These pierogi recipes are made from scratch using simple, traditional ingredients and tried and tested methods! This post includes tips for serving, storing and freezing both savoury and sweet pierogi.
Polish pierogi recipes are made using simple ingredients that are inexpensive and easy to prepare. Which is what has contributed to their immense popularity, in addition to being addictively delicious!
In Poland pierogi are an institution. They accompany celebrations of all kinds (including Christmas!) and any gatherings involving food, but are often also served as a family meal (usually preceded by a soup, another staple in Polish cuisine).
Outside of Poland pierogi are one of the best known Polish dishes (along with gołąbki, potato salad and bigos).
What are pierogi
Pierogi (pronounced ‘pye-RO-ghee’) are a type of Polish dumplings with a semi-circular shape made by wrapping soft unleavened dough around a filling, either savoury or sweet. Pierogi are then boiled in salted water and either served immediately or pan-fried then served.
The word 'pierogi' is actually the plural form of 'pierόg' (pronounced 'PYE-ruk'), but it's not well-known (outside of Poland) since pierogi are always served in large numbers.
Pierogi components
Every pierogi recipe has the same 2 elements: dough and filling. While the dough is always the same the filling mixtures can be made using a multitude of different ingredients, both savoury as well as sweet.
Traditional pierogi dough contains only 4 ingredients. They are:
- Flour
- Water
- Butter or oil
- Salt
The most popular filling mixtures for pierogi include:
- Potato and twarόg cheese
- Sauerkraut
- Meat
- Sweetened twarόg cheese
- Fruit
Below you will find recipes for pierogi using the above fillings:
5 most popular Polish pierogi recipes
1.Pierogi ruskie.
Pierogi ruskie (pron. 'ROOS-kie'), probably the most popular type of pierogi, are made using mashed potato and traditional Polish cheese,‘twarόg’ (pron. 'TFA-ruk') (also used with Polish crepes). Twarόg has the texture similar to that of feta cheese but tastes a lot like cottage cheese, giving these savoury pierogi a delicious sour flavour.
Pierogi ruskie are served as one of traditional Christmas Eve dishes in Poland, but are also popular year round.
- Recipe for pierogi ruskie.
2. Sauerkraut pierogi.
Sauerkraut pierogi ('pierogi z kapustą' in Polish) are made using a mixture of sauerkraut and wild mushrooms which are cooked together for a rich, tangy and delicious pierogi filling mixture. Like pierogi ruskie, these dumplings are also served on Christmas Eve as well as year round.
Sauerkraut and wild mushrooms are a popular pairing in Polish recipes, also used in traditional bigos stew.
See also my tips for cooking sauerkraut.
- See recipe for sauerkraut pierogi.
3. Meat pierogi.
Meat pierogi ('pierogi z mięsem' in Polish) are usually made using leftover cooked meat used to make Polish chicken noodle rosόł soup, or another meat-based soup. An alternative is to simply use ground meat, as I have done in this easy pierogi recipe.
- See recipe for meat pierogi.
4. Fruit pierogi.
Fruit pierogi are usually made during summer months using seasonal fruit, most commonly either blueberries or strawberries. Traditional blueberry pierogi are made using wild blueberries and served with a little sugar for a 'sweet' meal.
- See recipe for blueberry pierogi.
5. Polish cheese pierogi.
Cheese pierogi are filled with sweetened twarόg cheese with a hint of vanilla and are also served as a meal. These pierogi come together quite quickly as the filling does not need to be precooked (as in the savoury pierogi).
- See recipe for sweet cheese pierogi.
Traditional Polish pierogi recipe variations
1.Homemade cheddar and potato pierogies.
This North American version of pierogi ruskie is a testament to the universal appeal of pierogi. Everyone loves them! People in Canada and the USA often use the anglicised form 'pierogies' (or 'perogies'), which is why I also used it in this recipe.
The filling in this pierogi recipe is a mixture of potato and cheddar cheese while the dough usually contains eggs, sometimes also sour cream and cream cheese.
- See recipe for potato and cheddar pierogies.
2. Vegan pierogi.
Vegan pierogi are a dairy-free alternative to traditional pierogi ruskie. They filling contains potato, onion and tofu instead of twarόg cheese, but they are still deliciously tangy and addictive!
- See recipe for vegan pierogi.
3. Lazy pierogi.
Lazy pierogi ('pierogi leniwe' in Polish) are 4-ingredient Polish cheese dumplings boiled in water and served with either sweet or savoury toppings. They are a simplified version ofthe sweet cheese pierogi (above) made without kneading, wrapping in dough or precooking any of the ingredients. Incredibly easy to make and ready in only about 20 minutes!
A similar dumpling recipe are ever-popular traditional potato kopytka!
- See recipe for Polish lazy pierogi.
4. Mushroom uszka dumplings.
Uszka, as they are commonly called, are small dumplings made with pierogi dough and porcini mushroom filling. They are one of the traditional Christmas Eve dishes always served with Polish beet soup, barszcz.
- See recipe for uszka dumplings.
Do you always have to boil pierogi
Yes, you do! The filling usually contains ready-to-eat ingredients but the dough needs to cook and boiling pierogi in a large pot of salted water (even the 'sweet' ones!) produces soft, delicious pierogi.
How to serve pierogi
Pierogi are always served hot. They can be served either straight from the pot or pan-fried first in a little oil or butter for a crispy finish.
Tip: Not all pierogi should be fried. Pierogi with fruit fillings tend to be more fragile than most savoury ones and are best served immediately after boiling.
Traditional toppings for savoury pierogi include fried bacon, onion, sour cream and butter. If your pierogi have a sweet filling, such as blueberry pierogi and cheese pierogi, they are usually served with sour cream and sugar.
In Poland they can be served as a stand-alone meal or with soup (yes, even the 'sweet' pierogi!).
Alternative ways of serving pierogi
Depending on the filling you can also serve pierogi with the following (not traditional but work well nonetheless):
- White sauce
- Sour cream sauce
- Wild mushroom sauce
- Ranch sauce
- Steamed broccoli
- Sautéed cabbage
- Creamy coleslaw
Are pierogi healthy
Yes, they are relatively healthy. The dough is low in fat and so are most of the fillings. If, however, you serve pierogi with lots of butter or bacon they can become quite calorific. I recommend using a moderate amount of these 'extras' as well as serving no more than 6-8 pierogi per portion.
How to freeze pierogi
You can freeze raw as well as cooked pierogi. The tips below apply to all pierogi recipes.
- To freeze raw pierogi dust them with a little flour (on both sides) and place on top of a tray or plate in a single layer (they must not touch each other). Freeze for 4 hours then transfer to a freezer bag/container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Tip: Cook pierogi from frozen.They will take a little longer to come up to the top but once they do continue cooking gently for 4 minutes (as per Instructions).
- To freeze cooked pierogi cool them completely then arrange in a single layer on top of a lightly greased plate or tray (the pierogi need to be lightly greased on both sides) and freeze for 4 hours. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for 4-5 weeks.
Tip: Defrost pierogi (by placing in the fridge overnight) before reheating. Reheat in the microwave or fry with a little butter or oil until golden.
How to make pierogi in advance
Most pierogi recipes can be made in advance. The only type of pierogi that are not suitable to make ahead are fruit pierogi (they contain too much moisture).
When making Polish pierogi dumplings in advance (for Christmas, Polish potluck party, etc) follow these easy steps:
1.Cooking: Cook the pierogi (as per Instructions) and grease with a little oil or butter immediately after removing from the pot. Set aside for a few minutes to let them harden a little.
2. Storing: Transfer to an oven-proof dish and add more oil or melted butter if needed (so they do not stick to one another). You can also add fried onions and/or bacon. Cover with a lid or tin foil.
3. Reheating: Reheat in the oven, covered, at 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4 for about 30 minutes or until hot. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Tip: You can refrigerate cooked pierogi overnight (once cooled completely), covered, and reheat the following day.
Keep in touch!
What’s your favourite pierogi recipe? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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