Makes around 30 pierogi

Vegan potato pierogi


These vegan pierogis are originally from my cookbook Vegan Brunch, and for some reason I love to make them during Easter. I can’t be alone in that, so I’m publishing this recipe now to give you plenty of planning time.

This is everyone’s favorite Polish potato dumpling. Toothsome, warm, soft and smothered in caramelized onions. Yep, that’s the stuff! Growing up in NYC, pierogis were a brunch staple. Polish diners were everywhere back then, and you could get a plate of these smothered in onions for like four dollars. Those diners are sadly mostly gone now, but you can live the life in your own kitchen.

This recipe makes around 30 pierogis, which sounds like a lot until you start eating them. It’s a project, that’s the truth, but it’s a fun one. Put on some music, get a friend to help, and make a day of it. Make the filling and dough the night before, then in the morning is roll, fill, and boil. Because the ingredients are so simple and unadulterated, choose good quality, organic potatoes whose flavor packs the most punch.

A note on the caramelized onions: don’t rush them. You’re coaxing the sweetness out slowly — low heat, covered, stirring every few minutes. It looks like an absurd amount of onion, but it all cooks down. If you’ve never tasted properly caramelized onions, you might be surprised that an onion is even capable of this deep, sweet complexity. Start them before you start rolling out the dough so you can stir between tasks.

This vegan pierogi recipe is one of my all-time favorites and perfect for Easter brunch or honestly any time you want pure potato comfort.

Vegan Pierogi FAQ (Everything You Need to Know)

Can I make these ahead of time? Yes! Make the filling and dough the night before. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate, and let it sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes before rolling. You can also assemble the pierogis, freeze them on a flour-dusted baking sheet, then transfer to a bag. Boil straight from frozen, they just take a minute or two longer.

Can I freeze these? Absolutely. Freeze them on a flour-dusted baking sheet so they don’t stick together. Once frozen, transfer to a bag. If you’re freezing them after boiling, coat each one with a little oil first. They keep for months.

.Any tips for managing the workflow? Start the caramelized onions first since they mostly just sit there. If you made the filling and dough the night before, you’re just rolling, filling, boiling, and making the onions. Clean your counter before rolling out the dough — a serene workspace makes all the difference.

Can I make these gluten-free? I haven’t tried. I would find a gluten-free pierogi recipe and use this filling to be safe. 

Does a pierogi gadget make it easier? I’ve used pierogi presses to crimp, and they sort of work? If you want to give them a shot, just google it. Stainless steel ones are under $20.

Can I use a pasta roller for the dough? If you have one that is a great idea. I used to do that in the restaurant, it works great. 

My dough circles keep sticking together. What do I do? Dust them generously with flour and keep them in the fridge between batches. If your kitchen is warm, the dough gets sticky fast. If they do stick, you can re-roll them.

How do I know when they’re done boiling? They float. If for some reason they’re not floating, about 4 minutes does it.What do I serve these with? Smother them in caramelized onions and sprinkle with salt. Applesauce on the side is traditional. Vegan sour cream is great too.

Potato Pierogi With Caramelized Onions

Isa Chandra
Vegan potato pierogis smothered in caramelized onions. Toothsome, warm, and soft. Everyone's favorite Polish dumpling, no dairy needed.
5 from 1 vote
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Servings 30 pierogi

Ingredients
  

For the Caramelized Onions:

  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 lbs sweet onions (Vidalia or Walla Walla) diced medium

For the Dough:

  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 3 cups all purpose flour (plus a little extra for sprinkling)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes peeled and sliced, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 pc small onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

To serve:

  • Applesauce

Instructions
 

To make the caramelized onions:

  • This is kind of an art, so don’t rush it! Since they onions can be left alone for intervals, start them before starting the dough, then take breaks from kneading the dough to stir the onions. The basic idea here is to sweat the onions, which means you’ll be gently cooking them, covered over low heat, and a lot of the cooking will be done from the steam as the moisture is released. You’re coaxing the sweetness out of them and locking it in. It looks like a lot of onion, and it is, but everything will cook down to manageable proportions, I promise. If you’ve never tasted caramelized onions, you might be surprised that an onion is even capable of this deep, sweet complexity, and with only two ingredients flavor.
  • Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron, skillet over low heat. Add the oil and the onions and toss the onions to coat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, leaving a little gap for steam to escape. Stir occasionally, every 5 minutes or so. Onions should turn a nice mellow amber, but not burn, although a couple of darker spots are fine.
  • Remove the cover and turn the heat up just a bit, to a medium setting. Stir often for 10 more minutes. Onions should become a darker amber, and some of the moisture should evaporate.

Make the filling:

  • In a medium sized pot, cover potatoes in water. Place a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to simmer and cook for about 15 more minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
  • Meanwhile, in a large pan, sautée the onions in oil over medium heat for about 7 minutes. Turn the heat off but stir occasionally even when the heat is turned off because they could still burn from the hot pan. When the potatoes are done boiling, drain them well and add them to the pan with the onions. Just mashed them right in there with a potato masher, that way you are sure to get all the flavor. Add the salt and pepper. Make sure potatoes are mashed well and fluffy. Set aside to cool a bit.

To make the dough:

  • If you’re like me, you have limited counter space and so rolling out dough can be a hassle. I make the dough last because the mess becomes much more manageable when you don’t have to prep on the counter afterwards. It also gives your filling some time to cool. So make sure you clean up after your filling making and get someone to do the dishes for you. I find that a serene counter makes all the difference in dough making.
  • Pour the water and oil into a large bowl. Add 2 cups of flour and the salt, keeping one cup aside. Use a fork to stir the flour in, and as it starts to come together, use your hands to knead until a loose dough forms (about 3 minutes).
  • Sprinkle your counter with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and knead. Add the reserved cup of flour a little bit at a time, working it into the dough, until it is very smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If it’s too sticky, you can add a little bit more flour and knead it in, sometimes up to 1/4 cup extra. Conversely, if you get a good- feeling, smooth, elastic dough that isn’t tacky with less less than the extra cup of flour, then that’s okay, too.
  • Now we roll the dough out, and also bring a salted pot of water to boil—, the largest pot you’ve got—, for boiling the pierogis.
  • Divide the dough in half and make sure your counter is clean and sprinkled with a dusting of flour to prevent sticking. Roll half the dough out to about 1/16 of an inch thick, which is to say, very thin but not see through. I rolled it into an 18- by- 10 inch rectangle, but as long as you have the thinness going, the shape doesn’t matter so much. Sprinkle the top with a light dusting of flour.
  • Now we’re going to make circles. I use the top of a glass that is 3 1/2 inches, but somewhere between 3 1/2 and 4 inches is perfect. Use a glass or a cookie cutter. Have ready a lightly floured plate to place the finished circles on, and go ahead and firmly press your glass or cookie cutter into the dough, as close together as you can. Pull the excess dough up and set aside. Place circles on the floured plate and transfer to the fridge while you repeat with the other half of the dough. Combine the excess doughs and see if you can get a few more wrappers out of the deal.
  • NOTE: If it’s very hot in your kitchen there’s a chance that the circles will stick together. Sprinkle them with flour and make sure they don’t get wet to prevent sticking. If they do stick, you can roll them out and try again.
  • Now we’re ready to boil some pierogi! Make sure your water is rapidly boiling. The filling should be room temp or colder. Have a small bowl of water for wetting the edges of the wrappers. Place about a tablespoon of filling into the center of a circle and dab water around the circumference of the circle. Fold the edges of the wrapper over filling and pinch in the middle to hold together. Pinch down the sides so that you have a sealed half moon. Don’t be shy with the pinching, and don’t try to make it look like perfect pinches. The most important thing is that you are getting them sealed, so use pressure and really seal them up. I think it looks really cool when the pinches aren’t perfectly spaced, it gives them a beautiful homemade rustic look and let’s you know that it came from a person, not a robot.
  • If some of the filling is sneaking its way out, then use a little less filling with the next one. Once you get the amount of dough down, you can do a few at a time in assembly line style. I usually do six, lay out the circles, add the filling, pinch them closed. This works out perfectly if you time it with the boiling.
  • To boil, gently lower pierogis in to the water with a slotted spoon. Boil about six at a time. When they float they are ready. If for some reason they aren’t floating, it takes about 4 minutes for them to cook. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate as you prepare the rest. Cover finished ones lightly with tin foil to keep warm. Proceed until all pierogi are boiled.
  • If you’d like to fry instead: Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat, add a thin layer of canola oil, and fry pierogi on each side until golden brown (probably 3 minutes on one side and a minute on the next.) I personally prefer them boiled.
  • I really like to serve the pierogi in an oversized bowl, sprinkle amply with salt and smother in lots and lots of caramelized onions.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!