Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe That Tastes Like Christmas! (2024)

Although Polish sauerkraut pierogi recipe is being used all year round, it’s definitely getting popular during Christmas time. For many families, dumplings with sauerkraut are the most important dish on Christmas Eve’s table.

The main reason why is that it is vegetarian food. Traditionally, you are not supposed to eat meat on December, 24th.

Pierogi with sauerkraut and pierogi ruskie are two main dishes served during Wieczerza Wigilijna. Keep on reading to discover my grandma’s authentic sauerkraut pierogi recipe!

Tips For Cooking Pierogi With Sauerkraut

1. Skip mushrooms if you don’t have (or don’t like) them.

Although adding dried mushrooms is the typical way of making the sauerkraut pierogi filling, you may easily skip them.

Eating mushrooms is not recommended for kids or people with digestive problems, so this ingredient is not necessary.

2. Be sure to cook sauerkraut pierogi in boiling hot water!

Otherwise, they will fall apart. Putting them in the cold water is the biggest mistake you can make.

3. When cooked, don’t put pierogi too close together.

After pierogi are cooked and ready, you can either:

  • put the butter on top of them and eat them
  • carefully put them one by one on a plate/cutting board

If they will be too close, they will stick together. Wait until they cool off, then put them into the bowl. Pour the melted butter on them, then shake gently. Now, they can be either stored in the fridge or freezer.

Best Add-ons For Pierogi With Sauerkraut

Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe That Tastes Like Christmas! (1)

Melted butter

As simple as that. It’s one of the most popular ways of having sauerkraut pierogi.

Fried onion

Pierogi taste delicious with carmelized or fried onion.

Skwarki (greaves)

It’s basically what’s left from making homemade lard.

Maggi seasoning sauce

Some people in Poland like having pierogi with the Maggi sauce.

How To Serve Sauerkraut Pierogi?

Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe That Tastes Like Christmas! (2)

Serve them right after cooking, when they are warm, with the add-ons of your choice.

Alternatively, you can fry them with butter until they are crispy, with the brownish color.

Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe

Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe That Tastes Like Christmas! (3)

Although Polish sauerkraut pierogi recipe is being used all year round, it's definitely getting popular during Christmas time. For many families, dumplings with sauerkraut are the most important dish on Christmas Eve's table.

The main reason why is that it is vegetarian food. Traditionally, you are not supposed to eat meat on December, 24th.

Ingredients

Dough for sauerkraut pierogi

  • 5 cups (600g) of all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1cups of warm water
  • 2 pinches of salt
  • 4-5 tablespoons of oil

Sauerkraut filling

  • 2 lbs of sauerkraut
  • 1 big or 2 small onions
  • 3 oz of dried mushrooms (optionally)
  • salt, pepper, oil

Instructions

How To Make Dough For Pierogi With Sauerkraut?

  1. Put flour, egg, oil, and salt into the bowl. Whisk it together with hand or dough hook attachment.
  2. Start adding the water slowly, letting it incorporate before adding more.
  3. Whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps.

How To Make Sauerkraut Filling?

  1. If you decided to add dried mushrooms, wash them carefully, then cover them with cold water and leave for at least a few hours (ideally overnight).
  2. In the morning, drain the mushrooms and cook them until soft.
  3. Drain the sauerkraut by squeezing it carefully. Then chop it finely. Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe That Tastes Like Christmas! (4)
  4. Boil the sauerkraut in water until it's soft (it will take about 1 hour). Next, drain it again. Make sure there is no water left.
  5. In the meantime, finely chop an onion and mushrooms. Fry them with a bit of butter (or oil) on low heat, until they are soft.
  6. Mix all the ingredients for the filling together, season with salt and pepper.


How To Mold Sauerkraut Pierogi?

  1. Divide the dough into the 2 or 3 pieces.
  2. Thinly roll each piece out onto a floured surface to just under 1/16 - 1/8” thickness.
  3. Use a round cookie cutter to cut the circles from the dough.
  4. Put the sauerkraut filling in the center of each circle. The more filling, the better, however, you need to be sure it stays inside pierogi. When the filling will get between the dough when sealing, pierogi may fall apart during the cooking.
  5. Pull the edges of each circle together to form pierogi. Make sure the seal is continuous and intact. You can't leave any free space, as pierogi will fall apart during the cooking. Pinch tightly. Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe That Tastes Like Christmas! (5)
  6. Collect the remaining dough scraps and put them to the other 2 dough pieces. Repeat the process until the entire dough and all the filling is used.


How To Cook Pierogi With Sauerkraut?

  1. Pour the water into the big pot. Add 2 pinches of salt. Boil.
  2. Gently throw pierogi, one by one into the boiling water.
  3. When they start floating, wait for a minute and take them out with the slotted spoon.
  4. Pour the melted butter or lard on top.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 333Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 869mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 6gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g

These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix

See also my other recipes for pierogi!

  • pierogi with spinach
  • pierogi with meat
  • pierogi with strawberries
  • pierogi ruskie
  • pierogi with blueberries
  • pierogi with cherries
  • pierogi with sweet cheese
  • pierogi with poppy seeds

Pin For Later:

Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe That Tastes Like Christmas! (18)

Did you like this Polish pierogi with sauerkraut recipe? Let us know in the comments below!

13 Responses

  1. Sigh, I just know you are about to cringe and may not even answer, but I have a question to ask. If I were to purchase ready made dough from the local store, which would be closest to real pierogi dough? Pizza dough, pie crust dough or even wonton ready made rounds?
    Thank you for even considering this.

    Laney

    Reply

    1. None would be the real pierogi dough but wonton ready made rounds would be the closest.

      Reply

  2. 1 egg to 5 cups of flour? Isn’t that too few?

    Reply

    1. In fact, you don’t have to add egg at all, it’s optional 🙂

      Reply

  3. My Momma used to make chicken soup with chicken feet. Do you have a recipe for that .

    Reply

    1. I do!
      Here it is. You may add chicken feet as well:
      https://polishfoodies.com/polish-chicken-soup-rosol-recipe/

      Reply

  4. I haven’t made your dough yet but I am wondering if it can be rolled out in a pasta roller attachment for my stand mixer or if it would be too sticky for that?

    Reply

    1. You can use the pasta roller, the pierogi dough is not sticky.

      Reply

  5. For my dough recipe I use 2/3 cup warm water, 1 room temp egg, 3 cups flour, 1/4 cup sour cream, 3/4 teaspoon salt. Throw it in your bread machine if you have one and put it on dough setting. I’ve been making pierogi for about 50 years now and this dough recipe is very good.

    Reply

  6. A tip for freezing pierogi is place them one layer on a baking pan and freeze for about a half hour. Then you can just put them in a ziplock bag and throw in the freezer. They won’t stick to each other. Also, I never cook my sauerkraut. I tried following a recipe last year and did boil the sauerkraut. Came out flavorless. I like the tartness of sauerkraut. I also add sauteed onions and a bit of sour cream to the filling. Important to drain and rinse the sauerkraut well, and then squeeze the water out really hard. I also mince the sauerkraut. I’ve been making them for 50 years, learning from my mother that made the best pierogi in the world.

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your comment! I freeze pierogi the same way.
      When it comes to the filling, that depends how sour is your sauerkraut. Kapusta kiszona in Poland is usually really sour and salty, so you need to cook it first.

      Reply

  7. I remember having pierogi with the potato and sauerkraut mixed together. Arter cooking them they were browned in butter. How much sauerkraut can I add to

    Reply

    1. That’s not a traditional way of making pierogi- it’s either sauerkraut or potato. If you want to mix it, I will make it 50/50.

      Reply

Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe That Tastes Like Christmas! (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular pierogi in Poland? ›

Ruskie pierogi are probably the most popular kind of pierogi in North America and Poland. The other popular pierogi in Poland are filled with ground meat, mushrooms and cabbage, or for dessert an assortment of fruits (berries, with strawberries or blueberries the most common).

What is the Christmas tradition of pierogies? ›

Poland's Christmas Eve/Wigilia tradition wouldn't be complete without the world-famous pierogi! The half-circular Polish dumplings make an appearance on Wigilia tables in every Polish household and for many, they are the favorite of the 12 courses served during the traditional dinner.

What is the most traditional pierogi? ›

  • Pierogi Ruskie. Let's start with the most obvious and traditional pierogi of all – pierogi Ruskie. ...
  • Pierogi z serem. Pierogi z serem means the dumplings are filled with cream cheese or cottage cheese. ...
  • Pierogi z szpinakiem. ...
  • Pierogi Kaszubskie. ...
  • Pierogi z Kaszanką
Mar 19, 2018

Is pierogi Russian or Polish? ›

pierogi, one or more dumplings of Polish origin, made of unleavened dough filled with meat, vegetables, or fruit and boiled or fried or both. In Polish pierogi is the plural form of pieróg (“dumpling”), but in English the word pierogi is usually treated as either singular or plural.

What is the difference between Ukrainian and Polish perogies? ›

These stuffed dumplings are common throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Varenyky is the more commonly used term in Ukraine, often eaten with sweet fillings, while pierogi are the national dish of Poland.

What is the number one food in Poland? ›

Pierogi. Pierogi are filled dumplings containing either meat, vegetables, cheese, fruit or chocolate. Pierogi is undoubtedly Poland's most famous and simple comfort food.

What are Polish traditions for Christmas food? ›

Among the traditional Christmas, dishes are Christmas Eve carp, Jewish-style carp, the herring, pierogi, and poppy seed cake. After dinner, people start gifting the presents and singing carols. Poland really loves its Christmas carols. And there are thousands of them.

How do Polish people eat pierogi? ›

They are then ready to serve; savory pierogi are often accompanied by fried onions and greaves, while sweet dumplings are topped with sour cream or sprinkled with sugar. Other ways of preparing pierogi include baking them in an oven, which browns the dough and makes it crunchy.

What is the most famous family tradition when it comes to eating at Christmas? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used.

What is the difference between perogies and pierogies? ›

Also called perogi or perogy, Polish pierogi (pronounced pih-ROH-ghee) or homemade pierogies are small half-moon dumplings. They're also chock-full of fabulous fillings. Interestingly, the word pierogi is actually plural. But the singular form pieróg is hardly ever used.

What's the best thing to put on perogies? ›

Sour cream is a firm favorite when it comes to pierogi toppings and for a good reason. It adds a tangy twist to any pierogi filling, and the cool cream contrasts nicely with the warm dumplings. Sour cream works well with savory pierogi as-is without any extra seasoning.

What is traditional pierogi dough made of? ›

This recipe is a simple combination of flour, eggs, water, and salt. You might need to add a little more water or a little more flour based on the humidity of the day, the weight of the flour, and other factors. The dough should not be so dry it is crumbly or so wet it is sticky.

What state eats the most perogies? ›

T's Pierogies, the "Pierogy Pocket of America," is an area including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Chicago, Detroit, parts of the northern Midwest and southern New England which accounts for 68% of annual U.S. pierogi consumption.

What does ruskie mean in Polish? ›

Ruskie, therefore, actually means “Ruthenian”. However, in popular understanding and usage in Poland, the word – and the dumplings – are often seen as referring to Russia. Ten things you may not know about Polish cuisine.

Are pierogies traditionally boiled or fried? ›

Boiling Pierogi is the most popular method of cooking Pierogi because it adds no additional calories to your meal. It also offers a soft, delicate texture which is the more traditional way of eating Polish pierogi.

What do Polish people eat with perogies? ›

Traditionally pierogi are served with simple toppings such as fried onions, lardons, melted butter, sour cream or pork rinds. But not everything needs to be savoury!

What do Polish people call pierogi? ›

The English word "pierogi" comes from Polish pierogi [pʲɛˈrɔgʲi], which is the plural form of pieróg [ˈpʲɛruk], a generic term for one filled dumpling.

How much does pierogi cost in Poland? ›

A portion of Poland's famous dumplings (pierogi), filled with a combination of meat and cabbage or goat cheese, costs PLN 25-30 (CZK 147-176).

What country is famous for pierogies? ›

In Slovakia, they're known as pirohy. In Ukraine, they're called varenyky. But to Poland, and most of the rest of the world, they're pierogi.

References

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