What’s Up, Hungry People

The other day, I overheard someone saying that they didn’t like pierogies! They complained that the pierogies they always tried were too heavy or chewy – clearly, they weren’t enjoying the right kind of pierogies. Determined to change their mind, I set out to create a pierogie even pierogie-haters would fall for.

Filled with sweet potatoes and drenched in a rosemary, sage, and brown butter sauce, there’s no way you could dislike these pierogies. They swing from sweet to savory and back again; it’s a full adventure on your taste buds.

Here’s What You Need

Flour: Provides structure for the pierogi wrappers.
Sour cream: Adds moisture and tang to the dough.
Egg: Binds the dough ingredients together.
Olive oil: Enhances dough elasticity and flavor.
Sea salt: Seasons the dough to enhance flavor.
Sweet potato: Adds a sweet, earthy base for the filling.
Greek yogurt: Gives the filling creaminess and a slight tang.
Butter: Adds richness to both the filling and sauce.
Rosemary: Infuses the filling with aromatic herbal notes.
Hungarian paprika: Offers a sweet and smoky flavor to the filling.
Onion powder: Provides depth and savory notes to the filling.
Garlic powder: Adds a punchy, aromatic flavor to the filling.
Brown sugar: Balances the flavors with a hint of sweetness.
Red onion: Brings a mild, sweet flavor to the sauce.
Sage: Adds an earthy, peppery flavor to the sauce.

Let’s Cook

The best way to ensure a tasty pierogie is to make it 100% from scratch, starting with the dough. A good workable dough should do the trick.

Preparing the Dough

Start by mixing your dough ingredients until combined. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Wrap it up and let it rest. This downtime helps the gluten relax and makes the dough easier to roll out later.

The dough should be kneaded until smooth and then left to rest until it has softened.

The key to the perfect pierogie wrapper is to not roll the dough paper thin, like you would for ravioli for example, and not too thick, like you might roll a pie crust.

Somewhere in between is the perfect pierogie wrapper thickness.

Once the dough has been rolled out, I used a mason jar ring to cut the wrappers into individual circles.

Making the Filling

While your dough takes a break, get those sweet potatoes boiling until they’re nice and tender. Mash them up and mix in all those tasty spices and seasonings.

The softened sweet potatoes can then be mashed up and combined with heavenly flavors like rosemary, paprika, onion and garlic.

And just a touch of brown sugar helps to bring out the ideal amount of sweetness.

Assembling Pierogies

Roll out your rested dough to the right thickness and cut out circles using a Mason jar ring. Spoon a bit of filling into each, moisten the edges with water, and seal them up by pressing the edges together.

Boiling to Browning

Drop your pierogies into boiling water just until they float up—this means they’re done. Then, give them a quick fry in some butter until they’re deliciously crispy on the outside.

After the pierogies have boiled, they can be browned lightly in a hot skillet with a touch of salted butter. I sauted mine until crispy brown on one side – some people bake their pierogies to achieve similar results!

Creating the Sauce

In the same pan, melt some more butter, toss in your sliced onions and sage, and cook until the onions are just tender.

Pour this golden buttery goodness over your pierogies and get ready to serve a dish that’ll convert any pierogie skeptic!

Perfecting Sweet Potato Pierogies

Perfect Dough Consistency: Achieving the right dough texture is crucial. It should be soft yet elastic, not sticky. If your dough feels tough, add a touch more sour cream. If it’s too sticky, a little more flour will help balance it out.
Boiling Sweet Potatoes: Make sure the sweet potatoes are thoroughly boiled until they are fork-tender. This ensures they mash smoothly, without lumps, for a consistent filling.
Wrapper Thickness: Finding the perfect thickness for your wrappers is key. Too thin, and they might break when boiled; too thick, and they’ll be doughy. Aim for about 1/8 inch thickness.
Sealing Pierogies: Ensure the edges of your pierogies are well-sealed to prevent them from opening while boiling. A light dab of water around the edge will help seal them tight.
Cooking Onions: When sautéing the onions for the sauce, aim for them to be just soft enough but still holding a bit of texture to add a slight crunch to your dish.

Trust me, the extra time spent to make the dough and filling is totally worth it – your mouth with thank you!

And there you have it, Hungry People—a plate of sweet potato pierogies in brown butter sage sauce that’s sure to impress even the staunchest pierogie critics. From the homemade dough to the rich, savory filling and the decadent sauce, every bite is a testament to the joys of making pierogies from scratch. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just looking to switch up your dinner routine, these pierogies deliver comfort and flavor in every forkful. Plus, it’s always fun to prove a point through delicious food, right? Next time someone doubts the appeal of a well-made pierogie, just serve them a plate of these beauties. Chances are, they’ll be asking you for the recipe before they even finish eating.

Sweet Potato Pierogies in Brown Butter Sage Sauce

The Starving Chef

Enjoy homemade sweet potato pierogies wrapped in a silky dough, filled with savory spices, and served with a rich brown butter sage sauce.

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Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 30

Total Time 2 30

Course Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Europe, International, Polish

Servings pierogies

Equipment

Ingredients

FOR PIEROGI DOUGH WRAPPERS:

2 cups flour + more for dusting
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

FOR PIEROGI FILLING:

16 oz sweet potato peeled
½ cup Greek yogurt
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons rosemary
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar

FOR BUTTER SAGE SAUCE:

½ cup butter
½ cup red onion
2 tablespoons sage

Instructions

In a large bowl, beat together the ingredients for the dough. Lightly flour a flat surface and knead the dough for a few minutes until it forms a smooth, elastic dough. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
While the dough rests, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the peeled sweet potatoes to the boiling water. Boil for about 15-20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, mash them using a ricer or fork. Mix in the Greek yogurt and butter. Stir in the rosemary, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and brown sugar. Allow the mixture to cool until it is no longer steaming.
As the filling cools, roll out the dough on a surface dusted with flour to about 1/8 inch thickness. Use a Mason jar ring or a wide mouth glass to cut the dough into individual circles.
Spoon about a tablespoon of the filling onto the center of each wrapper. Fold the wrappers in half and use a touch of water to help seal the edges. Place on a paper towel as you prepare the rest of the pierogies.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil again. Add the pierogies in batches and boil for 1-2 minutes, until they begin to float. Remove from the water and place back onto a plate lined with a paper towel.
In a large skillet, melt two tablespoons of butter. Add the boiled pierogies to the hot butter in batches. Sauté until golden brown, or to the desired level of crispiness. Set aside the pierogies to make the brown butter sauce.
In the same skillet, melt the remaining butter. Add the sliced red onions and sage. Sauté for about 10 minutes, until the onions have softened but have not lost their color. Pour the sauce over the cooked pierogies. Serve hot and enjoy!