quart pot for boil dumplings
- 1 Skillet (for the onion butter sauce)
- 1 colander and skimmer
Ingredients
Pierogi Dough:
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream (I used Daisy Brand)
- 2 eggs
Potato Filling:
- 1 lb russet potatoes (peeled and sliced into 1/2" slices)
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Onion Butter Sauce:
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large onion (diced)
Instructions
Directions:
Start by making the filling so it has time to cool. Cook the potatoes in boiling water (covering potatoes by an inch), seasoned with 1 Tbsp of salt. Drain and beat in the cream cheese, butter, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a large enough dish to cool quickly. Keep refrigerated.- To Make Pierogi Dough: whisk the dry ingredients first (flour, salt, and baking powder); add the wet (sour cream and eggs) and knead until smooth. I added 2 more tablespoons of flour when kneading. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
- Shaping: roll the dough out to an 18-inch circle and cut the dough into circles using a 3-inch glass or dough cutter.
- Filling: Place 1 tbsp of filling into the middle of each circle. Close the dough by pinching the filling in at the middle and moving to one end, seal the edges shut.
- Place pierogies on a floured tray and finish rolling out all the dough, reusing the scraps to roll out more dumplings.
- Meanwhile, Make the onion butter sauce: in a skillet, saute the onion in butter until translucent and golden brown over medium-high heat (about 5-8 minutes).
- Boiling: Bring 3 liters of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbsp of salt and cook 10-12 pierogies at a time, for 5 minutes. Remove pierogies with a slotted spoon and place on a serving dish. Drizzle with onion butter sauce and serve with sour cream!
Notes
- Recipe Credits: mainly adapted from this recipe from America's Test Kitchen where they share secrets to making authentic pierogi at home.
- If you use all-purpose flour knead longer and allow the dough to sit for 30 minutes before rolling out.
- You can use a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer for kneading the dough. Knead it by hand or in the mixer for 5-8 minutes.
- If the dough springs back easily give it an extra 10 minutes to rest, then try rolling it out again.
- You can make the filling a couple of days before preparing the dough. Leftover mashed potatoes work great too!
