Pierogi are the national comfort food of Poland. They are delicious and the perfect cold weather food. This recipe for Potato and Bacon Pierogi is one of my all time favorites. While potato is a common pierogi filling, adding bacon just makes it so so much better!
What are pierogi?
Pierogi are a polish dumpling. There also found in the Ukraine, parts of Russia and other eastern european countries. Pierogi are made with unleavened dough, boiled and then pan fried. Pierogi filling varies and can be minced meat, cabbage, sauerkraut, potato, cheese or even fruits for a dessert pierogi. This recipe for Polish Meat Pierogi uses ground beef as the filling.
How to serve pierogi
Polish Pierogi are pan fried in butter after they are boiled. This allows for a crispy interior and for the pierogi to be coated in a butter sauce. Other common toppings are fried onions, caramelized onions, bacon and sour cream. Pierogi are the star of the meal and are filling for their size. Plan on each person eating about 6-8 pierogi for a meal.
What is a traditional Pierogi?
Every polish family has a traditional pierogi recipe and traditional filling, however there's so much variation that "traditional" does not mean standardized. When I was growing up, our pierogi were ground beef, farmers cheese, potato and cabbage filled. The recipes that use cheddar or mozzarella are bizarre to me, but I'm sure many others have never heard of farmer's cheese!
Best sides for your pierogi dinner
Pierogi are filling just by themselves, but here are some recipes that go well with them
- Brown Butter Roasted Radishes
- Balsamic Bacon Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Maple Glazed Roasted Carrots
- Maple Brown Butter Butternut Squash
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Potato and Bacon Pierogi
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 Cups Flour
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 1 Egg
- ½ Cup Sour Cream
- ¼ Cup Butter
Filling
- 2 Pounds Russet Potatoes
- 1/1 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Oz Cream Cheese
- ½ Pound Bacon
- 6 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
Instructions
Dough
- Mix together flour and salt. Stir in wet ingredients, egg, sour cream and butter. Combine ingredients until dough comes together in a slightly sticky ball.
- Knead and fold dough on a flat surface until dough becomes less sticky and smooth. Cover in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.While dough is resting, make the filling.
Filling
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bacon on a foil lined baking sheet. Cook bacon for 10 minutes or until crispy. Crumble bacon.
- Peel and boil potatoes until fork tender. Drain and mash potatoes. Fold in salt, butter, bacon and cream cheese until fully combined.
Assembly
- Roll out dough to ⅛" thickness and cut out 2" round circles in the dough.
- Place 2 tsp of filling in the center of the circle of dough. Fold in half, press out any air and pinch the edges of the pierogi together to form a seal. Form all pierogi before boiling.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in pierogi in batches. Cook until pierogi float to the top, the remove.
- Melt butter in a large skillet. Add in boiled pierogi and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Serve with sour cream and enjoy!
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to our privacy policy for more information.
Arya's Corner
About Michelle
Hello! I'm Michelle Boulé. I'm a photography nerd, cat mom and all around foodie. Join me in making some of my favorite comfort foods!
Leave a Reply