Pierogi are a semicircular Polish dumpling usually stuffed with potato filling, sauerkraut, ground meat, cheese or fruit. The most common filling here in the United States is mashed potatoes with cheese.
The dough is similar to pastry dough and is made with flour and warm water.
You typically cook pierogi by first boiling them then they are either fried, baked or sauteed.
I consider them a side dish, but they can easily be made into an entree by adding a protein.
I love pierogi. Growing up, we would buy them frozen from Schwan’s.
I would deep fry them until the outside was a crispy, golden brown and the insides were soft, warm and cheesy.
It wasn’t until college that I learned how delicous pierogies can be when sauteed with a few fresh ingredients.
Two of my favorite things to pair with pierogies are onions and garlic, but I also like to throw in whatever I have fresh like tomatoes or mushrooms.
I’m using frozen pierogi for this recipe.
I’ll save the “from-scratch” recipe for another time.
With the frozen pierogies, I am able to steam them in the pan with the ingredients rather than boiling them first. This is because the pierogies are precooked before they are frozen.
I’ve dubbed this my “Italian Pierogi” recipe because of the use of tomatoes and basil.
This recipe is highly adaptable. You can use pretty much whatever you have on hand.
Italian Pierogi
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Vidalia onion, cut in half, then sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 frozen pierogi
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1/4 c. packed fresh basil, julienne cut
Salt, to taste
Warm the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and cook until they begin to turn a golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add the garlic and saute until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
Add the pierogies to the pan in a single layer, then add the tomatoes and basil. Add salt to taste and cover.
Steam with the cover on until the pierogi are tender, turning halfway, about 5 minutes.
Remove the lid.
Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half and the pierogi take on a golden color from the caramelized onions.
Serve warm.
Italian Pierogi
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Vidalia onion, cut in half, then sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6-8 frozen pierogi
- 1 large ripe tomato, diced
- 1/4 c. packed fresh basil, julienne cut
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions and cook until they begin to turn a golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and saute until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
- Add the pierogies to the pan in a single layer, then add the tomatoes and basil. Add salt to taste and cover.
- Steam with the cover on until the pierogi are tender, turning halfway, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half and the pierogi take on a golden color from the caramelized onions. Serve warm.