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    Recipes » Recipes

    Homemade Cheddar Potato Pierogi

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Dec 20, 2017 · Modified: Mar 25, 2021 by Dee

    Homemade Cheddar Potato Pierogi is my grandma's recipe for traditional Ukrainian pierogi filled with cheesy potatoes and topped with butter and fried onions. Make them for Christmas, Lent or anytime you're craving authentic pierogies!

    Jump to Recipe -

    homemade cheddar potato pierogi with fried onions on a plate

    This is hands-down the best recipe for pierogi dough I've ever made, and I've tried several pierogi recipes over the last few years. The dough is easy to work with, and the cheesy filling is loaded with flavor. If you want to make homemade cheddar pierogi, this is the recipe for you!

    I got this recipe for pierogi from my grandma, who got if from her Baba, and so on up the family tree. Grandma would come over every Christmas Eve, and my mom and I would spend all morning helping her make these cheesy potato dumplings to eat for Holy Supper that evening.

    My family is a mix of Ukrainian - Ruthenian - Polish - Russian heritage, but these pierogi, or pedohe as we used to call them, are from my grandma's Ukrainian side. My Polish relatives filled their pierogi with a mix of farmer's cheese and mashed potatoes, but Grandma always filled hers with cheddar cheese mashed potatoes.

    She also made a few sauerkraut pierogi, but I absolutely hated these when I was young. I wouldn't mind these now, but my kids would never go for that! So, we stick with the cheddar potato version.

    Making pierogi isn't hard -- You're basically making a simple filled pasta. But, it takes a lot of time and energy to complete the whole process, but it's easier if you have as much help as possible. For us, it's definitely a family project, but I'm beyond thrilled that I can hand this recipe down to my own kids. And honestly, we have a lot of fun in the process!

    cut homemade pierogi dough with glass

    This recipe for pirogi dough uses potato water left over from boiling the potatoes for the filling. So, cooking the potatoes is the first step. I use Yukon Gold potatoes, and I leave the skins on while boiling them. It's a cinch to peel the potatoes while they're warm!

    You mash the warm potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese, set them aside to cool, and then, you can start the dough. Like I said, this dough is so easy to work with, and it comes together in no time.

    You need to let the dough rest for about 20 minutes after you're done kneading it. Then, roll it out, and use a drinking glass or cookie cutter to cut circles out of the dough.

    fill homemade pierogi dough with cheddar potato

    Use a tablespoon to scoop out some of the cheddar potatoes, and place a spoonful in the center of the circle. Next, you fold the edges together, and pinch, pinch, pinch the dough so that it's completely closed.

    One of my girls made up a little song and dance about pinching the pierogi dough when she was younger. Good times! Seriously though, it's a great way for kids to get involved in the kitchen!

    pinch homemade cheddar potato pierogi dough closed

    Next, you boil the pierogi in a nice big pot of water. When they rise to the top, they're done. You could stop at this point, since they're technically cooked. But, you really, really, should take it a step further.

    We like to fry the boiled pierogi in a large skillet filled with melted butter and fried onions, which really makes the pierogi taste incredibly delicious! I prefer my pierogi a little soft in the center, while the Hubs prefers his crispy. So, I make them both ways, and everybody is happy.

    homemade cheddar potato pierogi on plate

    If you haven't guessed by now, this is not a low-fat recipe! But, don't let that stop you from making and eating homemade pierogi! It's definitely a treat!

    Tips for Making Homemade Cheddar Potato Pierogi

    • Use Yukon Gold potatoes for the filling, and boil the potatoes with the skin on for easy pealing
    • Reserve 1 cup of potato water for the dough
    • Knead the dough until it's no longer sticky, and your hands are clean after handling the dough
    • Allow at the dough to rest for at least 20 minutes before rolling
    • Keep dough covered to prevent drying out
    • Dip fingers in water to help seal the dough while forming the pierogi
    • Freeze pierogi after you make them to cook later

    Recipe for Homemade Cheddar Potato Pierogi

    homemade cheddar potato pierogi with fried onions on a plate

    Homemade Cheddar Potato Pierogi

    Published by Dee
    An authentic Ukrainian recipe for homemade cheddar potato pierogi filled with cheddar cheese potatoes and topped with melted butter and fried onions
    5 from 6 votes
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    Prep Time 1 hr
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 2 hrs
    Course Main
    Cuisine European American, Russian
    Servings 40
    Calories 108 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the Pierogi Dough

    • 5 cups flour
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
    • 1 cup lukewarm potato water
    • ½ cup milk

    For the Cheddar Cheese Potato Filling

    • 5 Yukon Gold potatoes
    • 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
    • ½ cup milk (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    For the Filling

    • Add potatoes to a large pot, add enough cold water to completely cover potatoes, and boil in salted water until fork tender 
    • Reserve 1 cup of water, drain, peel potatoes, add cheese, salt and pepper, and mash with fork or potato masher until blended. Add the milk to make potatoes creamier, if needed. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed
    • Set aside

    For the Dough

    • In a large bowl, stir the flour and sea salt together, and push aside to form a well in the bowl
    • Add eggs in the center, then the butter and milk, and start mixing dough with fork
    • Gradually add the potato water, and mix until dough starts to form. Add enough water to form a ball, and knead until no longer sticky. Add more water if too dry or more flour if dough is still too sticky 
    • Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to rest
    • Divide dough into 4 separate pieces, and keep covered to prevent drying out
    • Roll out one piece at a time on a floured surface, and cut out circular shapes with a drinking glass or round cookie/biscuit cutter
    • Place a tablespoon full of potatoes in center of dough, fold ends over, and pinch together, using water to help seal dough
    • Place pierogi on lightly greased cookie sheet until dough is used up, and keep covered until ready to boil 
    • Boil pierogi in salted water, a few at a time, until they float to surface
    • Remove with slotted spoon, and serve or fry with butter and onions before serving

    Nutrition

    Calories: 108kcal
    Keyword homemade cheddar potato pierogi, perogie
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    I hope you enjoy our family's recipe for homemade cheddar potato pierogi as much as we do!

    Shared at Weekend Potluck

    Happy Cooking,

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rose says

      December 22, 2021 at 4:34 pm

      You list "5 Yukon gold potatoes ", they could be small or large. What do you suggest by weight?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        December 22, 2021 at 10:06 pm

        It's about 1 pound of potatoes.

    2. Kathy says

      April 16, 2021 at 9:10 pm

      My dad’s family was Czech. This is the way we always had them, covered with melted butter, bacon and onion! Heavenly. My parents would work together making a huge roaster full, which would be GONE by the next day.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 19, 2021 at 11:27 am

        Thanks, Kathy! The pierogi go so fast here, too!

    3. Jim says

      February 21, 2021 at 12:28 pm

      Awesome family recipe. The whole family got together to make these for dinner last night.
      boy did these taste a thousand times better than store bought. We served them with the Haluski from this website too. Great fun and great taste. Thank you Dee.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 23, 2021 at 11:09 am

        So glad you enjoyed the pierogi recipe, Jim. Thank you for the wonderful review!

    4. Dominique says

      December 06, 2020 at 11:42 am

      I woke up to find my husband in the kitchen busily making your perogie recipe. I did end up helping him, and after 3 batches (120 perogies) later, his hands were cramping. They are delicious, I love how the cheddar flavour really comes through. Thanks for the recipe Dee!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        January 13, 2021 at 6:12 pm

        Oh my goodness! You two are brave -- I make my whole family help with pieroi! Thanks so much for the sweet compliment!

    5. Maria says

      July 11, 2020 at 2:13 pm

      These were incredible! The recipe made enough for three meals for my family of three. We put the extras on a lined baking sheet (silicone mat, but parchment paper or waxed paper would work, too) in a single layer and froze them overnight. Then we divided them into two meals' worth in Ziplock bags. Freezing them separated like that makes it so they don't all stick together in the bag. When we were ready to have them for dinner, we just plopped them frozen in to boiling water and they were just as good as the first night. Thank you so much for such an easy and delicious recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        July 13, 2020 at 1:12 pm

        I am so happy to hear this, Maria. Thank you for the wonderful review!

    6. Lisa says

      April 09, 2020 at 6:29 pm

      This recipe looks awesome! My grandma always called them "our pedohe" and I never knew why. I'm glad someone else says it too! Do you have any tips on freezing them, so that I can make a bunch at once? And, have you ever done a cost analysis on this? It'd be cool to know how much you save making these yourself.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 10, 2020 at 9:17 pm

        You can freeze them in freezer bags with wax paper between the layers. I usually lay them flat so that they don't stick together. I've never calculated the cost because what you're really saving by buying them is time. But, homemade pierogi are definitely worth it! 🙂

    7. Mel says

      March 28, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      My dough was so elastic. I could hardly roll it out! I had to waste so much dough. What did I do wrong?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        March 29, 2020 at 8:57 pm

        Oh no! I've never had that happen with this pierogi. Did you let it rest? It does need time to rest, and it's very easy to work with after that.

    8. Heather Ann Palmer says

      August 15, 2019 at 2:07 pm

      I used this recipe for my first time making my own perogies and I'm so happy with how they turned out!! thank you for sharing. <35 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        August 15, 2019 at 2:42 pm

        I am so glad to hear this, Heather! Thanks so much! 🙂

    9. Jan says

      December 28, 2017 at 2:32 pm

      Oh my gosh I haven't had perogies in YEARS! YOu make it look so easy! I'd love for you to share over at a new party called Let's Party.... look forward to seeing you there!5 stars

      Reply
    10. Sid says

      December 27, 2017 at 6:15 pm

      I learned how to make these from a friend, time to make some again. I've got this bookmarked to try.

      Reply
      • Dee says

        December 29, 2017 at 12:37 am

        I hope you like them, Sid. I wish I had time to make them more often! 🙂

    11. Jessica | Novice Chef says

      December 23, 2017 at 6:59 am

      We are total pierogi heads in my house! I can't wait to try yours!

      Reply
    12. Jen says

      December 22, 2017 at 5:05 pm

      How many eggs? they aren't listed in your ingredients but the dough requires them!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        December 22, 2017 at 5:18 pm

        Oops, So sorry! -- 2 eggs. That's what I get for typing late at night.

    13. Abeer says

      December 21, 2017 at 1:30 pm

      I love potato pierogi! Your look absolutely fantastic!

      Reply
    14. Natalie A says

      December 21, 2017 at 11:17 am

      I have never heard of Pierogi before! This looks and sounds so good!

      Reply
    15. Des says

      December 21, 2017 at 10:01 am

      These sound fabulous!5 stars

      Reply
    16. Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie says

      December 21, 2017 at 7:44 am

      I have to try this out! They look so good!

      Reply
    17. Jen says

      December 20, 2017 at 10:12 pm

      These are my husband's favorite!! He's going to flip when he sees I've made these for him! Thank you!

      Reply
    18. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says

      December 20, 2017 at 7:02 pm

      I remember when my college roommate introduced me to pierogis for the first time! I've never thought about making them homemade. Challenge excepted!

      Reply
    19. Kristen Chidsey says

      December 20, 2017 at 8:38 am

      I grew up eating Pierogi and LOVE them. I never thought to make them on my own. I am definetly trying this recipe!! You make it look so easy.

      Reply
      • Dee says

        December 20, 2017 at 10:53 am

        Thanks, Kristen. It's not that hard to make pierogi, but it takes a long time! Definitely worth it, though! 🙂

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    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

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