These pierogies with a cheesy potato filling are made easy with premade dumpling wrappers. They are pan-fried and lightly steamed for a crispy, golden exterior and soft, pillowy center.
Peel and boil the potatoes until they are soft (about 8 to 10 minutes).
Drain the potatoes and mash them using a fork or potato masher.
Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil to medium heat in a non-stick frying pan. Add the onions and fry until soft and golden (about 5 minutes).
Combine the ricotta cheese, potatoes, cheddar cheese, onions, herbs, salt and pepper to make the filling.
Place one dumpling wrapper on a plate. Add one spoon of filling.
Wet the edges of the disc with water.
Fold it in half over the filling and seal the ends together by pressing with a fork. Repeat with all wrappers.
Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a non-stick skillet at medium-high heat. Add the pierogies and cook until brown. Turn them over and let them brown on the other side. (For me, it usually takes less than 1 minute per side to brown; keep an eye on them.)
When they are golden brown on both sides, add ½ cup of water - without lowering the temperature - and cover quickly with the lid so that they steam. Let them cook for 1 more minute. (This is a mixed cooking method that will allow the dough itself to have a brown and crunchy texture on the outside with a soft center.) Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan before frying each batch of pierogies.
Serve with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Notes
Any leftover filling can be frozen for later use.
If you don’t intend to eat all of the pierogies right away, they can be frozen before cooking:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange the pierogies so they don’t touch (make sure of this, or they could tear apart once frozen), and place the sheet in the freezer until the dumplings are solid.
Once they’re frozen, they can be transferred to a plastic freezer bag for easy storage.
To cook them from a frozen state, simply boil in salted water for about 7 or 8 minutes, then drain and serve as you normally would.
Store the cooked pierogies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.