Homemade Polish pierogi is the recipe that got everyone’s heart. If you have never tried pierogi, I encourage you to do so. This recipe is perfect for any lunch/dinner. It’s time-consuming, but the final result will warm your heart and satisfy your soul. Once you learn how to make pierogi, you can easily change the filling and adjust it to the time, season, and occasion because we love pierogi at every time of the year!
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The time to share the recipe for homemade Polish pierogi has finally come, and I am so happy to introduce it to you! If you have never tried to make them, please reserve some time during the week; it could be, for example, on Sunday, gathering your family and friends and making pierogi together! It can be such an excellent idea for quality time spent and eating, of course, as the best part of it.
In today’s post, I will share some tricks on making the best dumpling dough, what works best, what to avoid while making them, and how to get through the process to reach the most satisfying result.
Pierogi, in English, we say dumplings, are a big part of Polish food tradition. Usually, they are served during Christmas time. Slavic countries have a lot in common when it comes to food. Dumplings are familiar in many countries; everyone uses different spices, fillings, and flavors. In Poland, the most traditional form of eating dumplings is with cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, and onion (plus black pepper and salt to spice it up). This is how I got used to eating them. In today’s recipe, I would like to share a plant-based version, which would be suitable for those entirely on a plant-based diet.

I love sharing with you all the tips I have learned. I use this platform to connect with others and help them understand their cooking potential and possibilities. I try to collect everything I know from everyone who taught me and shared the knowledge with me to bring the best content possible for you. I always make sure to add nutrition knowledge about ingredients I use in particular recipes so that instead of cooking, you can also learn something about your body and why certain products are beneficial.
What you will learn from this post?
- What science say about tofu and soy;
- You will master your knowladge about all what’s needed to make any kind of pierogi;
- How to make a perfect dumpling dough;
- How to make the traditional polish pierogi filling (plant-based version)
- Ideas on how to change the flavors and fillings;
- How to store pierogi for later;
- Tricks and tips from the chef.

Soy Foods and Their Role in Vegetarian Diets
The science research says, ” Soy is a basic food ingredient of traditional Asian cuisine used for thousands of years. In Western countries, soybeans were introduced about a hundred years ago, and recently, they are mainly used for surrogate food production. Soy and soy foods are common nutritional solutions for vegetarians due to their high protein content and versatility in the production of meat analogs and milk substitutes.
“Nutritionists typically emphasize consuming whole foods, whether whole grains rather than refined grains or whole fruit rather than fruit juice. This same approach can be applied to food recommendations based on soy protein ingredients. Nutritionists are justified in emphasizing the consumption of whole soyfoods (tempeh, edamame, soynuts) and minimally processed soyfoods (tofu, soymilk). However, foods based on concentrated sources of soy protein are convenient ways to obtain ample amounts of high-quality protein that, for many people, maybe the only acceptable way to incorporate soy into the diet. Concentrated soy protein sources’ potential benefits and safety have been rigorously evaluated.”
Read more here.
How to make pierogi dough?



STEP 1:
Prepare a large mixing bowl, add wheat (400g) and wholegrain (100g) flour, and mix them with your hands. Then, create a small hole in the middle and add oil. Mix the oil (80g) with the flour, but do not knead with your hands. I like to go around with my finger and incorporate fat into flour.
STEP 2:
In the meantime, when you prepare everything, boil water. You can do it in a pot or a kettle and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before adding to a dough. Mix flour and oil when ready, and add 230 ml of hot water.
This is the trick for making the dough better in taste and texture. I have learned it from my dear friend, with whom I had the privilege of working for a few months. She made probably thousands of dumplings and had such excellent knowledge.
STEP 3:
After adding hot water to your flour-oil mix, add 1 tsp of salt, combine all ingredients, and knead the dough. I like to start kneading in a bowl if the dough is too dry or too wet; then, I can easily add more flour or water without making my work surface dirty. Every flour is different, so you must watch for your dough while mixing. You will add more water if needed. Learning how to feel your dough is the most important. It should be stretchy and quite soft.
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until you see that all ingredients are well incorporated and create an excellent shape, smooth bowl.
Leave it to rest while preparing the pierogi filling.



Did you know this about potatoes?
POTATOES– I cook potatoes the day before and use them the day I plan to make homemade Polish pierogi. Why? Because it’s so much easier to work with potatoes once they are cooled down.
Plus, there is one thing I’ve learned that I did not know before about cooled-down potatoes. Have you ever heard about resistant starch? Once potatoes are thoroughly cooled down, the starch will not give a high glucose spike once you eat it. It’s different when you eat cooked potatoes right away. That might interest people who struggle with high glucose spikes or diabetics.
Also, the starch is still resistant when you preheat cooled-down potatoes!
How to make homemade Polish pierogi filling



STEP 1:
You start with cooking potatoes (remember to salt the water generously). You can cook them the day before, cool them down in a fridge, and use them the next day. This is much easier to work with potatoes once they are cooled down.
Take your cooled-down potatoes and press them through a potato ricer. Please put them in a medium mixing bowl.
If you do not have a potato ricer, you can do it with a fork or your hands, which might be more difficult. You could also take a vegetable grater and grate potatoes. This will also be a great tool instead of potato ricer, but if you plan on doing dumplings or other recipes using potatoes, please get yourself potato ricer. It will make all the work easier.
STEP 2:
Get your tofu and go through potato ricer as well. I used a machine, so it was easier. However, I understand that not everyone has access to it. You can use a hand potato ricer; however, with tofu, it might be more complicated due to the texture of tofu. You can break down tofu in a food processor and add it to a bowl, or use your hands and squeeze it tightly.
Add tofu to a bowl and squeeze lemon juice on tofu. Mix it gently with your hands and let the tofu sit for about 15 minutes. You can do it the day before and marinate tofu in lemon juice. Adding acid allows tofu to be more like cheese with flavor. I have heard people using water from homemade pickled cucumbers, which also works perfectly.


STEP 3:
Chop onion and add to a preheated frying pan. Dry fry for a few minutes. Dry frying is an excellent method to let onion soften before adding oil. The process draws out all the moisture, so the final result is browned, super crispy, and tender. After a few minutes, add oil and continue frying.
Add spices (herbal pepper, bullion powder, and salt) and continue final frying for another few minutes. This will create a flavor profile for your filling. Let this stage go slowly. Fry it on a low heat.
STEP 4:
Add marinated tofu, mashed potatoes, and sautéed onion to a medium mixing bowl. Mix with your hands and add salt and herb pepper to taste if needed.
I often take some stuffing on a spoon and shape it into small rolls to make it easier. This helps with stuffing dumplings and not getting messy hands. I put it on the plate and use it whenever I am ready. You can see in the pictures below.
Set the filling aside and prepare a working surface.
How to shape homemade pierogi



STEP 1:
Divide the dough into three parts. Roll out the first part. Try to roll the dough so it is thin but not to the point that it falls apart.
When rolling, sprinkle flour on the counter and not on the dough.
You can also grease the rolling pin with flour to prevent the rolling pin from sticking to the dough while rolling.
STEP 2:
When you reach the appropriate thickness of the dough, cut it into an oval shape using a cup or a unique tool. Sprinkle the countertop with flour to make it easier for the dough not to stick to it.


STEP 3:
Time to shape your dumplings!
Take one piece of dough and put the previously formed stuffing inside. Close both sides of the dumpling, pressing firmly to seal both ends tightly.
Prepare a tray, line it with a kitchen towel, and put dumplings there before cooking. This will prevent it from sticking.
Look at the pictures below.



STEP 4:
It’s time to cook your homemade Polish pierogi, finaly..!
Prepare medium-size cooking pot and boil enough of water. Add salt to it, it will help with the final taste.
When the water is boiling, add dumplings and cook them for about 1-2 minutes, or until you notice they float on the surface. You can add them partly, not all at once.
Prepare also separate two bowls and drainer. When done, gently remove them from the water and put them in a filter, and the strainer is placed in a bowl. This will help remove excess water. Then add them to another bowl, pour some oil, and stir them to coat. Then, cover the bowl with a lid and continue with cooking.


You have come through a lot, but you are closing this process successfully and are ready to assemble and enjoy your own homemade Polish pierogi.
You can enjoy them straight out of the water and fry them with some oil. I did that, as you can see in the final pictures. It makes the taste even better.
Serve it with yogurt (catch this perfect parsley yogurt recipe) and chopped green onions or sauteed onion.

Check this fantastic recipe for dumplings with green lentils
How to store pierogi for later
Can I freeze dumplings (pierogi)?
- Yes, of course! You can make a big batch and freeze them for later. Here is how to do it. When you shape your dumplings, prepare a tray, line it with a kitchen towel, and put the dumplings there before cooking. This will prevent it from sticking. Prepare a medium-sized cooking pot and boil enough water. Add salt to it; it will help with the final taste. Add dumplings for a few seconds when the water is boiled, and take them out. This is pre-cooking. Place them on a tray and let them dry out. Then, place the tray in a freezer and freeze the dumplings separately. When frozen, gather them and add them to a plastic container. This method allows you to freeze your dumplings without sticking problems or drying them out.
I hope you enjoyed and learned something new today. Let me know in the comments below if you made them and how it turned out. If you have more questions, do not hesitate to contact me. I would love to connect with you and improve everything I share because I am still on the journey, like you!

Homemade Polish Pierogi You Need To Try! (Plant-Based Version)
Equipment
- Potato ricer
- 4 Mixing bowls (for mixing dough, for filling, for cooking dumplings)
- Rolling Pin
- Frying pan
- A cup or a shaping tool (to make the rounded pieces of dough)
- Tray lined with kitchen towel
Ingredients
- 500 g potatoes
- 200 g tofu (one block)
- 2 medium onions
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon (juice from 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp herb pepper
- 1 tsp bullion powder
Instructions
HOW TO MAKE PIEROGI DOUGH;
- Prepare a large mixing bowl, add wheat (400g) and wholegrain (100g) flour, and mix them with your hands. Then, create a small hole in the middle and add oil. Mix the oil (80g) with the flour, but do not knead with your hands. I like to go around with my finger and incorporate fat into flour.
- In the meantime, when you prepare everything, boil water. You can do it in a pot or a kettle and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before adding to a dough. Mix flour and oil when ready, and add 230 ml of hot water. This is the trick for making the dough better in taste and texture.
- After adding hot water to your flour-oil mix, add 1 tsp of salt, combine all ingredients, and knead the dough. I like to start kneading in a bowl if the dough is too dry or too wet; then, I can easily add more flour or water without making my work surface dirty. Every flour is different, so you must watch for your dough while mixing. You will add more water if needed. Learning how to feel your dough is the most important. It should be stretchy and quite soft. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until you see that all ingredients are well incorporated and create an excellent shape, smooth bowl. Please leave it to rest while preparing the pierogi filling.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE POLISH PIEROGI FILLING;
- You start with cooking potatoes (remember to salt the water generously). You can cook them the day before, cool them down in a fridge, and use them the next day. This is much easier to work with potatoes once they are cooled down. Take your cooled-down potatoes and press them through a potato ricer. Please put them in a medium mixing bowl.
- Get your tofu and go through potato ricer as well. Add tofu to a bowl and squeeze lemon juice on tofu. Mix it gently with your hands and let the tofu sit for about 15 minutes. You can do it the day before and marinate tofu in lemon juice. Adding acid allows tofu to be more like cheese with flavor. I have heard people using water from homemade pickled cucumbers, which also works perfectly.
- Chop onion and add to a preheated frying pan. Dry fry for a few minutes. Dry frying is an excellent method to let onion soften before adding oil. The process draws out all the moisture, so the final result is browned, super crispy, and tender. After a few minutes, add oil and continue frying.Add spices (herbal pepper, bullion powder, and salt) and continue final frying for another few minutes. This will create a flavor profile for your filling. Let this stage go slowly. Fry it on a low heat.
- Add marinated tofu, mashed potatoes, and sautéed onion to a medium mixing bowl. Mix with your hands and add salt and herb pepper to taste if needed.
- Set the filling aside and prepare a working surface.
HOW TO SHAPE HOMEMADE PIEROGI
- Divide the dough into three parts. Roll out the first part. Try to roll the dough so it is thin but not to the point that it falls apart. When moving, sprinkle flour on the counter and not on the dough. You can also grease the rolling pin with flour to prevent the rolling pin from sticking to the dough while rolling.
- When you reach the appropriate thickness of the dough, cut it into an oval shape using a cup or a unique tool. Sprinkle the countertop with flour to make it easier for the dough not to stick to it.
- Take one piece of dough and put the previously formed stuffing inside. Close both sides of the dumpling, pressing firmly to seal both ends tightly. Prepare a tray, line it with a kitchen towel, and put dumplings there before cooking. This will prevent it from sticking.
- Prepare a medium-sized cooking pot and boil enough water. Add salt to it; it will help with the final taste. When the water is boiling, add dumplings and cook them for about 1-2 minutes, or until you notice they float on the surface. You can add them partly, not all at once. Prepare also separate two bowls and drainer. When done, gently remove them from the water and put them in a filter, and the strainer is placed in a bowl. This will help remove excess water. Then add them to another bowl, pour some oil, and stir them to coat. Then, cover the bowl with a lid and continue with cooking.
- FINALLY, enjoy your homemade Polish pierogi!
Notes
- POTATOES–If you do not have a potato ricer, you can do it with a fork or your hands, which might be more difficult. You could also take a vegetable grater and grate potatoes. This will also be a great tool instead of potato ricer, but if you plan on doing dumplings or other recipes using potatoes, please get yourself potato ricer. It will make all the work easier.
- With tofu, I used a potato ricer machine. However, I understand that not everyone has access to it. You can use a hand potato ricer; however, with tofu, it might be more complicated due to the texture of tofu. You can break down tofu in a food processor and add it to a bowl, or use your hands and squeeze it tightly.
- I often take some stuffing on a spoon and shape it into small rolls to make it easier. This helps with stuffing dumplings and not getting messy hands. I put it on the plate and use it whenever I am ready. You can see in the pictures below.