Bring Frozen Pierogi To Life With These Simple Fixings

When you're not in the mood to cook but you want something more than a quick microwavable meal, frozen pierogi are the perfect in-between. The Polish dumplings are most commonly filled with potato and farmer's cheese, but these days, you'll see them in the frozen section filled with everything from broccoli and cheese to jalapeño and sharp cheddar. Traditionally, they're sautéed with butter and topped with caramelized onions, which is a delicious way to eat them. However, if you don't have time for this, or if you simply don't want to dirty a pan, adding a handful of your favorite aromatics to the mix is an effortless way to bring them to life.

Aromatics can refer to both vegetables and herbs — think ingredients like garlic, onion, shallots, leeks, dill, scallions, and parsley. Although they may be simple, they pack a powerful punch when used in cooking, and they're guaranteed to seriously improve your frozen dinner. When deciding which herbs to add, a good rule of thumb is to only choose ones you'd be satisfied eating as-is. For example, you likely wouldn't eat a sprig of rosemary or thyme on its own, so it's best to skip these. 

Dill is frequently served with pierogi, and its subtle sweetness pairs beautifully with the creamy, starchy dumplings. If you don't have any, though, parsley and chives are two good alternatives. Additionally, pairing pierogi with onion, garlic, or leeks is another great way to spice them up. Even better? Roast your garlic or caramelize your onions and leeks for some additional depth.

You can add aromatics to your frozen pierogi in a few different ways, depending on which ones you plan to use and how you plan to cook your frozen pierogi. The easiest, most low-effort way is by using aromatics as a garnish once your pierogi are done cooking. This doesn't require any additional prep and can bring a fresh pop of flavor and color to them. 

That said, it's worth noting that some aromatics are better after being sautéed. For instance, you probably don't want to add raw onions or garlic to your pierogi, unless you're looking for hours of bad breath. So if you have the motivation, throw them in a pan and cook them in oil or butter. Once they're golden, remove them from the pan and use the remaining fats to sauté your pierogi — no extra pots necessary.

Sour cream is another popular pierogi topping — and while it tastes excellent on its own, making herbed sour cream can help take things to the next level. Similarly to making your own compound butter, preparing herbed sour cream only requires mixing sour cream with the chopped-up aromatics of your choice. In this case, we recommend you use bright-tasting herbs like dill and chives, but you can get creative with what you already have in your fridge. You can even make a batch of it ahead of time and have it on standby for when your next frozen pierogi craving strikes.