The Best Potato Pierogi Recipe
Tender dumplings filled with cheesy potato filling then topped with buttery sautรฉed onions, this is the comfort food of my childhood. The Best Potato Pierogi recipe is passed down from my grandfather and made completely from scratch.
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A Family Heirloom for Decades
Iโm so excited to share these Homemade Pierogies with you! They are a staple at many of my familiesโ holiday gatherings and, seriously, make all the feelings well up inside whenever we serve them.
My grandfather was off the boat polish. Like literally, he packed up his wife and kidsโฆ.sailed across the pond (my grandmother was British) and settled here in this great melting pot of a county I now have the pleasure of growing old in.
And with him (other than his family) he brought a bunch of authentic Polish recipes I was, kinda, forced to learn. Homemade Potato Pierogies were one of the things on that lesson plan. And it was a big, huge dealโฆthe whole pierogi process so when you knew he was about to make them, you knew you were in for some hard child labor.
At least thatโs how I looked at it when I was a kid. And for thatโฆ.NOWโฆ.Iโm so ever grateful because thatโs how I came to create the Very BEST Potato Pierogi Recipe of all time. ANDโฆ..theyโre really not as hard as I remembered them to be during those marathon Pierogi making sessions.
How To Make Pierogi
You can use any type of cheese you like but we fill our pierogi with a potato and cottage cheese filling much like vareniki fillings.
And unlike my family recipe, I add cream cheese to my potatoesโฆ.and sour cream to my dough. I like the dough to have a bit of tangy flavor, less like a dumpling and more like aโฆwell, a pierogi. And I love my mashed potato recipe so I kinda took a page from that recipe and added the cream cheese.
How to make Pierogi Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, blend together the flour and salt on low speed.
- Whisk together the milk, egg and sour cream. Slowly add the milk mixture to the flour in a steady stream.
- Continue to blend the flour mixture together until a shaggy dough forms and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour.
- I love how easy and soft this pierogi dough recipe isโฆ.the stand mixer makes it come together so quickly but you can totally do this by hand if you donโt have a stand mixer.
How to make Pierogi Filling
- Add the potatoes to a pot and fill with water to just cover the potatoes. Stir in the salt and bring the potatoes to a boil.
- Turn the heat to low and continue cooking the potatoes until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onions to the pan. Cook until caramelized and golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the onions, cottage cheese and cream cheese to the potatoes. Mash using a potato masher until well blended
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
This pierogi filling recipe is so simple and sooooo addicting. Itโs really hard not to eat all of it before assembling the pierogies! If you want to make this step even easier, you can definitely use leftover mashed potatoes for the filling.
We love this Biscuit Cutter set because the variety of sizes provides more options from cutting Pierogi Dough to shaping cookies.
How to Cook Pierogi
- To cook your Homemade Potato Pierogi, you have a few options. We like to pop out pierogi into a pot of salted boiling water and cook them until they float to the top. When they float, theyโre done.
- Or you can simply pan fry your potato piergies in a skillet with caramelized onions and lots of butter. The onion butter is a great sauce for your potato pierogi!
- OR you can do bothโฆ.boil then pan fry for pierogi heaven on a plate.
How to cook Frozen Pierogi
No need to thaw your frozen potato pierogiโฆ.simply cook them in a skillet with a bit of water until soft, then add butter and pan fry your pierogi until lightly brown on the outside and warmed through on the inside.
What is a Pierogi?
Pierogi are filled dumplings of central and eastern European descent made with unleavened dough then filled with either a savory or sweet stuffing before being boiled or pan fried.
This Easy Pierogi recipe is made in two parts to simplify the process even more. Both steps can be made in advance.
Tips and Substitutions
- Be sure you donโt overwork your dough. The gluten in the flour tends to get tough when itโs over rolled, over kneaded, over handled. When it starts to look shaggy in the mixer bowl and pulls away from the sidesโฆ.stop and let it rest for a good hour before rolling out.
- Cook those onions until theyโre good and caramelized. That adds so much needed flavor that will be missed if you donโt let them get golden brown. Itโs what I love most about this recipe.
- Donโt think the cottage cheese is weirdโฆ.itโs not and adds some great texture to the filling. If you can find large curd cottage cheese do buy it and use it, the small curd tends to disappear into the filling a bit. Farmerโs cheese is authentic to pierogis but itโs sometimes hard to find.
- Donโt overfill. Because pierogi will bust open like a pair of skinny jeans on Thanksgiving while theyโre boiling. And thatโs not good eats. I know itโs tempting to go big or go home but keep things light in there and you will be rewarded.
- Donโt over boilโฆ.once your pierogi float to the top, scoop them out. You can eat them as is or save for later, then fry up in some butter with onions for a truly amazing experience.
- Neverโฆeverโฆbuy frozen pierogies again. Just kidding, but you will now know the difference and they just donโt compare. ๐
What to Serve with Pierogi
Our favorite things to serve with this easy Potato Pierogi recipe are:
- Super easy Fried Cabbageโฆmy personal favorite
- Quick Kielbasa and Cabbage
- Simple Stewed Tomatoes
- Bourbon Honey Baked Ham
- Easy Stuffed Cabbage recipe
Or just serve with sour creamโฆ.itโs seriously simple and delish!
More Easy Pierogi Recipes
- Macarogies and Cheese.โฆa fun twist on mac and cheese
- Spicy Szechuan Style Pierogies
- If you love loaded baked potatoes, you will flip over these LOADED POTATO PIEROGI!
And if you bought too many potatoes to make The Very Best Potato Pierogi recipeโฆnever fear, you can use those up in this easy Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup or this spectacularly amazing Potato Gratin. Or go easy and stuff a baked potato with broccoli and cheese.
For more easy recipes and simple dinner inspiration, follow us over on Instagram!
Get the Recipe: Potato Pierogi Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pierogi dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup sour cream
For the Pierogi Filling
- 5 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 large vidalia onions, diced
- 1 1/2 cups large curd cottage cheese
- 8 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
Equipment
- 1 biscuit cutter or large glass for cutting
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 dutch oven optional
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, blend together the flour and salt on low speed.
- Whisk together the milk, egg and sour cream. Slowly add the milk mixture to the flour in a steady stream.
- Continue to blend the flour mixture together until a shaggy dough forms and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour.
- Add the potatoes to a pot and fill with water to just cover the potatoes. Stir in the salt and bring the potatoes to a boil.
- Turn the heat to low and continue cooking the potatoes until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onions to the pan. Cook until caramelized and golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the onions, cottage cheese and cream cheese to the potatoes. Mash using a potato masher until well blended.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2 3/4-inch cutter. Place on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Using your hands, lightly flatten the dough disk to stretch it out a bit.
- Place approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons potato filling in the center of the dough and fold the top half down over filling, gently pressing to squeeze out any air and seal by pinched the seam together.
- Return to baking sheet and cover.
- Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 4 dumplings. Cook, stirring gently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot, until dumplings rise to the surface, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and pat dry. Transfer to a serving platter, and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Repeat with remaining pierogies.
- Serve with melted butter, caramelized onions and sour cream, if desired.
Video
95 Comments on โThe Best Potato Pierogi Recipeโ
YUMMERZZZZZZโค๏ธโค๏ธ
Thank you!
I never realized the artistry that goes into crafting the perfect pierogi until I read your post. Your vivid descriptions and recommendations have inspired me to broaden my pierogi palate.
I hope you love them as much as we do!
Your blog post took me on a delightful journey through the world of Polish pierogi!
I appreciate how you highlighted not just the taste but also the cultural significance behind these flavorful dumplings. Itโs amazing how food can connect us to traditions and memories. Thank you for sharing!
Youโre very welcome! Not everyone appreciates the story behind the food so Iโm happy you loved it enough to leave such a lovely comment.
How far in advance can I make the dough? Thanks,
Iโve made the dough up to a day in advance. Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and then allow it to come to room temperature before rolling it out.
Had to add 1 more Comment.
I recommend you call it a Potatoe Cottage Cheese Perogy.
The reason being there are other combos with Potatoes.
I Love your website
Thank you!
Hereโs a little secret. Adding fresh dill elevates this recipe โThe Very Bestโ . You wonโt want to go without it once youve tried it.
Weโre not a fan of dill in our pierogi but maybe because itโs not how they were growing up. But Iโm sure others will love it!
I donโt care for cottage cheese. Can I just use any crumbled cheese? Feta, bleu, farmers?
Hi! You could substitute with Ricotta cheese but you canโt really taste the cottage cheese in the potato mixture.
If I want to freeze them do I boil them first and then freeze, or freeze after filling them?
We boil them first and then freeze them. Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet and then transfer to a freezer bag.
makes sense- thanks!!!
How should the texture of the dough be? I followed the recipe to a T and it was SO sticky. I probably added almost a full cup more, it seemed okay, and then was completely stuck to the plastic wrap after an hour
Itโs definitely sticky but you add more flour as needed.
I wasnโt impressed with this recipe,the dough was tuff after frying them up..Maybe it was me,but I wasnโt happy with the outcome.Iโve been making pierogi for many years.Sometimes I like to change it up.
If the dough was tough it may have been over mixed. That will definitely change the consistency from soft, velvety dough to a tough dough for sure.
Amazing! The dough is perfectโฆif you have a pasta roller (like a Mercato) it can go pretty quick on level three and cut it out with the cookie ring. The filling is perfect and the cream cheese is absolutely key (substituted cheddar with the curd) . I did 45 perogi with no blowouts, the dough seals so nicely. Thank you, my go to recipe after 30 yrs of trying!
Thank you so much! A pasta roller is an excellent idea!!!
Looks good, plan on making it this weekend. Can I use nonfat milk or is whole milk required?
You can definitely use nonfat milk I just like a little extra richness you get with whole milk.
My sister and I made these last week when I was visiting her in Seattle. Wow, just WOW. They were SO GOOD. We portioned off the potato/onion mixture and made your cottage cheese-cream cheese filling and also the one we grew up with: potato, onion, and colby cheese! Because we were feeling SUPER ambitious, we also did a 3rd filling of Sauerkraut and sauteed mushrooms. A restaurant here in Los Angeles does that one. All three filling types of โroagsโ complimented each other so well. Thank you for this!!!
Youโre so welcome! Iโm a huge fan of sauerkraut in my pierogi and just havenโt had a chance to share that recipe but bravo on your pierogi feast. Sounds amazing!!!
So if one were to make this with packaged mashed potatoes instead of prepping and boiling said potatoes how much would they need?
Iโm sorry, I donโt have an answer because I havenโt tried it with packaged mashed potatoes. My guess would be 3-4 cups?
Yummy. I made theses pierogies last evening. Wow they were just as it says. The very best .. thank you for sharing your recipeโฆ.
thank you so much for your comment!