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!
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Ingredients
- 1 batch pierogi dough
- 1 heaping cup dried red lentils ~200g
- 1 onion medium or large
- 3 tablespoons oil or butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the pierogi dough using your favorite recipe or use the best pierogi dough recipe.
- Wash lentils in a bowl with cold water. Drain and repeat 4 to 5 times until water is noticeably clearer thna in the beginning.
- Cook lentils in a pot using a 2.5-3:1 water-to-lentil ratio for 10 minutes or until soft. Try not to overcook the lentils but don't stress if it happens. Drain excess water.
- Sautee the onion. While your lentils are cooking away, chop up an onion and sauté it in oil for 7 to 10 minutes until it's soft and translucent.
- Drain cooked lentils using a fine mesh strainer, remove excess water using a spoon, and stir in the salt and pepper.
- Combine the cooked lentils and sauteed onion, taste the prepared filling, and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Let the filling cool for 20 minutes so any extra water can evaporated before using.
- Divide the pierogi dough into two or three parts. Then, spread one on a floured work surface and roll it out until it's thin. It shouldn't be super thin so that you can still stretch it when forming the pockets.
- Cut palm-sized circles in the rolled pierogi dough using a cookie cutter or a glass mug.
- Place a spoonful of lentil filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together, starting in the middle. Leave as little air as possible in the pocket you're forming. To help form a good seal, moisten the outer edge of the dough using a wet finger.
- Place each formed pierogi on a floured cookie sheet and cover them with a damp kitchen towel.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. I typically use one teaspoon of salt per quart of water but feel free to adjust the amount to your preferences.
- Once the water is boiling, add a few pierogi to the pot and stir them to prevent them from sticking to the bottom. Once the pierogi start floating to the surface, simmer them gently for another 3 to 4 minutes. Make sure not to overcrowd the pot so that the pierogi don't stick together or cook unevenly.
- Remove the pierogi from the water using a slotted spoon and serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Servings: 3