Potato perogies recipe with mashed potatoes, bacon, and dill filling. Enjoy them with sour cream or caramelized onions.

potato perogies recipe

What are Potato Perogies?

Potato Perogies are a traditional Polish dish made with mashed potatoes, onions, and bacon and wrapped in homemade dough. They’re served with caramelized onions and sour cream and are perfect for lunch or dinner.

The simple homemade dough is wrapped around the filling ingredients and then simmered in a pot of water for a couple of minutes just until the dough is cooked.

Once they’re drained and tossed with caramelized onions, they’re ready to eat with a side of sour cream. These tasty little bites are great for kids too!  

Perogies are a classic dish that can be made ahead of time and saved for later.

Ingredients

These ingredients are simple and easy to find at your grocery store.

  • All-purpose flour – You can use a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour if you’d like.
  • Kosher salt – Kosher or sea salt is used to enhance the other ingredients.
  • Cold water – A little water helps make the dough.
  • Russet potatoes – You can also use sweet potatoes for the filling.
  • Onion – Sweet onions add a soft, wonderful flavor.
  • Bacon – Chopped bacon cooks more quickly than whole pieces.
  • Dill – For the best flavor, use fresh dill.
  • Caramelized onions – Take time to caramelize the onions for maximum flavor.
  • Sour cream – A little sour cream for serving.
3 ingredient dough and 4 ingredient filling: potatos + crispy bacon + caramelized onion + fresh dill make up this delicious Russian comfort food | littlebroken.com @littlebroken #vareniki #perogies #dough

Instructions  

The steps to make pierogi ruskie are easy and straightforward. See the recipe card below for the full description.

Dough:

  • Combine all the ingredients to make the dough and then knead it with your hands or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Cover the ball with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Filling:

  • Cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted water, and drain. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the potatoes.  
  • Cook the chopped bacon and onions and then add them to the mashed potatoes.

Pierogi:  

  • Cut the dough into circles, spoon the potato mixture into the center, fold the dough, and seal the edges.
  • Transfer the perogies to a baking tray and freeze for the best results.
  • Cook the perogies in a pot of boiling water until they float on the surface.
  • Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and serve with caramelized onions and sour cream.
3 ingredient dough and 4 ingredient filling: potatos + crispy bacon + caramelized onion + fresh dill make up this delicious Russian comfort food | littlebroken.com @littlebroken #vareniki #perogies #dough

Expert Tips

These tips will help you make the best potato pierogi recipe.

  • Divide the dough in half because it’s easier to work with one at a time
  • Use a cookie cutter or the top edge of a glass to make the initial circles.
  • Fold the dough in half to make the half-moon shape you usually see. 

Variations

This pierogi recipe can be altered to fit your personal tastes. Here are some options to get you started.

  • Use leftover mashed potatoes instead of having to make fresh potatoes.
  • Add cheese to make a cheesy potato filling. 
  • Cook them in a frying pan or large skillet until they’re golden brown rather than simmer them in a large pot of water.
3 ingredient dough and 4 ingredient filling: potatos + crispy bacon + caramelized onion + fresh dill make up this delicious Russian comfort food | littlebroken.com @littlebroken #vareniki #perogies #dough

How to Make Caramelized Onions 

To make caramelized onions, melt two tablespoons of butter in a heavy-bottom skillet, such as cast-iron or stainless steel.

Add chopped medium onion to the pan.

Cook over medium-low heat until deep golden in color. If there’s a lot of buildup on the bottom of the pan, deglaze with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

How to Serve 

These homemade perogies are the ultimate comfort food and can be eaten for lunch, dinner, or a snack. Top them with caramelized onions or sliced green onions and serve with a dollop of sour cream. 

They pair wonderfully with side dishes like zucchini with mozzarella, caprese stuffed portobello mushrooms, or vegetable orzo.

3 ingredient dough and 4 ingredient filling: potatos + crispy bacon + caramelized onion + fresh dill make up this delicious Russian comfort food | littlebroken.com @littlebroken #vareniki #perogies #dough

Storing Tips 

Refrigerate: Keep leftover perogies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Reheat: Place cooked perogies on a plate in the microwave for 30 seconds to one minute.

Freeze: You can freeze cooked or uncooked pierogi. This is a great way to prep in advance and make them ahead of time.

To freeze them, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and put the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the perogies from the tray and place them in an airtight bag. Put the bag in the freezer for up to three months.

To cook frozen, uncooked perogies, simmer them as you would if they were fresh for about five minutes.   

FAQs

Why are my perogies not cooked all the way through? 

Perogies need to simmer for a few minutes in the water before they’re cooked through. If your’s are still chewy or doughy when you take them out, they just need another minute or two back in the water.

Can I make this dish sweet instead of savory? 

Yes, you can swap the onion and bacon filling with sweet fillings instead. You can serve sweet perogies for dessert or a snack during the day.

Do I need to refrigerate the dough before making the perogies? 

Yes, it’s a good idea to let the dough sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes before dividing it and continuing with the recipe. This allows the dough to harden a little before trying to fill and shape it.

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3 ingredient dough and 3 ingredient filling: potatos + crispy bacon + caramelized onion make up this delicious Russian comfort food | littlebroken.com @littlebroken #vareniki #perogies #dough

Potato Perogies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 mins
  • Yield: 60 vareniki
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Boiled
  • Cuisine: Polish
Print Recipe

Description

Tender perogies with potato, bacon, and dill filling. Enjoy them with sour cream or caramelized onions.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups cold water

Filling

  • 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 10 bacon strips, chopped
  • ½ cup chopped fresh dill

To Serve

  • Caramelized onions
  • Sour cream

Instructions

Dough

  1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Add water and mix with wooden spoon. Then using your hands knead the dough until it all comes together and flour is thoroughly incorporated and smooth. (This step does not take long, it’s just a matter of combining all the ingredients together with your hands and forming a dough ball).
  2. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Filling

  1. Cook the potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain and mash; set aside.
  2. In a large skillet cook the bacon over medium heat. When it just starts to brown, add the chopped onion; continue cooking until the onion is slightly caramelized and bacon is fully cooked.
  3. Add the onion and bacon mixture to the mashed potatoes, including the pan grease. Add the chopped dill and mix until all the ingredients are combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To Make the Vareniki

  1. Divide the dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out first ball of dough to ¼ inch thickness. Keep the other ball of dough covered. Cut out 3 inch circles using a drinking glass or round cookie cutter.
  2. Spoon the potato filling into the center (about 1 tablespoon). Fold the circles into half-circles, and press to seal the edges. You can leave them as is or create a scalloped edge as seen in my recipe for Vareniki with Cherries. Proceed with the second dough ball.
  3. Place the vareniki on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze overnight; transfer the frozen vareniki to a ziploc bag and store in the freezer up to 3 months.
  4. To cook the vareniki: bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the vareniki and cook for about 5 minutes for frozen and about 3 minutes for fresh. They are done when they float to the top. Drain and serve with caramelized onions and sour cream.

Notes

  • Caramelized Onions: To make caramelized onions, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottom skillet, such as cast-iron or stainless steel. Add chopped medium onion to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat until deep golden in color. If there’s a lot of buildup on the bottom of the pan, deglaze with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 5 perogies
  • Calories: 309
  • Sugar: 1.2 g
  • Sodium: 212.3 mg
  • Fat: 9.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 45.8 g
  • Protein: 8.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 15.4 mg

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