Vegan Pierogi: 8 Fillings You Must Try

Love traditional pierogi but can’t find vegan options?

You’re not alone.

Luckily, the world of vegan pierogi is diverse and delicious. In this article, I’ll introduce you to some of the most popular vegan pierogi recipes. So fasten your seatbelts, and let’s explore how to make plant-based pierogi.

A classic pierogi consists of two main components: the dough and the filling. So, to make it vegan, all you need is a pierogi dough free from eggs or dairy and a plant-based filling.

Let’s start with the dough.

Step 1: Make Pierogi Dough

While there’s an abundance of pierogi dough recipes out there, with each one seemingly having its group of devotees, I advocate for simplicity.

In my guide to homemade pierogi, I encourage you to perfect one pierogi dough recipe and pair it with various fillings. By mastering the dough, you can direct your creativity towards the filling.

For this purpose, I recommend my vegan pierogi dough. This recipe, which is my go-to, is straightforward and uses everyday ingredients like all-purpose flour, oil, salt, and boiling water.

Whip up a batch in about 15 minutes, cover it in plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before crafting your pierogi pockets.

(Refer to the pierogi dough article linked above for a comprehensive walkthrough of the dough-making process.)

With the dough ready, let’s shift our focus to the fillings.

Step 2: Choose a Vegan Filling

Below are seven vegan pierogi fillings. While some are inherently vegan, others need slight tweaks to omit or replace animal-derived ingredients.

But before we begin, here’s a handy list of substitutions:

• Oil for butter. If a recipe calls for butter, simply switch to cooking oil. One caveat here: pierogi taste great topped with melted butter, but I don’t recommend topping them with oil. That just makes them greasy. Choose a different topping option, please.
• Vegan cream cheese. I use cream cheese in a couple of pierogi recipes, and you can easily substitute it with a vegan alternative. If you don’t have a favorite yet, here are a few options for you: one from NoraCooks.com, one from Simple-Veganista.com (both based on cashews), and one tofu-based from TheHiddenVeggies. Or you can always go with a store-bought option.

Now, onto the fillings, starting with the savory selections.

Lentil

For lentil enthusiasts, this filling might be a dream come true. Simply cook lentils, sauté an onion, combine, and season to taste. Simple, yet delicious.

My lentil pierogi recipe is vegan from the get-go, so you can use the recipe as-is.

Lentil Pierogi

These wholesome and flavorful lentil pierogi are simple to make and perfect for a satisfying, healthy meal. Get ready to find your new favorite vegan pierogi!

Lentil Pierogi Recipe

Spinach

Cooked spinach is another popular option for vegan pierogi.

While my recipe suggests mixing spinach with feta, it’s possible to omit the feta cheese and stick to a spinach and garlic combo. That means your filling will be similar to this garlic-sauteed spinach recipe.

Also, if you like your sauteed spinach with some extra spices or a diced onion, go with that. The goal is to make the spinach tasty while making the filling malleable enough to be shaped but firm enough to hold its own. As long as your spinach filling checks that box, you’re good.

Spinach Pierogi

Looking for a delicious and healthy twist on traditional pierogi? Look no further than spinach pierogi! These savory dumplings are packed with nutrients and flavor, and are sure to become a new favorite in your pierogi repertoire.

Spinach Pierogi Recipe

Potato and Cheese

Potato and cheese is one of the classic pierogi fillings. And while here in Poland we use farmer’s cheese, cream cheese works just as well. And as you already know, you can easily sub in a vegan alternative, making it a viable option for all the vegans out there.

With the savory variations out of the way, let’s cover some sweet pierogi options.

Potato and Cheese Pierogi

Get ready to indulge in the deliciousness of traditional Polish potato and cheese pierogi. This recipe offers three cheese options, including the classic farmer’s cheese, cream cheese as a flavorful alternative, and cheddar as a slightly different but still quite popular option.

Apple

Apples are readily available all year long, so apple pierogi are a great option no matter the season.

The recipe for the filling is super simple: just cut up apples, sauteed for 10 minutes or so, and mixed with a couple of spices to make them taste even better. That’s all you need.

If you’re looking for a topping option, sour cream is my go-to. But since we’re talking about vegan pierogi here, you can easily sub in a few dollops of plant-based yogurt. Just choose one that’s thick and tangy for best results.

Apple Pierogi

These apple pierogi are a delightful fusion of sweet and savory, offering a delicious twist on the classic dumpling. Filled with cinnamon-spiced apples and encased in tender dough, they make for a perfect dinner for kids and adults alike.

Apple Pierogi Recipe

Blueberry

Blueberry pierogi are another classic and definitely worth trying if you’ve never had them. All you need is blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice, and a saucepan to cook the filling in.

The great thing about the recipe is that it works well for both fresh and frozen blueberries, making it a great option all year round.

If you’re looking for an easy topping, save some of the blueberries, process them using an immersion blender, season to taste using sugar and lemon juice, and combine that with a few teaspoons of vegan yogurt.

Blueberry Pierogi

Get ready to taste the perfect combination of sweet and tangy with these delicious Blueberry Pierogi. Made with a slightly thicker dough to prevent tearing, these pierogi are filled with a blueberry mixture that is cooked until hot and thickened, and then boiled until they float to the surface.

Blueberry Pierogi Recipe

Strawberry

Much like their blueberry counterparts, strawberry pierogi are a treat, and the process of cooking the filling is the same.

The only difference is that if you have fresh strawberries on hand, you can simply wrap them using the pierogi dough without chopping and cooking the filling first. It’s a simplified version that doesn’t taste as good as the cooked one, but it’s much easier for beginners.

To top these, go with the same berry sauce I described for blueberry pierogi, or check out my guide to pierogi toppings for more options.

Strawberry Pierogi

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 Recipe

Sweet (Vegan) Cheese

My sweet cheese pierogi recipe uses cream cheese as part of its base, and as I mentioned above, you can sub in any of the vegan cream cheese alternatives you like, making the recipe vegan-friendly.

This recipe is great because it allows you to flavor the filling however you like. Sure, you can stick to the options I describe in the article, but nothing stops you from customizing it to your liking. Got some delicious chocolate syrup or fruit jelly? Use it.

If you have some vegan cream cheese in the fridge and some white rice in the pantry, give this one a try.

Sweet Cheese Pierogi

Are you craving the comforting taste of Poland’s sweet cheese pierogi, but can’t find the traditional farmer’s cheese? Don’t worry! In this guide, we’re taking a creative twist on the classic recipe by using everyday ingredients like cream cheese and rice.

Sweet Cheese Pierogi Recipe

Plum

Plum pierogi are as simple to make as it gets: you halve and pit the plums, sprinkle some sugar, and wrap the fruits with the dough. Then, all that’s left is to cook the dumplings and enjoy them as a dessert or a sweet dinner.

Plum Pierogi

Embrace simplicity with this plum pierogi recipe. Just knead the dough, pit the plums, sprinkle some sugar, and you’re on your way to crafting delightful pierogi. It’s the perfect solution for turning an abundance of seasonal plums into a mouthwatering treat.

Plum Pierogi Recipe

That wraps up our vegan pierogi fillings list. I hope you found at least one or two that you want to try out.

Step 3: Make Pierogi

Once your dough and filling are prepped, you’re all set to craft your vegan pierogi. Each recipe linked above describes the process in detail, so I won’t repeat everything here.

If you’re a first-timer, I strongly suggest you check out my beginner’s guide to homemade pierogi. It covers everything you need to know about making pierogi and links to any other pierogi-related resources we have available.

Bon appetit!