Our Pan-Fried Pierogies Recipe

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.

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.