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Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe

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Authentic Polish dumplings on a table.

Although Polish sauerkraut pierogi recipe is being used all year round, it’s definitely getting popular during Christmas time. For many families, dumplings with sauerkraut are the most important dish on Christmas Eve’s table.

The main reason why is that it is vegetarian food. Traditionally, you are not supposed to eat meat on December, 24th.

Pierogi with sauerkraut and pierogi ruskie are two main dishes served during Wieczerza Wigilijna. Keep on reading to discover my grandma’s authentic sauerkraut pierogi recipe!

Tips For Cooking Pierogi With Sauerkraut

1. Skip mushrooms if you don’t have (or don’t like) them.

Although adding dried mushrooms is the typical way of making the sauerkraut pierogi filling, you may easily skip them.

Eating mushrooms is not recommended for kids or people with digestive problems, so this ingredient is not necessary.

2. Be sure to cook sauerkraut pierogi in boiling hot water!

Otherwise, they will fall apart. Putting them in the cold water is the biggest mistake you can make.

3. When cooked, don’t put pierogi too close together.

After pierogi are cooked and ready, you can either:

  • put the butter on top of them and eat them
  • carefully put them one by one on a plate/cutting board

If they will be too close, they will stick together. Wait until they cool off, then put them into the bowl. Pour the melted butter on them, then shake gently. Now, they can be either stored in the fridge or freezer.

Best Add-ons For Pierogi With Sauerkraut

Melted butter

As simple as that. It’s one of the most popular ways of having sauerkraut pierogi.

Fried onion

Pierogi taste delicious with carmelized or fried onion.

Skwarki (greaves)

It’s basically what’s left from making homemade lard.

Maggi seasoning sauce

Some people in Poland like having pierogi with the Maggi sauce.

 

How To Serve Sauerkraut Pierogi?

Serve them right after cooking, when they are warm, with the add-ons of your choice.

Alternatively, you can fry them with butter until they are crispy, with the brownish color.

Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi Recipe

A plate of authentic Polish sauerkraut pierogi with onions.

Although Polish sauerkraut pierogi recipe is being used all year round, it's definitely getting popular during Christmas time. For many families, dumplings with sauerkraut are the most important dish on Christmas Eve's table.

The main reason why is that it is vegetarian food. Traditionally, you are not supposed to eat meat on December, 24th.

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

Dough for sauerkraut pierogi

  • 5 cups (600g) of all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cups of warm water
  • 2 pinches of salt
  • 4-5 tablespoons of oil

Sauerkraut filling

  • 2 lbs of sauerkraut
  • 1 big or 2 small onions
  • 3 oz of dried mushrooms (optionally)
  • salt, pepper, oil

Instructions

How To Make Dough For Pierogi With Sauerkraut?

  1. Put flour, egg, oil, and salt into the bowl. Whisk it together with hand or dough hook attachment.
  2. Start adding the water slowly, letting it incorporate before adding more.
  3. Whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps.

How To Make Sauerkraut Filling?

  1. If you decided to add dried mushrooms, wash them carefully, then cover them with cold water and leave for at least a few hours (ideally overnight).
  2. In the morning, drain the mushrooms and cook them until soft.
  3. Drain the sauerkraut by squeezing it carefully. Then chop it finely. Authentic Polish sauerkraut pierogi recipe topped with chopped onion on a black cutting board.
  4. Boil the sauerkraut in water until it's soft (it will take about 1 hour). Next, drain it again. Make sure there is no water left.
  5. In the meantime, finely chop an onion and mushrooms. Fry them with a bit of butter (or oil) on low heat, until they are soft.
  6. Mix all the ingredients for the filling together, season with salt and pepper.


How To Mold Sauerkraut Pierogi?

  1. Divide the dough into the 2 or 3 pieces.
  2. Thinly roll each piece out onto a floured surface to just under 1/16 - 1/8” thickness.
  3. Use a round cookie cutter to cut the circles from the dough.
  4. Put the sauerkraut filling in the center of each circle. The more filling, the better, however, you need to be sure it stays inside pierogi. When the filling will get between the dough when sealing, pierogi may fall apart during the cooking.
  5. Pull the edges of each circle together to form pierogi. Make sure the seal is continuous and intact. You can't leave any free space, as pierogi will fall apart during the cooking. Pinch tightly. A person's hand is holding an authentic dough ball on a counter.
  6. Collect the remaining dough scraps and put them to the other 2 dough pieces. Repeat the process until the entire dough and all the filling is used.


How To Cook Pierogi With Sauerkraut?

  1. Pour the water into the big pot. Add 2 pinches of salt. Boil.
  2. Gently throw pierogi, one by one into the boiling water.
  3. When they start floating, wait for a minute and take them out with the slotted spoon.
  4. Pour the melted butter or lard on top.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 333Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 869mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 6gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g

These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix

See also my other recipes for pierogi!

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13 Responses

  1. Sigh, I just know you are about to cringe and may not even answer, but I have a question to ask. If I were to purchase ready made dough from the local store, which would be closest to real pierogi dough? Pizza dough, pie crust dough or even wonton ready made rounds?
    Thank you for even considering this.

    Laney

  2. I haven’t made your dough yet but I am wondering if it can be rolled out in a pasta roller attachment for my stand mixer or if it would be too sticky for that?

  3. For my dough recipe I use 2/3 cup warm water, 1 room temp egg, 3 cups flour, 1/4 cup sour cream, 3/4 teaspoon salt. Throw it in your bread machine if you have one and put it on dough setting. I’ve been making pierogi for about 50 years now and this dough recipe is very good.

  4. A tip for freezing pierogi is place them one layer on a baking pan and freeze for about a half hour. Then you can just put them in a ziplock bag and throw in the freezer. They won’t stick to each other. Also, I never cook my sauerkraut. I tried following a recipe last year and did boil the sauerkraut. Came out flavorless. I like the tartness of sauerkraut. I also add sauteed onions and a bit of sour cream to the filling. Important to drain and rinse the sauerkraut well, and then squeeze the water out really hard. I also mince the sauerkraut. I’ve been making them for 50 years, learning from my mother that made the best pierogi in the world.

    1. Thanks for your comment! I freeze pierogi the same way.
      When it comes to the filling, that depends how sour is your sauerkraut. Kapusta kiszona in Poland is usually really sour and salty, so you need to cook it first.

    1. That’s not a traditional way of making pierogi- it’s either sauerkraut or potato. If you want to mix it, I will make it 50/50.

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