Pierogi Pizza Recipe (Pagach)

This Pierogi Pizza Recipe (Pagach) is made with pizza dough topped with cheesy potato filling, onions and cheddar cheese. Tastes just like pierogi! This easy recipe is a great way to enjoy the taste of Pittsburgh pierogies without the work!

There really are no words to describe how incredibly delicious pierogi pizza is. Imagine potato pierogi and pizza had a baby. There you go!

Pierogi pizza is sometimes called Slovak pizza, or pagach. Traditional pagach can be made with a filling between 2 layers of dough or with the dough folded over.

Or, you can make pagach with a crust and toppings, just like pizza. Some say perogi pizza is a Pittsburgh area invention, but you don’t have to be Slovak or from Pittsburgh to love this cheesy potato pizza!

My Slovak family from Pittsburgh used to make pagach during Lent or on Christmas Eve as part of the traditional meatless meal, along with haluski, halupki and nut roll.

I first tasted pierogi pizza years ago. You can find it in many a pizza shop and concession stands in Pittsburgh, especially during football season.

Now, I make easy pagach anytime, using store bought pizza dough and leftover mashed potatoes for convenience!

Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make pierogi pizza. You can find them in the grocery store or online:

• Pizza dough
• Onion — yellow onion or white onion
• Melted butter
• Mashed potatoes
• Shredded cheddar cheese 
• Cheddar blend cheese or mozzarella cheese
• Green onions — chopped, for topping

You will also need a cookie sheet or large round pizza pan for baking the pizza.

I use leftover mashed potatoes and premade pizza dough. You can definitely make your own dough, though.

If you don’t have mashed potatoes, you can easily make Instant Pot mashed potatoes or follow my homemade pierogi recipe (Pittsburgh pierogi) to boil potatoes and make the cheesy potato filling.

How to Make Pierogi Pizza

Follow the directions for the pizza dough you are using. I usually buy Kroger pizza dough, which needs to sit out for about 20 minutes before using.

So, while the dough is warming up, you’ll need to chop and sauté an onion in butter on your stove over medium heat. Buttery onions or caramelized onions are a must for pierogi pizza!

Next, heat oven to 400 degrees f. The instructions on the dough actually call for 375, but I find 400 works better.

Very lightly spray a pizza pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray or olive oil spray. Using too much makes the crust soggy, so wipe some off if there is too much oil.

Press dough and shape it into a rectangle or 12 inch circle, depending upon the pan you are using.

Then, poke the dough a bunch of times with a fork. This prevents the crust from bubbling up.

Bake the crust for 5 minutes. Then, remove the crust to assemble the pizza.

Reheat leftover mashed potatoes just until they are warm. Mix the mashed potatoes and shredded cheese together.

Then, brush the bottom and sides of the crust with melted butter or extra virgin olive oil. Spread the cheesy mashed potatoes over the prepared pizza crust.

Next, sprinkle the cheddar cheese and cheese blend or mozzarella cheese on top of the mashed potatoes.

Then, add the sauteed onions on top of the cheese layer.

Cooking Time

Bake the pierogi pizza for 10 to 15 minutes. When done, the crust should be golden brown and the cheese should be melted and bubbling.

Make sure that your pizza is at oven rack bottom position–it won’t cook right on the top or middle rack.

Keep in mind, the crust may be soft, but this is a good thing. You want a softer crust for this pizza recipe.

Slice the pizza into squares or triangles, if you made a round pizza, and let the pizza cool at room temperature for a bit. This cheesy pierogi pizza is best enjoyed warm, just like pierogi!

What to Serve with it

Serve pierogi pizza topped with green onions along with sour cream for dipping. My kids actually love dipping slices in cheese sauce or nacho cheese sauce! You can also use pizza sauce if you want.

A simple side salad goes well, too.

Variations

There are a few simple ways to customize this delicious pagach to your tastes!

Pagach with cabbage or sauerkraut filling is a great option if you’re not a potato lover.

Not all perogis have cheese mixed into the mashed potatoes, so if you don’t normally make your perogies like that, then just make your mashed potatoes plain, and add shredded cheese as a topping. Or, mix farmers cheese, cream cheese, sour cream or cottage cheese in with the mashed potatoes, instead.

Instead of cheddar, use Parmesan cheese, American cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, or simply whatever is your favorite!

If you’re in the mood for a spicy pierogi pizza, sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top of the pizza, and mix a little cayenne pepper, chopped jalapeño peppers or chili powder into the mashed potatoes for a spicy potato base.

Instead of fresh diced onion, use onion powder or minced onion.

Since this is definitely an American take on a classic Slovak dish, you can add bacon or some of your favorite pizza toppings if you like.

How to Store and Reheat

Store any leftover pierogi pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it’ll last for 2 to 3 days.

Reheat the pizza in an air fryer, or bake in the oven for best results. If needed, you can reheat in the microwave, but the air fryer or conventional oven will give best results.

I hope you enjoy this homemade perogy pizza as much as I do! From the first time I made this Pittsburgh pierogi pizza, I knew it would be a new favorite food for my whole family.

It was a huge it! In fact, my son swears it’s one of the best pizzas he’s ever tasted!

Creamy potatoes, gooey cheese, golden brown dough — these are a few of my favorite ingredients in one delicious dish!

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If you enjoy this favorite Pittsburgh-area invention as much as we do, please leave a comment and star rating!