Pierogies with Cheese and Potato

Everyone loves Pierogies with Cheese and Potatoes, a dinner favorite in Canada and the USA. An Eastern European dumpling with soft dough and a savory potato filling. Tossed in butter, smothered in Homemade Sour Cream and you've made the tastiest comfort food feast.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Family Fun - making homemade Pierogies is a team sport, grab the family round the table. Everyone works and everyone eats 🤣
• Ultimate Comfort Food - cheese and potatoes stuffed inside a dumpling is carb heaven
• Meal Prep - recipe designed for freezing to pull out for an easy future dinner

Ingredients

• Dumpling Dough - Flour eggs, water, salt oil
• Potatoes
• Onion
• Butter
• Cheddar Cheese - White Cheddar or Orange Cheddar
• Salt and Pepper

How to Make Pierogies with Cheese and Potato

Making Dough

1. Make a Well - mix flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre
2. Add Eggs - crack eggs into the flour. Using a fork, stir the eggs into the flour
3. Form Dough - slowly add water while kneading, until the dough forms a shaggy ball
4. Knead - continue to knead dough on a lightly floured surface until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes
5. Rest - cover dough with a bowl and rest for about an hour

Make Cheese and Potato Filling

1. Prepare Potatoes - while dough is resting, bring peeled Potatoes to a boil and cook until soft (about 15 minutes). Drain, allow to cool
2. Mash - place in a bowl and mash until smooth, set aside
3. Caramelize - fry diced Onion with Butter until caramelized. Add to the Mashed Potatoes
4. Add Cheese - add grated Cheddar to the Mashed Potato mixture and mix it all together. Season with Salt and Pepper
5. Cool - let Potato Filling cool before assembling

Making Pierogies with Cheese and Potato

1. Roll Dough - on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough about ⅛" thin
2. Cut Circles - using a 3" cookie cutter, cut out dough circles. Remix dough pieces, roll out again and reuse the extra dough to make more circles. Cover the dough that you aren't using so it doesn't dry out
3. Filling - place 2 teaspoons of Cheese and Potato Filling in the centre of the dough circle
4. Fold - carefully fold in half to create a half moon shape. Pinch edges to seal shut. Careful not to have the filling touching the edges, or it will fall apart when cooking
5. Freeze - place Pierogies on a lightly floured baking tray and freeze for at least 30 minutes. Place the individually frozen perogies into a Ziplock bag and return to freezer for an future easy dinner
6. Cook - bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place the Pierogies into the water and boil until they float to the top, about 5-7 minutes. Frozen Pierogies will take longer
7. Pan Fry - optional: place Pierogies in a frying pan with some butter. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown
8. Serve - toss in a bowl with Butter, serve with Sour Cream and Caramelized Onions

Pierogi Filling Ideas

• Cheesy Spinach - add chopped cooked Spinach into the Cheese and Potato filling
• Spicy Pierogies - add a pinch of Cayenne Pepper or sliced Chili Peppers
• Bacon and Cheese Pierogies - add chopped fried Bacon to the cheesy Potato Mix
• Caramelized Mushroom Pierogies - sauté sliced mushrooms until golden and mix through for added umami flavor - save some to sprinkle on top when serving
• Sauerkraut Pierogies - add Sauerkraut to extra zing
• Sweet Pierogies - skip the Potato and add Cherries, Strawberries, Raspberries or Blueberries.
• Quark Pierogies - like they made in the old country, Tvorog or Twarog or Farmer's Cheese is a tangy White Cheese, similar to Cottage Cheese

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• Don't skip the Resting - this is the most important part to make a soft and elastic
• Seal with Water - if your Pierogies circles are dry when sealing, dab your finger in water and rub to moisten the edge for better sealing
• Don't Overfill - this can cause them to burst when cooking
• Make 2 Flavors - separate half of the Mashed Potatoes and make 2 different Potato flavors (remember to label each Ziploc bag when freezing)
• Double the Recipe - if you have everyone assembled and making Pierogies, might as well make twice the amount - many hands make light work
• Cheese Substitutions - instead of Cheddar, try Colby Cheese, Monterey Jack, Gouda, Edam or Red Leicester Cheese

Can I Make the Dough in Advance?

Yes. Prepare a day in advance and keep in the fridge. You can also freeze the dough (wrap in Cling Wrap and then in a Ziploc bag). Bring to room temperature before using.

Can I Air Fry Pierogies?

Yes! Brush frozen Pierogies with oil and place on a single layer in Air Fryer. Cook at 400°F (200°C) for 10-12 minutes (flipping half way through). Add an extra few minutes if you like them extra crispy.

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge - place leftover Pierogies in an airtight container and enjoy within 3 days
• Freezer - keep frozen Pierogies in a freezer safe bag, for best flavor cook within 3 months
• Reheating - pan fry in butter until heated through and golden. Alternatively heat in microwave for 60 seconds, then in 30 second bursts as needed.

Dumpling Recipes You'll Love

• Pelmeni - Russian Meat Dumplings
• Khinkali - Georgian Dumplings
• Manti - Central Asian Steamed Dumplings
• Pelmeni Using a Mold
• Vareniki - Pierogies stuffed with Tvorog Farmer's Cheese
• Turkey Wonton Noodle Soup

Pierogies with Cheese and Potato are a quick and easy meal to pull out of the freezer for a mid-week dinner, especially one that the kids will love! Remember to toss in butter before serving, everything tastes better with butter! Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

©PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally posted March 2018, updated November 2024