Strawberry Pierogi Recipe

Looking for some sweet pierogi to satisfy your sweet tooth? Get ready to impress your taste buds with these delicious strawberry pierogi. The sweet and juicy strawberries are wrapped in a soft and chewy dough that will melt in your mouth.

Strawberry pierogi are one of the pierogi with a sweet filling that you have to try. So jump in no matter if it’s the strawberry season and you have a bunch of fresh strawberries, or it’s the middle of the winter, and yours sit in the freezer.

A Quick Overview

This strawberry pierogi recipe is:

• Perfect for everyone. These little treats are a hit, no matter how many candles are on your birthday cake.
• Cool with fresh or frozen strawberries. Fresh or frozen, we’re not picky. We’ve got two filling methods: one that’s best for fresh strawberries and another that’s good for both options.
• A bit of a challenge. Now, if you try the cooked filling (kinda like my blueberry pierogi), it gets a bit soft, which makes the wrapping part a little trickier than, let’s say, a lentil pierogi. You might get a bit messy before you get the swing of things. The trick? Start with less filling than you think you’ll need. If you don’t want to fuss, there’s an easier version with whole strawberries.
• Great for freezing. Go ahead, make a bunch! You can easily double or triple the batch and stash some in the freezer for later. A total time saver!

If you’re making strawberry pierogi for the first time, read the ingredients notes, step-by-step instructions, and tips. If you’re a veteran, feel free to jump to the recipe card.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutes

• Pierogi dough. Use my best vegan pierogi dough recipe or any other recipe you like. Just make sure it uses about 2 cups of flour, so that you have enough dough to wrap the filling.
• Strawberries. Fresh and frozen are both okay, though which ones you have will affect which filling you go for.
• White sugar. Using brown sugar or coconut sugar should also work okay, but expect the flavor to be slightly altered.
• Cornstarch. We need cornstarch or potato starch to thicken the filling. Other thickening agents should work okay, though you’ll need to adjust the amount.
• Lemon juice. This is totally optional, but if you want to make the filling slightly more sour, a splash of lemon juice is all you need.

Your Filling Choices

In this recipe, we dive into two filling options. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Here’s the lowdown on both:

• Whole Strawberries. This is the default go-to method for making strawberry pierogi. It’s as simple as wrapping an entire strawberry with the pierogi dough, maybe tucking in an extra quarter or two if there’s room. While this method is pretty straightforward, these pierogi usually need a sweet sauce or a sprinkle of powdered sugar to reach their full flavor potential. Without it, they tend to be a bit on the tart side. This method shines with fresh strawberries, but frozen ones can join the party too. Just remember not to thaw them – you want to wrap those berries while they’re still firm and frosty. Otherwise, it could get messy.
• Cooked Strawberry Sauce. I’m a fan of this filling because it lets you fine-tune the sweet-sour balance by adding sugar and lemon juice, so the pierogi taste spot-on, even if you ditch the sweet topping and just drizzle on some melted butter. And this one’s a trooper, working well whether you’re team fresh or team frozen strawberries. Just ensure you thaw the fruits before getting started.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Decide on your filling. You can go with whole strawberries, a cooked strawberry sauce, or a mix of both. If you’re working with frozen strawberries and want to make the cooked filling, defrost the berries.
2. Prepare your pierogi dough. As mentioned, you can go with my recipe or your favorite one. After preparing the dough, let it rest for 30 minutes.

3. Prep. Start by washing and drying your strawberries if you’re working with fresh ones.
4. Cooked filling. If choosing the cooked filling, cut your strawberries into smaller pieces. Aim to cut a small strawberry into four pieces and a large strawberry into up to 8 or 10 pieces. This will help to fit as much of the filling into the pierogi as possible. Mix the cut strawberries with the sugar and cornstarch. Stir well and set them aside for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the sugar to draw out moisture from the strawberries. Cook the strawberry mixture in a saucepan on low heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes hot and starts to thicken. Finally, take the mixture off the heat, adjust the sweetness or acidity if needed by adding more sugar or lemon juice, and let it cool down to room temperature. Refrigerate if not using right away.

5. Divide the dough. Once the dough has rested and the filling has cooled, divide the dough into 2 or 3 parts and roll it out evenly. Aim for a thickness that allows stretching without tearing (i.e., slightly thicker than for other pierogi), as the moist strawberry filling can cause the dough to tear more easily.

6. Cut circles. Use a glass or a mixing jar with a sharp lip to cut circles out of the rolled-out dough. Gather the remaining dough and form a ball for additional pierogi.

7. Whole strawberries. If you’re using whole strawberries as your filling, follow these steps:

• Stretch out the cut dough circle slightly into an oblong shape using either your hands or a rolling pin.
• Place a whole strawberry in the middle of the stretched dough.
• Fold the dough over the strawberry and pinch it together in the middle so the dough completely wraps around the strawberry.
• Continue pinching the dough in one direction and then the other to form a full pocket.
• If there’s a lot of free space inside, add a quarter or a half of a strawberry on either side before sealing the edges.

8. Cooked strawberry filling. If you’re using the cooked strawberry sauce, follow these steps:
   • Create a small well by cupping your hand slightly, palm up, and place the dough circle in there.
   • Scoop up a teaspoon or so of the filling and place it in the well. Be mindful not to overfill as the dough usually needs less filling than you might think.
   • Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together to form a pocket. Start sealing in the middle, then move to one side until the very end.
   • Turn the pierogi upright so that the sealed half is on the bottom, and press together the upper half. This helps the filling move towards the bottom and reduces the chances of it spilling out. As you seal the upper half, you might want to give the pierogi a gentle shake to help the filling settle towards the bottom.

9. Once the pierogi is formed, transfer it to a well-floured surface, like a cookie sheet, and cover it with a damp kitchen towel to keep the edges from drying out.
10. Continue this process until you run out of dough or filling.
11. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. I like using 1 teaspoon of salt per quart of water but feel free to add more or less depending on your preferences. Add a few pierogi at a time, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the pot.

12. Let the pierogi simmer for a few minutes until they float to the surface. Allow them to simmer for another 1 or 2 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate.

13. Your pierogi are now ready to be served. Enjoy your homemade strawberry pierogi!

Recipe Tips

• Keep a bowl of water close by when you’re getting crafty with those pierogi, especially if you’re new to the game. Any flour lingering on the edges of the dough might prevent it from sealing properly. The solution? Wet your finger and lightly moisten the area that’ll be pinched together.
• Craving some variety? Think about splitting your strawberries into two squads – the little guys can go in the cooked filling and the larger ones get to start solo, snuggled up in the pierogi dough. If you decide to go this route, remember to adjust the sugar and cornstarch depending on the quantity of strawberries you use for the cooked sauce.
• A time-saving tip: start boiling the water halfway through preparing the pierogi. As soon as it starts to boil, drop in some pierogi and keep forming your little pockets while the first batch is cooking. This way, you’ll be making the most of your time.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re pondering over how to serve these strawberry pierogi, I’ve cooked up some tasty suggestions for you! Here they are:

• Just as they are. If you go with the cooked strawberry sauce filling, these babies are ready to rock right out of the pot. If you used whole strawberries, a little sprinkle of powdered sugar could be the magic touch.
• Pan-fried. Melt a bit of butter in a non-stick pan (swap in oil for a vegan spin) and give them a quick fry until they’re crispy on both sides. This little texture tweak can make a world of difference. Plus, you can mix and match this method with any of the topping options below.
• Sour cream. The zing of sour cream is a dream team with the sweet strawberry filling. Just plop a dollop on top of your pierogi and dig in. If you chose whole strawberries for the filling, a dusting of powdered sugar might be just the ticket.
• Melted butter. For a more indulgent twist, melt some butter and let it rain over your pierogi. This will amp up the richness of your dish. If you pan-fried yours, use the pan drippings.
• Strawberry sauce. To dial up the strawberry goodness, whip up a quick strawberry sauce. Blend a handful of fresh strawberries, mix in some sugar (to your liking), and a few dollops of thick yogurt (Greek yogurt or skyr are my go-tos). Drizzle this sauce over your pierogi for a fresh, fruity flavor boost.
• Ice Cream. Is there anything better than a scoop of vanilla ice cream paired with these pierogi on a sunny summer day?

If you’ve got other favorite ways to serve these, don’t forget to drop a comment below. And check out this article covering pierogi sauces and toppings for more inspiration.

Storage

Arrange the pierogi on plates without any overlap and let them cool off. This process allows the tops to dry out nicely. After about a quarter of an hour or so, flip ’em over and give the other side another 15-minute drying session.

This step ensures both sides dry properly, which is key in preventing the pierogi from sticking together and getting torn when stored.

Once they’re dry, transfer them to an airtight container. Aim to minimize the contact between them (yep, we’re still trying to avoid stickiness and tearing), keeping them in a single layer. If you need to stack them, remember to put a barrier of plastic wrap or aluminum foil between the layers.

Stored like this, they’ll stay fresh for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. If looking at a longer timeline, you can freeze the extra pierogi.

How to Reheat

To reheat your delicious Strawberry Pierogi, the quickest and easiest way is to pan-fry them. Here’s how:

1. Grab a non-stick pan or skillet and heat it over medium-high heat.
2. Add a knob of butter to the pan and wait for it to melt and the pan to get nice and hot.
3. Add the pierogi in a single layer and cook them for 4-6 minutes or until the bottom side is crisp and golden.
4. Flip the pierogi and cook for another 4-6 minutes, until the other side is crisped up.
5. Once both sides are nicely browned, they are ready to be served!

If you’re busy doing other stuff around the house (who isn’t?), you can simply melt the butter, add the pierogi, cover the pan with a lid, and leave them on low heat.

This way, they’ll take up to 15 minutes to fully reheat, but it’s a relatively hands-off process. Plus, it’s difficult to burn them this way. Just give the pan a shake whenever you can to prevent sticking.

After about 10 minutes, flip the pierogi over and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Hungry for More?

Check out these pierogi recipes next:

• Blueberry pierogi recipe. Got some fresh or frozen blueberries? Great, now turn them into pierogi.
• Apple pierogi recipe. Got a bunch of apples sitting around? These are simple to make and taste exquisite.
• Farmer’s cheese pierogi recipe. Farmer’s cheese pierogi are one of the simplest sweet pierogi to make. If your local grocery store sells farmer’s cheese, grab a container or two and check these out.
• Plum dumplings. Love plums? You’ll love these.
• Pierogi fillings. Here’s our guide to all things related to pierogi fillings, including a number of options for you to test.