Pan-Fried Potato And Cheddar Pierogies Recipe

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There's something deeply satisfying about biting into a perfectly made pierogi. According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, who grew up eating various versions of these Eastern European dumplings, the juxtaposition of the crispy shell, the silky-smooth fried onions, and the creamy potato and cheese filling is only surpassed when you make the thin dough from scratch. 

These pan-fried potato and cheddar pierogies are stuffed to the brim with a homemade potato, cheddar and sour cream mix, boiled, and then fried until their crispy exterior crunches upon first bite. "The key to making exceptional pierogies is in the dough-to-filling ration — get it wrong, and you end up with a flimsy, thin dud or an exploding grenade that bursts in the water," says Prints.

If you follow our recipe, you're bound to get it right more often than not. Your reward is perfectly sealed pierogies filled with the sharpness of aged cheddar and sour cream-seasoned potatoes, a.k.a. one meal you can't stop eating straight from the pan. Leftover pierogies can be frozen, but let's not kid ourselves into thinking those will exist. 

For the dough, you'll need all-purpose flour, salt, a large egg, sour cream, unsalted butter, and water as needed. For the filling, a pound of large russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks will be joined by shredded sharp cheddar cheese, unsalted butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Finally, for serving these pierogies, don't forget more butter and onions, along with optional sour cream and fresh herbs, such as dill.

Make the dough: Mix the flour and salt in large bowl.

Add the egg, sour cream, and butter. Stir until a dough forms, adding water as needed.

Knead the dough on a floured surface for 3–4 minutes, until smooth.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Make the filling: Add the potatoes to a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain well and return to the pot.

Add the butter and sour cream and mash until smooth.

Stir in the cheese while the potatoes are warm.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cool completely.

Take out the dough and roll it out on a floured surface to ⅛-inch thickness.

Cut the dough into 3-inch circles using a glass or cookie cutter.

Place 1 tablespoon filling in the center of each circle.

Fold in half and pinch the edges firmly to seal.

Place the pierogis on a floured surface. Cover them with a towel.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the pierogies in batches (about 8 at a time). Cook until they float, about 2–3 minutes.

Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Start pan-frying: Melt the butter in large skillet over medium heat.

Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the boiled pierogies to the pan and cook until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.

Serve hot with sour cream and herbs, such as dill, if desired.

Fried pierogies are eaten across Poland, though Ukraine, Russia and others all have their own versions of these dumplings that combine paper-thin dough with a delicious and ever-changing filling. For a well balanced meal, try to serve these pierogies with fresh vegetables, dark rye bread, and creamy gzik, a Polish cottage cheese dip. A big bowl of noodles with more cottage cheese is always welcome, as is a big skillet of kielbasa and sauerkraut or sour cabbage and sausage.

If you've never had fresh sauerkraut and are only used to the canned variety, it's never too late to try your hand at this Eastern European delicacy — try our sauerkraut recipe. A bit of sauerkraut is also great when folded into the filling for these pierogies! If you have room for dessert after all this stick-to-your-ribs food, go with classic strawberries with a sprinkling of sugar and a dollop of sour cream. It's so good after a heavy meal.

We recognize that making dumplings from scratch and then boiling and frying them may not be everyone's cup of tea. Nonetheless, we stress that there's really nothing that tastes quite like homemade pierogi dough, which sets it miles apart from any frozen variety. That being said, when you're short on time, buying your favorite frozen pierogies and following our recipe for boiling, frying, and then serving them with the fried onions is also a great way to make this meal weeknight appropriate. If you want to make the dough while cutting down on some arm work, you can use a standing mixer with a dough hook to combine the ingredients.

For the filling, you can use canned potatoes to make the mash or even instant mashed potatoes in a pinch — some particularly love this soft texture against the dough pocket. Pre-shredded cheese saves grating time, as does buying a pierogi press or even a ravioli stamp instead of manually forming each dumpling. You can even try to steam-fry frozen pierogies in a covered pan with butter and a splash of water, like you would Chinese dumplings, until they are heated through but still crisp on the outside.