There are recipes you follow…
and then there are recipes you carry.

This is one of those.

Sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi were never just food in my house. They showed up when it mattered, holidays, long weekends, days when the kitchen felt louder than usual. You didn’t measure everything perfectly. You tasted, adjusted, and somehow… it always worked.

Tangy, earthy, a little sweet from the onions, simple ingredients that come together into something that feels like home.

Perfect Pierogi Dough (My Go-To Recipe)

This is the dough I come back to every time. No eggs. No sour cream. Just simple ingredients and one technique that changes everything – hot water. It creates a soft, elastic dough that’s easy to roll, easy to seal, and doesn’t fight you. For more in-depth recipe, check out my separate post on the pierogi dough here.

Ingredients

• 500 g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups)
• 80 g butter (about 5½ tablespoons)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 220–250 ml hot water (about 1 to 1¼ cups)

Instructions

1. Add flour and salt to a bowl.
2. Pour in melted butter.
3. Slowly add hot water, mixing as you go.

You might not need all the water — and that’s normal.

Once it starts coming together, knead until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly elastic. It should feel like soft, not sticky, not stiff.

Cover with a towel and let it rest for at least 20–30 minutes.

This step is everything. If your dough ever felt hard before… it probably didn’t rest long enough.

For the Filling

• 1–2 lbs sauerkraut, drained
  (you can do half sauerkraut, half fresh cabbage for a milder taste)
• 1–2 lbs mushrooms (button or cremini), finely chopped or grated
• 2–3 large onions, diced
• 2–3 tablespoons butter or oil

Spices:

• 2 bay leaves
• 3 allspice berries
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• Salt to taste
• ½–1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the Sauerkraut

Drain the sauerkraut well. If it’s very sour, give it a quick rinse.

Chop it, place in a pot with bay leaves and allspice, and cover with water.

Cook for about 30–45 minutes, until soft. Drain well and remove the spices.

2. Cook the Mushrooms & Onions

Finely chop or grate the mushrooms. Dice the onions.

Heat butter or oil in a large pan. Cook the onions until soft and slightly golden.

Add mushrooms and cook until all the moisture evaporates and they start to brown. Don’t rush this – this is where the flavor builds.

3. Combine the Filling

Add the cooked sauerkraut to the pan.

Cook everything together for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season with marjoram, salt, and a generous amount of black pepper.

Let the filling cool completely before using.

How to Make the Pierogi

1. Roll the dough thin
2. Cut into circles
3. Add filling to the center
4. Fold and seal tightly

Keep covered with a towel so they don’t dry out.

Cooking the Pierogi

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook pierogi in batches. Once they float, cook for 2–3 more minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Notes and Tips

Flavor Boost:
For a deeper, more intense flavor, add a few soaked dried mushrooms to the sauerkraut while cooking.

Serving:
Serve with sautéed onions in butter, or after boiling, pan-fry the pierogi in butter until golden and lightly crispy on the outside. Garnish with parsley.

This filling has always been naturally vegetarian, built on simple ingredients that don’t need much to shine. And if you swap butter for oil, it turns into a beautiful vegan version without losing any of that deep, comforting flavor.