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Potato Onion and Carrot Pierogi
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Potato Onion and Carrot Pierogi

Delicious pillowy little dumplings, stuffed with potato and caramelized onions and carrots.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Servings 24 pierogi
Author Jen Leigh

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and rolling
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 3/4 cup hot water
  • 3 small potatoes, peeled boiled and mashed*
  • 1/2 onion, diced finely
  • 2 small carrots, diced finely
  • 1 1/2 tsp light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 tbsp butter

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Create a well in the center and crack the egg in. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and whisk egg and oil together. Start incorporating the flour as you whisk while slowly adding the hot water. The dough should be quite sticky but if it’s too wet, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. (Sometimes you may need to add up to 1/4 to 1/2 cup more flour, depending on humidity, but add it a little at a time.)
  • Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface and knead until less tacky and more supple, usually about 8 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed. When dough is smooth and only a little tacky, stop kneading and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 45 minutes to an hour. After coming out of the fridge, let the dough rest on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes before rolling out.
  • In a large pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes.
  • Add the diced carrots to the onions. Sprinkle in the light brown sugar and stir to combine. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown and diced carrots are softened, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
  • Add the onion and carrot mixture and the grated cheddar cheese to the mashed potatoes and mix to combine.* Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Cut the rested dough in half and cover the portion not being rolled out. On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the remaining half into a circle under 1/8-inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2 1/2” to 3 1/2” biscuit cutter. (I prefer 3”.)
  • Gently cup a dough round in your palm and spoon a heaping teaspoonful of the filling in the center.
  • Fold up the round around the filling into a crescent shape, using your pinky to tuck the filling in and down. Pinch all around the open edges several times to form a tight seal, then go over edges one more time with the tines of a fork.
  • Continue cutting, filling and sealing the pierogi rounds until all your dough is used. A 3” cutter should yield 24 to 26 pierogi. (You may have leftover filling, in which case you can make potato pancakes. See the Notes section.) If planning on freezing the pierogi, here is where you would do that.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop 8 to 10 pierogi in the water. When pierogi start to float, boil them an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until skins are wrinkled looking, then remove them with a slotted spoon and let drain.
  • Once all the pierogi are boiled, heat a large pan with butter and brown the pierogi, about 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, and about 2 to 3 minutes on the other side.
  • Serve with sour cream or Greek yogurt, if desired.

Notes

*I mashed my potatoes with a little bit of Greek yogurt and half-and-half to make them a little creamier.
*Filling the pierogi is easier with a stiff mixture – if you have time, pop the filling into the fridge for an hour or two, or even better, make the filling a day ahead and refrigerate overnight.
*Mashed potato pancakes – add an egg to the mashed potato mixture and a couple of tablespoons of flour – up 1/4 cup if you have a lot of mixture left. Mix it all up, form into pancakes and brown on both sides in a pre-heated skillet with oil.