Polish Potato and Cheese Pierogi {Pierogi Ruskie}
If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life, I would undeniably choose pierogi. Pierogi are known around the world as the national Polish dish, and us Poles proudly contribute to its popularity by consuming ungodly amounts of them, bragging about them, showing them off to friends and encouraging the pierogi-mania.
There are many varieties: meat, sauerkraut and mushrooms, just mushroom, spinach and cheese, fruit filled, sweet, savory, potato and cheese pierogi (a.k.a. Russian pierogi), and on and on. Very versatile dish they are, they could be served as an appetizer, main dish or a dessert. I could probably eat that without getting sick of them.
Potato and cheese pierogi were always made at home, especially around Christmas, but these days you can buy them at many pierogi “bars” that sprung out around the city where, if you find a good one, the menu is as long as the line out the door. That’s my kind of fast food restaurant 🙂
It may appear that they are a bit challenging to make, but with the right equipment, you’ll be done in no time. I like to use the meat grinder attachment to a standup Kitchen Aid kitchen mixer. I got mine as a hand-me-down probably 10 years ago, and it was 10 years old then. It’s still working perfectly. I use it very often and can’t see how anyone who spends any time in the kitchen wouldn’t want one.
For this recipe, I not only used the hook to make the pierogi dough, but also the meat grinder attachment. I don’t need any additional equipment, and can use it for so many other recipes that require grinding, like pasztet, cake dough making, like jabÅ‚ecznik and many many more. AND it comes with a sausage stuffing attachment that I use often (I made the famous Easter sausage with it). I highly recommend it.
Making the dough is then effortless. Ingredients go in the bowl, hook on, turn on and walk away. It really takes the dread out of making pierogi. For me, making the dough was always most overwhelming, so the hook on my KitchenAid mixer is a life saver for me.**
Here is a video with step by step instructions on how to make this delicious dish:
Potato & Cheese Pierogi {Pierogi Ruskie}
Ingredients
- FILLING::
- 2 lbs / 1 kg of raw potatoes
- 16 oz / 500 g of farmer's cheese (or 16 oz / 500 g cottage cheese - drained + 3-4 tbsp of plain greek yogurt)
- 1 large onion
- 2 tbsp of butter
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of freshly ground pepper
- DOUGH:
- 3 c / 375 g of all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 egg
- 1 ¼ c / 300 ml of warm water
- GARNISH:
- ½ an onion
- A couple strips of bacon chopped and sautéed into bacon bits (optional)
Instructions
To make the filling, peel and boil potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain and set aside to cool.
Mince the onion and sauté in butter until golden brown.
If using farmer's cheese, crumble with a fork and set aside. If using cottage cheese, place in a strainer to strain some of the liquid.
When potatoes cool, mash with a hand masher, add sautéed onion, cheese (if using American cottage cheese, add plain greek yogurt), salt and pepper. Mix until combined. Taste and add salt, if needed.
Next, combine all ingredients to make the dough. Roll out in batches into about â…› inch / 2 millimeters in thickness. With a glass rim, cut out circles. Place a dollop of filling in each circle and seal tightly. Wet the inside of the edge for a better seal, and press edges with a fork once sealed or create a decorative edge.
Fill a large pot with water, add a tablespoon each of salt and oil. Once water starts boiling, turn down to LOW. Place a few dumplings (about 10, not to overcrowd) into boiling water, and LIGHTLY stir, to prevent sticking. Let boil for about 3 minutes, until they all float up to the top. Take out and spread on a clean surface, not touching.
You can serve immediately garnished with sautéed onion and bacon bits or sauté in butter on both sides until golden brown, garnished also with onion and bacon bits. Bacon bits are optional, but very desirable.
If you make a larger batch, boil and freeze (spread on a cookie sheet), and once frozen place in a bag or a container. In a crunch, place frozen pierogi in a large sautéing pan with a few tbs of water, cover and let though on medium heat. Once water evaporates, add a couple tablespoons of butter and sauté on each side.
You’ve now created your new favorite Polish fast food. 🙂
Enjoy and smacznego!
Anna
ps. if you don’t have access to farmer’s cheese, recipe here.
* my post includes affiliate links connecting you to amazon.com. If you choose to purchase something using my link, I will receive a small commission for talking about the product. With that said, please know that I’m only recommending products I absolutely believe in, use and, and am not only doing so to collect commission.
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Wonderful.
Just one point of correction. Ruskie in this case means Ruthenian, rather than Russian. Ruthenians are what are now called Ukrainians. Even though ruskie is sometimes slang for Russians in Polish, the proper term for Russian (pierogi, plural) wpuld be “rosyjskie”.
Thanks Andy! Honestly I had no idea… never really thought about it… I guess I assumed it’s old Polish (staropolski) term… Thanks for educating me, learned something new today. 🙂 Smacznego!
ProszÄ™ bardzo. Serdecznie pozdrawiam.
Andy
Buffalo, N.Y.
We made these on Christmas Eve and they were fabulous. We have been looking for an old fashioned recipe and there are it! We have started a new tradition with these! Thank you!
Hi Ania,
I just came across your page, I was looking for another recipe. I just wanted to say, if someone cannot find farmer’s cheese, they can also substitute cream cheese. When we came to the U.S. in 85, we couldn’t find Farmer’s Cheese anywhere. So, my grandma tried making them with Philadelphia Cream Cheese and we actually now like those better. The pierogi don’t have the tart taste of the Farmer’s Cheese. In case you ever wanted to experiment with that. My grandma also puts some oil into the dough mixture, and let’s the dough rest for about an hour before making the pierogi. This makes the dough a lot more malleable. I think it relaxes the gluten and makes the dough easier to work with.
Thank you Ania!!😊
Thank you Anna. I just made your perogies and they are delicious. The dough is so tender and easy to make. They taste just like my Babcia’s.
Perfect!
I’ve been making my Mama’s (that’s what I called my grandmother) recipe for 30+ years now. I’ve tweaked her filling recipes a billion times and even created my own. But I’ve never found an easier dough recipe that was as good as hers. Until I tried this recipe! I love your YouTube channel — I watch often! Thanks for all of the recipes.
Thank you Barbara. I’m glad to help you cook. 😊
I made these today and they were perfect. We are making the filling for sauerkraut and mushroom tonight to be assembled tomorrow.
In this recipe you boil and then freeze. In your mushroom and sauerkraut you just freeze first and then boil. Can you tell me why?
Kellie, I never freeze uncooked pierogi. Always boil first then freeze. Happy cooking! 😊
Anna after you boil and freeze do you just thaw and fry or boil again then fry great redipe.enjoymof af you and mark
Anna when we make pierogi do we boil and freeze…when we use do we boil again or just fry
enjoy all of you and mark, look forward new cook book xxoo
Boil, freeze, then put in a large frying pan, in single layer with a bit of grease and a few tbs of water, heat covered until they thaw, then uncover and saute until golden brown. 😊
Hi Anna! I stumbled upon your page while searching for perogi recipes. I’ve never tried to make them before, but my family loves perogies so I’m going to give them a try. I’d like to use cheddar cheese instead though. Would you recommend block or Shredded and same amount as farmers cheese? Also, how many perogies does this recipe yield? I’ve enjoyed watching many of your videos! Thank you!
I am not polish and haven’t had pierogi in years. There’s a couple of restaurants near me but one is a bit pricey. I decided I wanted to make from scratch especially since husband has polish heritage. This recipe was easy to follow and turned out exactly as in the video. I did use cheddar (sorry but wasn’t hunting for or making farmer’s cheese…sorry) and it was tasty! I will make these again.
Chedar works too and goes well mixed with potatoes. Well done!
Can you make dough ahead of time and freeze it? Or refrigerate it if its for a few days?
I haven’t tried freezing it but it will last in the fridge for a short time, maybe a day. It only takes a couple of minutes to make, so I would suggest to make fresh when possible.
Love your videos! My grandmother was from Czechoslovakia and made lots of pierogis, some with prune filling! I was at a polish store and bought a large jar of lekvar which I am hoping I can use for the filling. Any ideas on that?