Ohh, if baba could only see me now! I know she would be so so proud that I have carried on the pierogi-making tradition. This one’s for you, grandma Olga! =)
My dad’s family is Ukrainian, so every family gathering always centered around mounds and mounds of beautiful homemade pierogies. Tender little dumplings full of soft potato, sweet onion, and back then – loads of cheese, bacon, and sour cream.
Naturally, I morphed the traditional recipe into an incredible plant-based version. I cut the cheese filling and opted instead for a flavour-bomb of potatoes, mushrooms, onion, chives, truffle oil, and spices.
My grandma always boiled her pierogies and stopped there, but I love biting into the crispy texture of a fried pierogi that has a soft, fluffy filling.
I serve these delicious dumplings with sautéed mushrooms and onions, chives, and dollops of my lemon garlic cashew cream. It makes for one insanely bad ass comfort meal, and they are actually easier to make than you might think!
Pierogi dough is quite forgiving. It is soft and stretchy, which makes filling and closing the pierogies easy-peasy. You don’t need water to seal the edges, so long as you keep the dough covered so it stays moist.
The amount of water you add to the dough will vary slightly, depending on the humidity where you are and the type of flour you use, which is why I allocate between 1-4 tbsp on top of the 1 cup.
If you do not want to cook all the pierogies at once, simply lay the ones you want to store in a single layer on a baking sheet, and place in the freezer uncovered until they firm up (about 30 minutes). Then transfer them into an air-tight container, and put back in the freezer. This prevents the pierogies from sticking and clumping together, which will happen if you plop them into a bag or container at room temperature.
Brandon, my sister Cori, and I ate our weight in these sweet dumplings the other night. The truffle-infused olive oil brings an incredible umami earthiness to the filling. If you cannot find truffle oil, a ¼ tsp of liquid smoke makes an excellent variation. In that instance, I would also add ½ cup of nutritional yeast to make a deliciously smoky, cheezy pierogi.
Tucked into this recipe is a chunk of my family heritage, a piece of my baba’s open heart and beautiful soul, and allllll the love that goes into making these tender, delicious, starchy little angels. =) <3
Mushroom & Onion Pierogies
Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and loaded with mushroomy goodness, these pierogies are a staple recipe for any household!
Ingredients
For the pierogi dough:
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ cup grape seed oil
- 1 cup plus 1-4 tbsp room temperature water
For the filling:
- 4 cups russset potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 large onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp truffle oil (or truffle infused olive oil) sub regular olive oil if you cannot find or afford truffle
- 2 ½ cups mushrooms finely chopped
- ½ cup chives chopped
- 2 tbsp grape seed oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- grape seed oil
Instructions
For The Dough:
Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl.
Pour in the oil, and stir thoroughly to incorporate evenly.
Add one cup of the room temperature water, and stir gently until a dough starts to form. Add the remaining water, 1 tbsp at a time, until there is no loose or dry flour in the dough. If the dough becomes too wet, sprinkle a bit more flour in. You want it to be soft and smooth, and it should not stick to your hands.
Once you have the right dough consistency, kneed it for 3-4 minutes, until it is nice and smooth, then wrap it up in reusable wax wrap or seal it in an air-tight container and leave to rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
For The Filling:
Boil the peeled potatoes in salted water until they are slightly overdone - dry and almost crumbling apart.
At the same time, on another burner, add 2 tbsp of grape seed oil to a skillet heated to medium heat.
Stir in the chopped mushrooms and diced onion, and cook until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms are tender. Add in the minced garlic, and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
Using a potato masher or ricer, rice all the potatoes into a large mixing bowl.
Pour in the mushroom, onion and garlic mixture, then add the chives, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and truffle oil. Stir thoroughly to combine.
Allow to cool to room temperature before filling the pierogies.
For The Pierogies:
Pinch off about a fist's size amount of pierogi dough, and leave the rest covered so it doesn't dry out.
On a smooth surface, roll out the dough between 1/8" and 1/4" thick. You may need to dust some flour on the rolling surface and rolling pin to keep the dough from sticking.
Using a 2 1/2" cookie cutter (wide-mouth mason jar rim works in a pinch), make as many circles from the rolled dough as you can.
Fill each circle with one tablespoon of filling, then use your fingers to pinch the edges shut. TIP: try to match up the exposed cut edges of the pierogies when you pinch them, as this part of the dough is moister and will bind better.
Place the sealed pierogies on a baking sheet and keep covered with a cloth napkin so they do not dry out.
Once you have filled all your pierogies, boil a large pot of water with a couple tablespoons of added grape seed oil.
If you do not want to cook all the pierogies right away, put the ones you want to store in a single layer on a baking sheet, and place in the freezer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Then transfer the pierogies to a sealed plastic bag or container and store in the freezer. You can boil them frozen upon removal from the freezer.
Place the pierogies gently into the boiling water, making sure not to crowd the pot. Boil for 4-6 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and lightly grease it with grape seed oil.
Remove the boiled pierogies with a slotted spoon, and allow them to dry out on a wire rack for a couple minutes so they do not stick to the frying pan.
Place the pierogies in the pan, and press down slightly on each one to help them make as much contact with the pan as possible.
Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy.
Remove from pan, sprinkle with salt, and eat immediately.
Serve with sauteed mushrooms and onions, chopped chives, and cashew sour cream.
Recipe Notes
As always, nutritional information is a rough estimate. For a full explanation of nutritional analysis, please read our Disclaimer.
Frozen, uncooked pierogies stay fresh for up to three months in an air-tight container in the freezer. Store any leftover cooked pierogies in a sealed container in the fridge, and consume within 5 days.
If you made this recipe, I would be so honoured if you could rate it, share it, and leave a comment. Also, don’t forget to take a photo, tag @thedeliciousmanifest on Instagram, and hashtag it #thedeliciousmanifest. Thank you so much!
Looking for more delicious, comforting recipes? Check out my Smoky Garlic Cheese Sauce With Roasted Broccoli, Best Vegan Cornbread, and Creamy Mushroom Ramen. All pair perfectly with pj’s and a warm blanket for a cozy evening on the couch!