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This Potato and Cheddar Pierogi Recipe also contains the sweetest caramelized onions. Topped with cooked smokey bacon and served with sour cream, these little dumplings are amazingly delicious!
What are pierogi?
Pierogi are defined as filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savoury or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often then pan-fried before serving.
We going savory today. Let me show you how easy it is to make them at home.
How to make my Potato and Cheddar Pierogi Recipe
This recipe does require just a little bit of preparation in that the potatoes need to be boil, drained, seasoned and mashed the night before. The potatoes need to be cold when we stuff the pierogi, so this step is best prepped the day before.
I take this time to caramelize the onions since I am standing at the stove anyway. I also crisped up a few slices of bacon at the same time.
The day you are preparing to make the pierogi, simply blend the mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese and the caramelized onions using a fork. Once the cheese melts during cooking, this mixture will come together. It’s much easier to scoop when cold!
How to form the pierogi
This is a super simple dough and it all comes together in a stand mixer. It is pretty sticky at first, but you’ll let it rest for about 10 minutes before rolling it out.
After 10 minutes, remove the dough from the mixer and place onto a floured board and knead it until smooth. This should take no more than 3-5 minutes. Add dough if it’s too sticky, taking care not to add too much.
From there, roll to 1/8″ thick, cut out using your biscuit cutter and fill. Don’t over fill or they will explode in the next process. Fold in half and using a fork, crimp the edges tightly. You can use your biscuit cutter to clean up or round out those edges if you’d like.
Keep rolling the dough and re-rolling the dough until you have used all of it. I used a 3″ round biscuit cutter and a 1-1/2 teaspoon cookie scoop to make these and got 36 pierogi. (*affiliate links below)
In a large pot with plenty of water and a tablespoon of salt, boil the pierogi for 3-5 minutes or until they float. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon.
I boiled all of them first before proceeding to the next step. If you’d like to learn how to freeze some of the pierogi, keep reading 🙂
How to my freeze Potato and Cheddar Pierogi Recipe
If you’d like to freeze the pierogi (or some of them), this is where you’ll stop and allow them to cool after boiling for that 3-5 minutes. Once room temperature, place on a parchment lined sheet pan and freeze individually. Once they are completely frozen, you can remove them and place them in a freezer bag. This will keep from from sticking together. They’ll keep for about 3 months.
To defrost, take out the night before and allow to come up to temperature slowly in the refrigerator. To heat, add to boiling water for 3-5 minutes and then proceed to the next step…
Melt butter in a large skillet and add the boiled and drained pierogi allowing to brown o both sides for about 5-10 minutes. This will depend on your pan, but keep an eye on them so they don’t get too brown.
While the pierogi are browning, prepare your sour cream, chop your bacon and parsley.
Serve the browned, buttery pierogi with sour cream, a sprinkling of bacon and parsley and enjoy!
Did you make my Potato and Cheddar Pierogi Recipe? Leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought. You can also tag me on Instagram @aimee_stock. I love seeing your creations!
Potato and Cheddar Pierogi Recipe
Equipment
- 3" Biscuit or Cookie Cutter
- 1 1/2 tsp Cookie Scoop
- Large stock pot
- Non-Stick Skillet
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
DOUGH:
- 2 1/4 c All Purpose Flour
- 1 c Sour Cream
- 2 tbsp Butter softened
- 1 large Egg plus …
- 1 large Egg YOLK only
FILLING:
- 1 1/2 c Mashed Potatoes milk/butter optional, season with salt and pepper
- 1 c Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1/2 medium Onion sliced and sauteed in butter until golden and caramelized
FOR TOPPING:
- Sour Cream for serving
- Cooked Bacon chopped into small pieces
- Parsley chopped, plus a sprig for garnish
FOR COOKING:
- 1 tbsp Salt for boiling water
- 3 tbsp Butter melted, for pan frying
Instructions
- THE DAY BEFORE: Boil and drain potatoes, mash with salt and pepper. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.
- While the potatoes are cooking, this is a good time to make your caramelized onions and bacon ahead. Refrigerate overnight.
- Add the flour, sour cream, softened butter, one large egg plus one egg yolk. Mix until it comes together. It will be very sticky. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Using floured hands, remove to a floured board and knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth. Divide in half and roll to 1/8" thick. Cut into rounds.
- To make the filling, add the cold mashed potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese and caramelized onions.
- Using a 1 1/2 tsp measuring spoon or scoop, place the filling into center of the dough and fold in half. Using a fork, firmly press to crimp. Continue until all of the dough and filling are used, placing them on a cooking sheet.
- Boil water and add salt. Boil pierogies in batches for 3-5 minutes or until they float. Remove when they float.
- If cooking immediately, place the boiled piergoi into melted butter over medium high heat for 5-10 minutes or until golden on both sides.
- To freeze, boil as mentioned above and allow to cool to room temperature on a cookie sheet. Freeze on the cookie sheet and when completely frozen, remove to a freezer bag. This helps keep them from sticking together. Keeps for 3 months.
- To serve, add chopped back and parsley. Dip into sour cream.