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There are many ways to make pierogi, and everyone seems to have their favorite. This is my favorite recipe for gluten free potato pierogi, as the dough is made with both milk and sour cream.
There's no way around it. Pierogi takes some time to prep. I promise that this dough will work – just read the recipe all the way through before you roll up your sleeves and get to work. And let all the step by step pictures mesmerize you for a bit, too.
Semi-Pro Tip #1: Rather than struggling to roll out the dough as thin as 1/8 inch before cutting rounds, roll it out 1/4 inch thick. Then, reroll each round into an oval that is closer to 1/8 inch thick.
This way, you're much less likely to have a dough of uneven thickness (which might cause some of them to break during boiling), and an oval shape is easier to form into half-moons.
Be careful as you select your gluten-free flour blend for this task, too. Anything that is too high in starch, like Trader Joe's All Purpose Gluten Free Flour, is going to be difficult to roll out smooth as it will absorb too much moisture in the dough.
This is a different dough than, for example, gluten free pie crust, which is flaky as any proper pastry would be that is meant to be baked in a hot oven. Pierogi dough has more chew, and is less fragile by nature.
Just be sure to serve these to someone special. Pierogies bring to mind Easter for me, which may or may not be strange. But one thing's for sure – if you're going to make them for a big group, pay special attention to the Make-Ahead Option in the printable recipe below. Now … how do you say “EAT!” in Polish?
How to make homemade gluten free pierogi, step by step
Gluten Free Pierogi Recipe
Ingredients
For the dough
- ยฝ cup (112 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- โ cup (170 g) milk, at room temperature
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature, beaten
- โ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ยฝ cups (350 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (I used my Better Than Cup4Cup Blend; please click through for appropriate flour blends), plus more for kneading
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
For the filling
- 1 pound potatoes, about 8 small red skin potatoes or 1 large potato
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) clarified butter or ghee, can substitute olive oil
- ยฝ cup (112 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- ยฝ cup (2 ounces) shredded semi-hard cheese, (I used a blend of Monterey jack and cheddar)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For finishing
- 1 egg (any size), beaten
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee or clarified butter, can substitute olive oil
Instructions
Make the dough.
- In a large bowl, place the sour cream, milk, beaten egg and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the flour and xanthan gum in three parts, mixing well to combine after each addition.
- The dough will come together and be relatively smooth but still a bit sticky. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and, with floured hands, knead the dough until it becomes easier to handle (it will not be completely smooth).
- Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and set it aside to rest.
Make the filling.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the potatoes and reduce the boil to a simmer. Boil the potatoes, covered, until they are just fork tender (about 15 minutes).
- Drain the water from the pot of potatoes and cover the pot with a tea towel. Allow the potatoes to steam beneath the towel until the are softened (about another 10 minutes).
- While the potatoes are cooking, place the diced onion and clarified butter in a small skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent (about 6 minutes).
- Once the potatoes are softened, peel the skin off (it should come off easily) and mash the potatoes in the pot. Add the cooked onions, then the sour cream, shredded cheese and the salt and pepper to taste. Set the filling aside.
Roll out the dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a round about 1/4 inch thick, and moving the dough frequently and dusting lightly with flour to prevent sticking as you roll.
- Cut out rounds 4 inches in diameter from the dough. Gather and reroll scraps. Roll each round into an oval that is closer to 1/8 inch thick (the thickness of a nickel).
Assemble the pierogies.
- Paint the edges of each oval with the beaten egg, then place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each.
- Fold the dough over on itself, matching the edges, and pinch the edges together to form a tight seal.
Boil the pierogies (See Recipe Notes).
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, place the pierogies, about 6 at a time, until they float to the surface of the water (about 3 minutes).
- Place the boiled pierogies on a paper towel to drain, then blot them dry.
Finishing.
- Sautรฉ the towel-dried pierogies in ghee in a large skillet until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I can’t say Thank You enough times. You promised and delivered before Easter.
My Polish self and gluten free husband wished we could do something for you.
I’m going to be in the kitchen all day fridayย making them with three different fillings and freezingย lots.
I know my one son will be heading here this weekend when he finds out what I’m doing’.
When we went to Poland I couldn’t get enough of them. But one place in Krakow had everyone beat.
I did promise you, Carole! I had notes to myself to deliver this recipe before Easter in more than one spot, lest I forget! So happy I could come through for you. :)
xoxo Nicole
ooh.. i do have a nice gf recipe for pirogi (HAD to find one almost immediately.. as hubby is half Polish.. and he loves his pirogi…) but am always on the look out for new and better alternatives.ย can’t wait to give these a try
Yesterday, I was moaning about missing pierogies and today this recipe…………………many thanks.
wouldย betterย batterย workย forย these??????
Sure, Sandra.
Moลผna go jeลฤ! … Polish for “You, eat!!” Thank you for this recipe… every ounce of my gluten free Polish-American self is ready to do cartwheels! Have you ever tried pierogi with farmer’s cheese? Butter and a sprinkling of sugar….I can almost hear my Gram as she would call us to the table to enjoy…THANK YOU.
As sappy as this sounds, seeing this recipe from you is kind of an emotional moment for me. I trust your recipes wholeheartedly, and I’ve been silently mourning giving up the foods I grew up on. You have given me back tradition & some history. :) PS… You are totally right about pierogi and Easter…. it’s a blend of culture and religion – Lenten fasting (and avoiding the whole meat deal on Fridays) lends itself to plates of meatless, delicious pierogi. Then we feast on Easter Sunday and have meat, breads :( …. and lots of pierogi again!
“Moลผna go jeลฤ!” Thank you so much, Sassysaver! I have never had pierogi with Farmer’s Cheese, but I absolutely love Farmer’s Cheese so I will have to give that a try. You can’t beat nostalgic foods, no can you?!xoxo Nicole
Is Farmers Cheese just a fresh cheese? Like queso fresco? (crumbly, mild, not tart like feta) If so, that would be delicious! ย I don’t know anything about Polish/German food- not much (or really, any) available here- so I am very interested in something new!ย
Okay, never mind. I should have asked Mr. Google first…. sorry about that. Looks like Farmer’s Cheese is meltier than queso fresco, which is pretty dry and crumbly. Farmer’s Cheese looks very easy to make, so I think I will give it a whirl. I have made goat cheese before, and it is a similar process.
Okay, never mind. I answered my own question. Really should have asked Mr. Google first… sorry about that. Looks like Farmer’s Cheese is meltier than queso fresco, which is pretty dry and crumbly, but it also looks really easy to make, so I think I will try that.
If I wanted to make these around lunchtime & serve at dinner, would I just refrigerate the un-boiled pierogi until dinner time?
Love love love your recipes. Your Quick & Easy cookbook is my absolute favorite go-to now!
Thanks for all your hardwork for us!
You could do that, Shannon, but you’d be better off boiling them first, if you can swing it. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, though. Either way should be fine. Thanks for buying Quick & Easy!
xoxo Nicole
Just finished them. They are great!
I’m so glad you’ve posted something for these! I’ve been following you for a while now since going gluten free, I’d say you’re one of my favourite sites by far. I bought both of your books for myself for Christmas and I’ve been buying them for family members as well! Pierogies are something I’ve missed dearly since my necessary change over. Thank you for this wonderful surprise! I just made a batch of your better than c4c blend perfect timing :)
Jeลฤ! (That’s ‘eat’ in Polish!)
What kind of flour did you use?
They look amazing! Any chance I can sub in greek yogurt for the sour cream? It is so good in so many recipes! I just don’t buy sour cream anymore. Thanks, Dee
I bet you can, Dee. That should be fine – just sub by weight.
xoxo Nicole