There are so many tasty dumplings worth trying, like these Russian meat dumplings, Pelmeni! Let me introduce you to little pockets of heaven aka Vareniki. You might know them by another name Pierogi. Vareniki (plural) are Polish pierogi’s Ukrainian cousins. What is the difference? Well I can’t really tell you. I was going to say fillings but the filling in these little dumplings are mostly dependent on regions and the cooks, so not a lot of difference I suppose. Funnily enough, I didn’t learn about the existence of pierogi until I went to college in the States and met my Canadian husband. Pierogi was high on his list of favourite foods. After a little digging I realised the dumplings he was familiar with were Polish pierogi. Another surprise because in Russian pierogi are delicious pastries baked in the oven, stuffed buns of sorts. Too confusing! But never mind. Whatever they are called and wherever they are from, they are always worth eating. They are perfect comfort food!
Vareniki fillings
There are so many options for filling vareniki, and different regions and families will have a different approach. I filled these ones with mashed potatoes, caramelised onions and fried mushrooms, plus butter, salt and pepper for added flavour. A very easy variation, and a good way to make them vegetarian, is to swap the bacon for mushrooms or to leave it out entirely to make potato and carmelized onion pierogi. Sauerkraut can also be added for a touch of acidic flair. But this is just the start, and the filling is where you can get creative! Use your imagination but whatever you do, flavour those potatoes or they will be BLAND! For a completely different twist, vereniki can also be filled with sweet ingredients. Farmers or cottage cheese with blueberries, cherries or plums wrapped in the same dough make a wonderful sweet treat! Vereniki with fruit are usually made in the summer when the fruit is ripe, sweet and in season. When filled with fruit they become more of a dessert.
Homemade Pierogi/Vareniki
I do not have the words to describe the difference between frozen pierogi/vareniki and homemade ones but let me try. The dough I think is where it starts. First of all, the frozen, commercially produced dumplings needs to be made thicker to remain intact, which comes at the huge expense of the quality. The homemade dough is thinner, softer, more pliable and infinitely tastier. Homemade vareniki also give you more control over the fillings. Store bought vareniki can be overstuffed with potatoes and not enough other ingredients, which makes them a bit bland and boring. I don’t need to go on telling you that homemade vareniki taste fantastic! Traditionally they are served pan fried in butter with crispy onions and sour cream. Not exactly diet food but I make mine about once in three years, so when I do, I do not hold back! I also like to add sauerkraut on the side as the slightly sour taste balances out the richness of vareniki. If you are curious to make your own, my sauerkraut recipe is easy to follow!
Are vareniki expensive to make?
Apart from being so delicious, vareniki are also very economical! They use the cheapest ingredients and make them go a long way. They are also very filling so a few vareniki go a long way. Just 3 cups of flour and 5 potatoes made 65 vareniki! This is enough to make 8 people very happy! Don’t be afraid to dive into vareniki making! I wrote extensively about the dumpling making process when I shared my Meat Dumplings Pelmeni, so feel free to take a look at another delicious recipe and photos! Or watch this video to learn how to make them!
More classic recipes from Eastern Europe:
Beef Stroganoff Borscht Russian Blini Sweet and Sour Beef Stew (Solyanka)
