Potato and Cheese Pierogi with Caramelized Onions
Soft, pillowy dough stuffed with creamy potato and cheese, then pan-fried to golden, buttery perfection—these Potato and Cheese Pierogi are pure comfort in every bite. Adapted from Good and Cheap*.
Ingredients
Pierogi Dough
- 4 C All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 2 Large Eggs room temperature
- 2 C Water lukewarm
Potato, Cheese and Caramelized Onion Filling
- 2 lb Potatoes of Choice peeled and boiled till fork tender
- 2 C Shredded Cheese of Choice any melty variety, preferably freshly shredded
- 2 C Caramelized Onions* (see recipe note)
- 2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Hot Paprika (optional)
- 4 Scallions, Chopped (optional)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine, AP flour and salt. Make a well in the middle and slowly add in eggs and water.Mix until a smooth dough forms - it will be relatively sticky. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let rest while you make your filling.4 C All Purpose Flour, 2 tsp Kosher Salt, 2 Large Eggs, 2 C Water
- In a separate large bowl, combine filling ingredients.2 lb Potatoes of Choice, 2 C Shredded Cheese of Choice, 2 C Caramelized Onions*, 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard, 1 tsp Dried Thyme, 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper, 1 tsp Smoked Hot Paprika, 4 Scallions, Chopped, Salt and Pepper
- Split dough in half, keeping one half covered in the bowl. Liberally flour your sparkling countertops and place the dough in the center. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough outwards, spinning frequently to make sure it’s not getting stuck on the counter. Apply more flour to your surface as necessary. The dough should be about ⅛” thick.
- Using a roughly 3” biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, mason jar lid or even a cup, cut as many rounds from your dough as possible, saving the scrap dough to re-roll with the resting half.
- Scoop out about a tablespoon of your filling and put it in the center of a round. Fold the dough around the filling, creating a half moon shape. Pinch the edges sealed, being sure to keep the filling inside. Then use a fork to crimp the edges shut.Lay the completed pierogi on a large plate or cookie sheet, using a tea towel to keep them covered. Don’t make the mistake that I did and lay completed pierogi on top of each other or they will stick together and potentially pull apart all of your hard work. Use parchment or another tea towel to start a new layer as needed.Repeat steps rolling, filling and crimping until all of your dough is gone.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and add enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean. In batches of about 12, add your pierogi to the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until they rise to the top (1-3 minutes). Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, remove boiled pierogi and put on another plate or cookie sheet. Continue until all pierogi are boiled. Once pierogi are cool, you can portion them out into freezer bags, removing as much air as possible from the bags. Label and date them before freezing. They will easily last 6 months, and you can pan fry them directly from frozen.
- Heat a medium-large saucepan (depending on how many you’re making) over medium heat. For 12 pierogi, I added in about a tablespoon of butter. When the butter begins to bubble, add your pierogi. Cook until golden brown, then flip and cook until the other side is equally golden and delicious.
- Serve with a drizzle of melted, salted butter, a dollop of greek yogurt (or sour cream, traditionally), and a handful of scallions, chopped.Enjoy every carb-y moment. You earned it.
Notes
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Boiled pierogi will keep in the fridge for about a week.
- Freezer: Frozen pierogi will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. To freeze pierogi, spread the boiled and drained pierogi in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a zip-top bag.
- Reheating: When you're ready to eat, skip the defrosting step entirely: just melt some butter in a sauté pan and toss the frozen pierogi in until browned and heated through.
- Tip: Got extra filling left over? Scoop it into a container, label it with the date, and freeze it for next time—instant head start on your next pierogi batch! Feeling lazy? Use that leftover filling with wonton wrappers to make "cheater's pierogi"—no boiling required.
- Use an empanada press if you have one. If you happen to have an empanada press on hand, it'll make stuffing these bad boys a lot faster and easier, especially if you have the kiddos helping.
- Don't stack pierogi directly on top of each other. Don't make the mistake I did and stack completed dumplings directly on top of each other—they'll stick together and potentially pull apart all your hard work. Use parchment or another tea towel to start a new layer as needed, both when working with the pre-boiled and boiled pierogi.
- Keep your dough covered while you work. Pierogi dough dries out fast, so keep any dough you're not actively rolling under a damp towel to prevent cracking and tearing.
- Don't overfill. A level tablespoon per pierogi is usually the sweet spot. Too much filling makes sealing difficult and increases the odds of a blowout in the boiling water.
- Seal well, then double-check. Press out any air pockets and crimp the edges firmly (or use a fork) to make sure they're fully sealed. Any gaps can let filling escape while cooking.
- Boil in batches. Overcrowding the pot drops the water temperature and can cause pierogi to stick together. Cook them in small batches for the best results.
- Freeze on a tray first. Flash-freeze uncooked pierogi on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid before transferring to a freezer bag—this keeps them from clumping into one giant dumpling.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pierogiCalories: 64kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 182mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
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