Homemade feta and sweet potato pierogies are one of my ultimate comfort dishes. Mashed Japanese sweet potatoes and tangy feta cheese are stuffed into soft dumpling dough for a deliciously simple dinner. We eat these for every day dinners and on special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Top with sour cream or Greek yogurt!
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I've been making pierogies since I was 8 years old and still in Ukrainian school.
It wasn't until recently, after watching Ukraine-based cooking videos and doing more research that I learned that these are actually called pierogi in Poland and varenyky in Ukraine. Russia has a similar dish called pelmani.
I went easy on myself because I have both Ukrainian and Polish ancestors, even though I'm mostly Scottish with a bit of Greek.
As a kid, I called them pyrohy or pierogi/perogy so that's what I'm going to call them in this blog post.
But on to the details, what are pierogi? They are stuffed dumplings with a simple-to-make dough and various filling options. Growing up we always made potato and cheddar pierogi as well as cottage cheese pierogi but they can also be filled with meat.
For my version, I use a Japanese sweet potato with feta cheese for a sweet, salty, and savory vibe - and the result is a soft and delicious sweet potato dumpling. The fried onions cook in nutty butter, and creamy Greek yogurt adds to the final dish.
You can serve sweet potato pierogi boiled or you can also fry them after boiling for a crispy exterior - my favorite way to have them.
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do.
Want something similar? Try my sweet potato and kale ravioli.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
For the pierogi dough
- flour: the base of the dough, all-purpose flour is best.
- oil: helps the dough stay soft.
- Greek yogurt or sour cream: adds moisture and tang, making the dough tender.
- salt: enhances the overall flavor of the dough.
The fat and the yogurt help to enrich the dough and make it softer by inhibiting the glutenin and gliadin in the flour from forming strong bonds and that's why I add them in my dough.
For the sweet potato pierogi filling
- Japanese sweet potatoes: naturally sweet and starchy, they create a creamy filling with a subtle sweetness.
- feta cheese: Adds a salty, tangy flavor that complements the sweetness of the potatoes.
Substitutions
- Japanese sweet potatoes: you can use regular sweet potatoes.
- Feta Cheese: ricotta can be used for a milder taste, but the texture will be creamier. I do this in my sweet potato ravioli.
Top Tip
You can serve the pierogis boiled or take it a step further and pan fry them after boiling.
Instructions
Prep Tips
How to Make Pierogi Filling
Peel, cube, and boil the sweet potato in a medium pot for about 10-12 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and let cool.
- Mash the cooked sweet potato.
- Add the feta cheese and mix together. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
How to Make Pierogi Dough
- Mix the dough ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured counter.
How to Make Pierogis
To cut out the pierogis, you can either use a circle cookie cutter or you can cut the sheet of dough into squares using a knife instead.
- Roll the dough and cut it into shapes.
- Top each circle with about 2 teaspoons of the filling. I use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop and then halve that to get an even amount.
- Fold each circle in half and pinch the seams closed to seal them. Make sure not to trap any air inside by pressing the dough together. Pinch the seams tight if needed - if they are not sealed, the filling will leak out when you boil them.
- This was half of the recipe. For a different look, you can also press the edge of the dough with a fork but it's not necessary for sealing them.
How to Cook Pierogis
You'll boil the perogies next. For a crisp exterior, fry them in a large skillet.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pierogis about 10 at a time, depending on the size of your pot. They should have a bit of room to move around so that they don't stick to each other (just like cooking pasta).
- The pierogis only need to boil for a few minutes. Once they float to the top, let them cook another 30 seconds and then lift them out. If serving like this, place the pierogis in a bowl with melted butter and cooked onions. Toss and serve.
- For a crisp exterior, add the boiled and drained pierogis to a skillet with butter and fried onions. (Fry the onions while boiling all of the pierogi).
- Cook for a few minutes on each side, until lightly golden brown and then serve with the onions.
We always top our pierogi with sour cream (I prefer Greek yogurt) and lots of freshly cracked black pepper.
Tips for making pierogis
- Don't crowd the pot when boiling pierogis - this helps prevent them from sticking together.
- You can use a bit of water on the dough edges to help seal them if you're having trouble, but I never find this necessary with this dough.
- Meal prep! Pierogis freeze well - make extra and freeze them before boiling for quick dinners!
How to Freeze Pierogis
When my mom makes pierogies to freeze she'll make dozens and dozens. To freeze them, you'll start by flash freezing.
- Place the uncooked pierogis spaced out a bit on a baking sheet. You can dust with a bit of flour or use parchment paper so they don't stick.
- Cover with plastic wrap.
- Freeze on the baking sheets for about 2 hours or overnight.
- Move the frozen pierogies to a zip-top bag or freezer container for storage. These store well for 3 about 3-4 months. After that, they tend to fall apart during boiling.
Storage
Store frozen pierogis for up to 3 or 4 months.
To cook frozen pierogis follow the same process as for fresh pierogis. Frozen pierogis will take an extra minute or two longer than fresh pierogis to float. Give them another 30 seconds and then move to a serving bowl with melted butter and cooked onions. Serve.
Store leftover cooked pierogis in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 about days. The dough dries out after that.
To reheat the pierogies you can microwave them or pan fry until heated through.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
FAQs
Yes, pierogis freeze well. To freeze uncooked pierogis, flash freeze them by placing them spaced out on a lightly floured or parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for a few hours or overnight and then move the pierogis to a zip-top bag or freezer container. Store for 3-4 months.
You cook frozen pierogies the same way as fresh pierogis, by boiling them. Frozen pierogis will just take a few minutes longer. You do not need to thaw frozen pierogis before boiling them. After boiling them you can pan fry them for a crispy exterior, which is optional.
Recipe
Feta and Sweet Potato Pierogi
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ½ cup water + 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- 2 Japanese sweet potato cooked and mashed, about 2 cups
- ⅔ cups feta cheese crumbled
Serving
- 2 onions sliced
- 6 tablespoons butter
Instructions
For the Dough
- Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the yogurt and oil and work it into the flour. Add most of the water and mix the dough, adding more as needed. You’ll likely need all of it plus another few teaspoons. The dough should come together with no loose flour left over. It will be a little tacky but not sticky. Add more flour, small amounts at a time, until needed. Let rest 15 minutes (while you make the filling).
For the Filling
- Peel, cube, and boil the sweet potato. Drain, let cool, and mash it together with the feta cheese. Add pepper. Taste and add salt if needed.
Make the Pierogi
- Roll the dough out ⅛ inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out circles.
- Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the filling. Divide each scoop in half and place half on a dough circle.
- Fold the dough circle in half around the filling, getting rid of any air. Pinch the dough together, forming a filled half-moon dumpling. (You can dip a finger in water to help seal if needed, but I haven't found it necessary.)
- Place on a very lightly floured counter or baking sheet. Repeat for all of the dough and filling.
Cook the Pierogi
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While the pierogi are boiling, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the sliced onion. Cook 6-8 minutes, unitl softening and browning. Add the butter and heat together for another 4-5 minutes.
- Carefully lower 10-12 pierogi into the water (depending on the size of your pot).
- Once they float to the top, boil another 30-60 seconds. Using a cooking spider or slotted spoon, scoop the pierogi out of the water.
- To Serve Boiled: Toss the boiled and drained pierogi in the butter and onions, and serve.
- To Serve Fried: Push the onions around the pan and add the pierogies. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned and crispy. Work in 2-3 batches if needed.
Video
Notes
- Place the uncooked pierogis spaced out a bit on a baking sheet. You can dust them with a bit of flour or use parchment paper so they don't stick.
- Cover with plastic wrap.
- Freeze on the baking sheets for about 2 hours or overnight.
- Move the frozen pierogies to a zip-top bag or freezer container for storage. These store well for 3 about 3-4 months. After that, they tend to fall apart during boiling.
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
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