Loaded Pierogi with Sour Cream Dough

These crispy pierogi have a sour cream dough, cheesy potato filling, and are loaded with toppings of caramelized onions, fresh chives, a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkling of crisp bacon! It is like an inside out loaded baked potato. The perfect appetizer or side dish for the whole family!

The first time I made homemade pierogi, I just fell in love! Crisp little dumplings stuffed with cheesy potatoes... what's not to love! They quickly became my favorite comfort food. Weather getting colder? Friday night in? Movie night? Everything calls for these loaded pierogi!

Pierogi have a wide variety of filling flavors from sweet to savory, but my favorite by far is the classic cheesy potato! I love that there are an endless choice of toppings to make these loaded pierogi your own! My favorites are caramelized onions, bacon bits, fresh chives, and lots of sour cream! These would be a great food option to have as a build your own bar for a party or get together, where everyone can top their own pierogi!

ingredients

You will need 4 tablespoons of high quality butter for frying the pierogi after boiling.

filling

Potatoes: Stick to russet potatoes for homemade pierogi. Other potatoes are too waxy and will make a rubbery filling rather than smooth and creamy. You will need 2 medium potatoes.

Cheese: Don't use pre-shredded cheese for the filling. Cheese that comes pre-shredded is tossed in preservatives that hinder how much it melts. For a smooth cheesy filling, buy the block of cheese and shred it yourself. You will need about 1 cup of sharp yellow cheddar cheese shredded.

Cream cheese: Just a little cream cheese in the filling makes it extra creamy! Be sure to use full fat cream cheese. You will need 4 ounces worth.

Seasonings: To flavor the potato filling, you will need onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper.

sour cream dough

Flour: All purpose flour is best for this pierogi dough recipe. This will provide the structure needed to keep the filling in. You will need 2 ½ cups.

Salt: Don't forget to add ½ teaspoon of salt into the dough since this adds so much flavor.

Sour cream: Be sure to use full fat sour cream. The fat content binds the ingredients together so having lessened fat makes for a rough dough. You will need ¼ cup of sour cream.

Egg: 1 egg makes the dough extra rich. It will need to be at room temperature.

Water: I recommend to use warm water to more easily combine all of the ingredients and make for a supple dough. You will need ⅔ cup water.

toppings

There are so many different toppings you can add on top of these homemade pierogi, but for a classic loaded pierogi add bacon, chives, sour cream, and caramelized onions.

variations and substitutions

Try a different type of cheese in the filling. To give the pierogi your own unique twist, try swapping the yellow sharp cheddar cheese for parmesan cheese, habanero cheddar, or even goat cheese. There are a variety of cheeses that would be delicious in the filling!

Customize these pierogi by adding your favorite toppings! There are so many options of toppings that pair deliciously with these cheesy pierogi. Some of my favorites are sour cream, crispy centre cut bacon, green onions, wild mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, crispy onions, crispy jalapenos, chorizo sausage, black truffle, and crispy fried brussel sprouts. There are so many different combinations you can do to make these loaded pierogi your own!

Experiment with sauces. Many love to add sauces to their pierogi to dip in or drizzle on top. Try garlic-parmesan sauce, creamy ranch dressing, cheddar cheese sauce, creamy sriracha, or even barbecue sauce. When I am feeling fancy, I'll drizzle some white truffle oil on top!

tips & tricks

Combine the filling while the potatoes are still warm. This makes it very easy for all the flavors to melt together and evenly disperses the ingredients.

Use a food processor to mix the potato filling for it to be extra smooth. A couple pulses of the mixture in the food processor will really blend everything together to ensure there are no chunks of potatoes.

step by step instructions

1. Make the cheesy potato filling. Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain well. Make the filling while the potatoes are still warm so all of the filling ingredients can melt together. In a large bowl, mash the potatoes using a hand blender or masher. Add the shredded cheese, cream cheese, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. You can make the filling as chunky or as smooth as you'd like. For extra smoothness, you can pulse the mixture a few times in a food processor. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool.

2. Make the dough. Add the flour and salt in a large bowl to evenly disperse. On a large cutting board or cleaned work surface, pour the flour. Then in the middle of the flour pile, make a well. Make the well big enough to hold all of the liquids in the dough (an egg, ⅔ cup water, and ¼ cup sour cream). Add the egg, sour cream, and water slowly into the well trying not to have any liquids escape. If some liquids begin to fall out of the well, simply toss some of the flour mixture on it to reincorporate it into the dough. Using a fork, start to mix the liquids and flour together in the center of the well until a shaggy dough forms. Then with your hands, knead though until smooth and soft. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with a hand towel. Rest for 10 minutes.

3. Roll out the dough. After 10 minutes, flour a workstation. Roll out the dough to be about ¼ inch thick. Once it is rolled out, sprinkle some flour on top. Using a 4 inch diameter cookie cutter, cut out circles all over the dough. Set cut dough circles aside on a floured surface under a damp hand towel.

4. Prepare the pierogi. Grab the potato filling from the fridge. Using a 1 inch cookie scoop, scoop one scoop of filling onto each dough circle. Dip your finger in water and brush it on the edges of the dough circle. Then fold it in half so that all edges touch. Pinch with your fingers to seal and then crimp the edges with a fork. Place each prepared dumpling under the damp towel while preparing the next.

5. Boil em. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop about 4 pierogi at a time into the pot of salted boiling water. Gently stir to ensure they do not stick to each other or the pot. After about 3-5 minutes the pierogi will float to the top. This means that they are done boiling! Using a slotted spoon, remove them and set aside on an oiled tray or plate. Repeat this step until all pierogi have been boiled.

6. Saute em. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the pierogi to the pan, as many as you can without the pan being crowded. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side until the exterior is crisp and golden brown. Repeat until all of the pierogi have been sauteed.

7. Load them up! Place the cooked pierogi on a serving tray. Now for the best part, load up the pierogi with toppings! Bacon, chives, sour cream, caramelized onions, the options are endless!

serving suggestions

Serve these crispy pierogi warm and loaded with toppings.

Complete your appetizer platter with french fries, crispy fried chicken, and fried cheese curds.

If you love this recipe, you should also try spinach artichoke dip, fried goat cheese balls, and butternut squash goat cheese empanadas.

storage and reheating

Pierogi can be refrigerated in an airtight container before boiling for up to 3 days.

To freeze, place the pierogi before boiling in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze. Then store in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.

You can reheat the pierogi from refrigerated or frozen. If pierogi has not yet been boiled, simply boil and saute per instructions. If pierogi have already been boiled & sauteed and you now want to reheat them, you can do so on the stovetop, microwave, or air fryer. For stovetop, saute each side on medium heat for about 5 minutes. For microwave, place on a heat safe plate and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. For air fryer, preheat your air fryer to 350F and cook for 3-4 minutes.

faq's

How do you tell when pierogi is done boiling?

• You will know pierogi are done boiling when they float to the top of the pot. This typically takes about 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water.

Why are my pierogi tough?

• If your pierogi are tough, you may not have kneaded long enough or let it rest. Knead the dough until soft to the touch. Letting the dough rest makes it more flexible and less tough.

Can I make pierogi the day before?

• Pierogi are great to be made the day before! Simple store in an airtight container before boiling and then when ready to eat, boil, saute, and load with toppings.

how to video

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