Pierogies (Vareniki)

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Nelli

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I grew up eating pierogies filled with mashed potatoes and caramelized onions when my parents immigrated from Russia to Germany. I remember the warm feeling tradition and family gatherings with these tender dumplings that are lovingly folded by hand served over crispy bacon and sour cream.

Pierogies also known as Varenikis are pure comfort food that connects generations through food and traditions.

What Are Pierogies/ Vareniki?

Pierogies are soft dough dumplings, typically filled with potatoes or fruit such as cherries and sugar. While the names vary by region, the concept remains the same: a simple dough wrapped around flavorful filling, boiled until tender, and often pan-fried for extra texture.

I love to pan fry the leftover Pierogies the next day which gives a golden crust to it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

  • Budget- friendly and filling
  • Perfect for batch cooking and freezing
  • Customizable with savory or sweet fillings
  • Traditional comfort food with simple ingredients

Ingredients You’ll Need:

  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 Tbsp Sour cream
  • 1/2 cup Lukewarm water
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 4 cups All- purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Salt

How To Make Pierogies/Varenikis

  1. Start off by making the dough so it can rest for a little while. Combine the liquid ingredients in a large bowl or Thermomix bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, lukewarm water and milk.
  2. Add in the dry ingredients. Add the all purpose flour, sugar, and salt. Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer until it is no longer sticky. Leave dough to rest covered with a towel. In the meantime prepare the filling.

3. Make the filling. In a frying pan caramelize chopped onions with olive oil. Use leftover mashed potatoes (see recipe below) and combine the onions into the mashed potatoes.

4. Make the toppings for the Pierogies. In a frying pan caramelize chopped onions, bacon and sausages. Set aside while you make the Pierogies.

5. Roll the dough on a well-floured surface with a rolling pin.

6. Stamp out the dough circles. Use a cookie cutter or cup to stamp out small circles in the dough.

7. Add the filling. Fill the center of each dough circle with a small spoon of filling.

8. Fold over the edges. Pinch edges tightly to seal.

9. Cook and serve. Drop pierogies into salted boiling water, cook until they float plus 2 minutes more. Remove and toss over prepared bacon, sausage and caramelized onions, and top it off with 1 tbsp of sour cream.

Storage and Freezing Tips:

  • Freeze uncooked pierogies in a single layer first. Once frozen, store in bags for up to 3 months.
  • Cook directly from frozen – no thawing needed.

Pro Tips for Perfect Pierogies:

  • Don’t overfill – sealing becomes difficult
  • Keep dough covered so it doesn’t dry out
  • Use a fork or decorative pinch for a tighter seal
  • Frying after boiling adds incredible flavor
  • Change up the filling, there are a ton of different pierogi filling options. Cherries from a glass is another great sweet alternative. Simply drain the cherry juice and use 2-3 cherries in one pierogi.

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Pierogies/ Vareniki

Pierogies are soft dough dumplings, typically filled with potatoes or fruit such as cherries and sugar. While the names vary by region, the concept remains the same: a simple dough wrapped around flavorful filling, boiled until tender, and often pan-fried for extra texture.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Ukrainian
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the dough:
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 Tbsp Sour cream
  • 1/2 Cup Lukewarm water
  • 1 Cup Milk
  • 4 Cups All-purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Salt
For the filling:
  • 1 Onion diced and caramelized in a frying pan
  • 1000 g Mashed potatoes
For the toppings:
  • 1 Onion diced and caramelized in a frying pan
  • 300 g Bacon
  • 300 g Sausage optional
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Sour cream

Equipment

  • 1 Pot

Method
 

For the dough:
  1. Start off by making the dough so it can rest for a little while. Combine the liquid ingredients in a large bowl or Thermomix bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, lukewarm water and milk.
  2. Add in the dry ingredients. Add the all purpose flour, sugar, and salt. Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer until it is no longer sticky. Leave dough to rest covered with a towel. In the meantime prepare the filling.
For the filling:
  1. Make the filling. In a frying pan caramelize chopped onions with olive oil. Use leftover mashed potatoes (see recipe below) and combine the onions into the mashed potatoes.
For the topping:
  1. Make the toppings for the Pierogies. In a frying pan caramelize chopped onions, bacon and sausages. Set aside while you make the Pierogies.
  2. Roll the dough on a well-floured surface with a rolling pin.
  3. Stamp out the dough circles. Use a cookie cutter or cup to stamp out small circles in the dough.
  4. Add the filling. Fill the center of each dough circle with a small spoon of filling.
  5. Fold over the edges. Pinch edges tightly to seal.
  6. Cook and serve. Drop pierogies into salted boiling water, cook until they float plus 2 minutes more. Remove and toss over prepared bacon, sausage and caramelized onions, and top it off with 1 tbsp of sour cream.

Notes

Storage and Freezing Tips:
  • Freeze uncooked pierogies in a single layer first. Once frozen, store in bags for up to 3 months.
  • Cook directly from frozen – no thawing needed.
Pro Tips for Perfect Pierogies:
  • Don’t overfill – sealing becomes difficult
  • Keep dough covered so it doesn’t dry out
  • Use a fork or decorative pinch for a tighter seal
  • Frying after boiling adds incredible flavor
  • Change up the filling, there are a ton of different pierogi filling options. Cherries from a glass is another great sweet alternative. Simply drain the cherry juice and use 2-3 cherries in one pierogi.

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