Pierogi Ruskie (Polish dumplings Russian style) recipe and info (2024)

FAQs

Are ruskie pierogi Russian? ›

Polish pierogi are often filled with fresh quark, boiled and minced potatoes, and fried onions. This type is called in Polish pierogi ruskie, which literally means "Ruthenian pierogi" (sometimes being mistranslated as “Russian pierogi”).

Pierogi are Eastern European stuffed dumplings that are usually boiled. As with many traditional foods, there are regional varieties with fillings ranging from sweet to savoury, meat to meatless. This potato and cheese-filled Pierogi recipe I'm sharing today is a meatless kind popular in Poland.

Vareniki are originally from Ukraine and it is said that it is their national food! Russians over the years took the idea of the dumpling and created their own versions by filling the dough with savory foods like potatoes, unlike Ukrainians who strictly believed vareniki to be sweet desert.

A key distinction between pierogi and dumplings is that pierogi are traditionally triangle or crescent-shaped, whereas dumplings come in many shapes and sizes, including crescent. To cook, pierogi are boiled and often sautéed afterward, whereas dumplings are steamed, fried, and can also be boiled.

The origins of the dish's name actually lie not in Russia but in Ruthenia, a historical region that spans what is now western Ukraine and southeastern Poland. Ruskie, therefore, actually means “Ruthenian”.

Pelmeni, Vereniki, and Pierogi are all types of dumplings that are found in either Russia (pelmeni and vareniki), or Central and Eastern Europe (pierogi).

Pierogi are Polish crescent-shaped dumplings that can be boiled, fried or baked and come with a variety of fillings. The most typical fillings include cabbage and mushrooms, potato and cheese, or simply meat – usually pork or beef. A sweet variety of pierogi is not uncommon either.

There are many ways to serve pierogi. Try them topped with fried onions and parsley, or serve them with sour cream, melted butter, and fried bacon.

The word 'varenyky' comes from the Ukrainian word 'varyty´ or 'to boil' because this product is cooked in boiling water. This comfort food is spelled many different ways: pyrohy, pyrogy, pyrogie, pierogi, perogi and others.

Pierogi (Polish Dumplings)

Are pelmeni and pierogi the same? ›

The primary distinction is their size and filling: pelmeni are typically smaller, containing a raw mixture of meat and spices, whereas pierogi can be larger with a diverse range of fillings. Pelmeni can be seen as a specific subtype of pierogi: smaller and traditionally filled with spiced meat or mushrooms.

A tried and true method for cooking pierogies is frying. The texture is crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. And, they make great side dishes, appetizers, or perfect finger-food for snacking! Pierogies are amazing when deep-fried!

Regardless of how you choose to spell it, pierogi are the very definition of comfort food. Think pillow-soft dumplings, oozing butter, filled with deep flavours and often served with a smorgasbord of toppings or sides (often crispy bacon and sour cream).

The English word "pierogi" comes from Polish pierogi [pʲɛˈrɔgʲi], which is the plural form of pieróg [ˈpʲɛruk], a generic term for one filled dumpling. It derives from Old East Slavic пиръ (pirŭ) and further from Proto-Slavic *pirъ, "feast".

Ruskie pierogi arrived from a prewar region of Poland which is now part of Ukraine. Indeed, before 1945 Ukrainians used to call this particular variety of pierogi 'Polish pierogi'. It is likely that “pierogi ruskie” were created by Poles living in Ukraine at the time.

The dish doesn't have any Russian origins at all. They actually arrived from Ruthenia, a prewar region of Poland, which is now part of Ukraine. Indeed, before 1945, Ukrainians used to call this particular variety of pierogi… 'Polish pierogi'.

Like many other dishes, pierogi have a disputed past. Aside from Poland, a great number of countries claim to be part of its origin story including the Ukraine, Lithuania, Russia, Romania, and as far east as China. Historically, everyone agrees that these dumplings have been eaten and enjoyed since 13th-century Poland.

Pyrohy or Varenyky – Did you know? In Ukraine, pyrohy are best known under the name of Varenyky. The word 'varenyky' comes from the Ukrainian word 'varyty´ or 'to boil' because this product is cooked in boiling water. This comfort food is spelled many different ways: pyrohy, pyrogy, pyrogie, pierogi, perogi and others.