Pierogi z Grzybami

Wild Mushroom Pierogi


“Filled with a variety of wild mushrooms, these pierogi truly showcase the bountiful autumn harvest gathered by Polish foragers. In case these forest treasures are not readily accessible to you, we provide suitable substitutes below.”

How to pronounce it?
pierre-oghee sgshee-ba-me
‘Play’ to hear:

Mushroom pierogi

Wild Mushroom Pierogi are the taste and smell of the forest – all enclosed in a delicate dough. They’re filled with a variety of wild mushrooms, from porcinis (Polish ‘borowik’) and bay boletes (‘podgrzybek’) to more common parasol mushrooms (‘kania’).

For the full list of ingredients & detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. But before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know below.

You could say “That’s rich!” – and rich indeed they are. This time, we’re not adding any sauerkraut to the stuffing, like we would for Christmas. It’s mushrooms only, fresh or dried.

To learn more about Polish dumplings in general, check out this Pierogi guide. To try different fillings, check out my favourites:

Do you need any special ingredients to make these Mushroom Pierogi?

Yes. And unless you’re a forager yourself, it won’t be cheap. 

🇵🇱 In Poland, mushroom hunting is a national sport. Even if one is not participating, there’re  relatives who do – and share their treasures. 

In season, fresh mushrooms are sold at farmer’s markets. Sometimes individual sellers set up their stalls by the edge of the forest. Dried and frozen wild mushrooms are available in any larger store.

🌍 Internationally, wild mushroom picking isn’t as popular. Forests are often private or with many restrictions. The mushroom species differ geographically as well.

But fear not. You can cheat a bit by using cheaper champignons. Dried and frozen wild mushrooms are great too, you’ll find them in larger supermarkets and online (here’s a pack from Amazon).

This post contains affiliate links: Find out what that means.

What should you serve with these Mushroom Pierogi?

Mushroom Pierogi are very filling, and therefore no extra side dishes are needed.

In this recipe, pierogi are brushed with melted butter, topped with caramelized onions and sprinkled with salt. Some golden fried bacon or kiełbasa pieces would work great too.

Can you cook these Mushroom Pierogi another way?

These dumplings can be steamed instead of boiling, it takes approx. 10 minutes.

In this recipe, pierogi are fried after boiling. That makes them extra crispy. But you can just boil them, or deep-fry, bake, grill… for more suggestions, check out this post on how to cook pierogi.

What diets are these Mushroom Pierogi suitable for?

Mushroom pierogi are suitable for vegetarians. 

If you follow a gluten-free diet, try replacing the dough with this Gluten-free Pierogi Dough recipe

How long can you keep these Mushroom Pierogi in the fridge?

Once served, eat them while still warm. Don’t keep them on the table for more than 3 hours.

Once cooled, Mushroom Pierogi can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Move the dumplings into a container with a lid, or Alternatively – keep them on a plate and just wrap them with cling film.

Can I freeze these Mushroom Pierogi?

Yes, you can freeze pierogi. Grease a tray with oil and place the dumplings on top – but don’t let them touch each other. Place the tray in the freezer for 2 hours. 

After that time you can move pierogi into a freezer-friendly bag. Remember to label it with date and description. Eat within 2-3 months.

How do I reheat these Mushroom Pierogi?

From chilled: pierogi can be reheated in a microwave. 3-4 minutes on the ‘high’ setting are usually enough. 

For a better (tastier!) result, warm them up in a frying pan. That way they’ll reheat more evenly and the outer shell will become crispy.

Grab a frying pan, melt one teaspoon of butter, and add pierogi in. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of water, cover with a lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Lift the lid and flip the dumplings, cook further until the excess water evaporates and the skin turns golden. 

From frozen: Bring a pot of water to boil. Drop in the frozen dumplings and cook until the water starts boiling again (that takes anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes). Remove them with a slotted spoon.

Serve pierogi boiled and topped with melted butter, or alternatively – fry them in butter for a bit. 

Yield: 50

Polish Wild Mushroom Pierogi

Mushroom pierogi

Wild Mushroom Pierogi are the taste and smell of the forest – all enclosed in a delicate dough.

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the mushroom filling:

  • 10 oz (300 g) dried wild mushrooms (check the notes for details)
  • 2 medium (12 oz, 350 g) onions
  • 2-3 allspice berries
  • 2-3 black peppercorns, whole
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs (optional)
  • black pepper, to taste
  • salt, to taste

For the pierogi dough:

  • 4 US cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (8.45 fl oz, 250 ml) hot water 
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the topping (optional):

  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • ½ onion (2.5 oz, 70 g)

Instructions

For the filling:

  1. Prepare a small pot. Place dried mushrooms inside.
  2. Peel the onions, set them aside.
  3. Pour water over the mushrooms - not a lot, only enough to cover them. Add half an onion (chopped into 2-3 pieces) to the pot. 
  4. Crush 2-3 allspice berries and 2-3 black peppercorns (roughly, I do it with a side of a knife) and add to the pot. 
  5. Drop in a bay leaf or two and a pinch of salt. Cook until mushrooms turn soft - it takes roughly 30-45 minutes, sometimes longer if they’re stubborn.
  6. In the meantime, chop the rest of the onion finely. Melt 3 tablespoons on a frying pan, and fry the onion until golden. Move it into a bowl and let it cool. Once cooled, move it to the fridge.
  7. Once the mushrooms are soft, remove them with a slotted spoon onto the cutting board. Discard the spices, but keep the water. Wait for the mushrooms to cool.
  8. Chop the mushrooms finely. 
  9. Grab the chopped onions from the fridge, add in the mushrooms. Mix together with a spoon. If the mass feels loose, add 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs. If it feels too dry, add a little bit of water we have left from cooking the mushrooms.
  10. Have a taste. Does it need more seasoning? If so, add some salt and pepper and return the mass into the fridge. 
  11. Start making pierogi dough.

For the pierogi dough:

  1. Choose one of the pierogi dough recipes from here, or follow this basic recipe below:
  2. Sift some flour onto your worktop. Make a well, pour in a small amount of hot water.
  3. Knead together rapidly. Gradually add more water to the dough until it becomes soft and elastic. If it becomes too sticky to handle, add more flour. Knead a dough ball.
  4. Divide the dough into parts. Sprinkle the worktop with flour, spread one piece of dough on top. 
  5. Roll the dough with a rolling pin into a very thin layer of dough.
  6. Use a glass or a cookie cutter to cut out circles. 

Finishing off

  1. Remove the stuffing from the fridge. Form small mushroom ‘balls’.
  2. Place the mushroom balls in the middle of each circle. 
  3. Fold dough over filling. Press the edges firmly together.
  4. Continue until you're out of ingredients.
  5. Boil a large pot of salted water, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
  6. Drop a few pierogi into the pot. Cook for around 5 to 6 minutes, until they start to float.
  7. Collect cooked dumplings with a slotted spoon. Repeat until you’re out of raw dumplings.
  8. Serve straight away with some melted butter or another topping of your choice. 
  9. For a crispier skin, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add half of an onion (chopped). As it starts to turn transparent, add pierogi in. Fry on both sides, until the dough shell turns lightly golden. Serve with fried onions on top.

Notes

In total, we need 10 oz (300 g) of mushrooms. Choose one of the following options or 'mix and match':

  • Fresh wild mushrooms: porcinis, bay boletes, parasol mushrooms, birch boletes, chanterelles...
  • Dried wild mushrooms
  • Frozen wild mushrooms: let them thaw before use.
  • Money saving hack: replace a portion of wild fungi with white button mushrooms (champignons). They’re usually much cheaper, but definately less flavourful.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 298Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 573mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 6gSugar: 4gProtein: 7g

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Recipe Information

Filed under:


Alternative traditional/regional names:
Pierogi z Grzybami Leśnymi, Pierogi z Grzybami Suszonymi
Also known / Misspelt internationally as:
Perogi, Perogy, Pierogies, Pierrogi, Pirogies, Pirogies, Peirogi, Peirogy, Pirrogi, Pirrogies, Polish Dumplings


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