Blueberry Pierogi Dumplings ('z Jagodami')

Blueberry pierogi (‘z jagodami’) are a popular dish in Poland especially during summer months.  They take very little time to make as the filling consists of a single ingredient – blueberries.

Check out ALL my pierogi recipes.

I usually make pierogi with savoury fillings but today I am sharing a recipe for a semi-sweet blueberry pierogi recipe, a super popular dish in Poland especially when blueberries are in season.  Polish people love pierogi, both savoury and sweet, and seasonal fruit make an ideal pierogi filling.

What blueberries to use 

I used typical commercially available blueberries, which you can get in any supermarket or green grocers in the UK.  When I was growing up in Poland people tended to use small, wild blueberries, as the larger variety was simply not available.

So unless you live in Poland (where the small blueberries are still prevalent) or go blueberry picking in the forest chances are you’ll be using the large blueberry variety.

Which is great as it’s easier to make pierogi using this type of blueberries.

This is because they keep their shape really well.

So all you need to do is rinse and dry them well (using a paper towel) and simply encase in the pierogi dough.

Can I use frozen blueberries

Yes, you can but it's a little trickier to use frozen blueberries as they are full of moisture.  Too much moisture makes it harder to stick the edges of the pierogis together well and increases the chances of the pierogi opening up in the pot.

If, however, you want to give this method a go wipe your blueberries with a paper towel, add about 1.5 teaspoon of flour and stir in until . Then place a small amount of the blueberries in a separate dish and put the rest back in the freezer (to prevent them from thawing). Make these pierogi in batches using a small amount of filling at a time. Cook each batch as soon as you've made it.

How to make pierogi dough

I am using my tried and tested pierogi dough.  This dough recipe is very quick and easy to make.

Combine the flour with the salt and place on top of a large clean surface.  Add the butter (or oil, if you prefer) and gradually start adding in the water, cutting through the mixture with a large knife.  When all the water has been added and the dough comes together continue kneading for 6 more minutes until smooth and soft.  Cover with a bowl or wrap in cling film and set aside for 20 minutes.

If the dough sticks to your hands add a bit of flour and knead in – 1 teaspoon should be enough (too much flour will produce tough dough).

How to make blueberry pierogi

When your dough has rested you are ready to make the pierogi.

Divide the dough into 3 parts and roll out 1 until it’s 2-3 mm thick (keeping the other dough balls covered).  Using a glass with a diameter of about 7 cm make round shapes.

Heat up a large pot with salted water.

If, like me, you are using large blueberries place 4-5 in the middle of each dough shape and stick together the edges of the dumplings removing any air bubbles.  Place the dumplings on top of a lightly floured surface and keep covered with a tea towel.

When the water starts to boil carefully put the dumplings in one by one (do not overcrowd the pot) and give a gentle stir with a wooden spoon.  Cook gently for 4 minutes from the time the dumplings have come up to the top.  Remove from the heat and using a slotted spoon lift out and place on top of a large plate. Drizzle over a little melted butter and serve immediately.

What to serve with blueberry dumplings

I don’t often recommend sprinkling food with sugar but this time I am making an exception.  These fruit pierogies need a bit of sweetness so sprinkle a little demerara or regular sugar over individual portions.

You could also add a drizzle of melted butter or serve them with kefir, buttermilk (both healthy) or sour cream (a little less healthy).

You could also serve these blueberry dumplings with flavoured yogurt and fresh blueberries.

Top tips and FAQs

• Use 4-5 blueberries in each dumpling or 1-2 more for larger dumplings. These pierogi are usually made using small blueberries but these aren't available here in the UK so I am using a large blueberry variety.
• Knead the dough for about 6 minutes until very soft and smooth (this will produce softer pierogi). If the dough sticks to your hands add a bit of flour (no more than 1 teaspoon as this may make the dough a little tough). 
• Best served immediately. Serve with sour cream, yogurt or kefir and sugar.

Can I reheat pierogi with blueberries

These pierogi are best served immediately so I don’t recommend keeping them in a bowl or another container for too long.  The fruit will become squashed and might start releasing juice.

So the answer is – yes, you can reheat them (in a microwave) but they simply won’t be as good as when they first came out of the pot.

You might also like

• Polish Potato and Cheese Pierogi (Ruskie) Recipe
• Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi (Kapusta) Dumplings
• Polish Meat Dumplings (Pierogi z Miesem) with Butternut Squash
• Homemade Perogies with Cheddar and Potatoes

Keep in touch!

If you make these blueberry pierogi I'd love to know how they turned out for you. What did you serve them with? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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Blueberry Pierogi Dumplings ('z Jagodami')

Blueberry pierogi (‘z jagodami’) are a popular dish in Poland especially during summer months.  They take very little time to make as the filling consists of a single ingredient – blueberries.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: Polish, vegetarian

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 6 minutes

Servings: 55 pierogi

Calories: 28kcal

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Ingredients

• ▢ 300-350 g fresh blueberries

For the Dough

• ▢ 350 g flour
• ▢ 185 ml very warm water
• ▢ 1 tbsp butter or 2.5 tbsp olive/vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ tsp fine sea salt

For Serving

• ▢ Demerara or regular sugar, melted butter, kefir, buttermilk or sour cream, fresh blueberries, flavoured yogurt.
  
  

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Rinse and gently dry the blueberries using a paper towel.
• To make the dough place the flour, salt and butter (or oil) on top of your work surface and start combining using a large knife, cutting through the mixture and gradually adding the water into the middle and gathering up the mixture with the knife to prevent the water from escaping. When all the water has been added and the dough comes together continue kneading for 6 more minutes until smooth and soft. If it sticks to your hands add a bit of flour (not more than 1 tsp) and knead in. Cover with a bowl or wrap in cling film and set aside for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 3 parts (easier to work with) and roll out one part (keeping the other 2 covered) on top of a very lightly floured surface as thinly as possible, 2-3 mm in thickness (don't worry, the dough is quite resilient and won't tear easily). Using a glass with a rim diameter of about 7 cm (or a little bigger if you prefer) make round shapes (gather up the excess dough and add to the other dough part).
• Place 4-5 blueberries in the middle of each dough shape (if the dough is sticking to the work surface use a knife to help it come off but take care not to tear it). With tips of your fingers stick the edges of the dumpling together removing any air bubbles - go over the edge twice for each dumpling.
• Place the dumplings on a lightly floured surface and cover with a tea towel.
• Fill a large pot with salted water, add 1 tsp of oil, cover and bring to boil. Continue making the dumplings as you are waiting for the water to boil. When the water starts boiling carefully place the dumplings in the pot one by one (up to 15 per batch) and quickly but carefully stir with a wooden spoon. When all the dumplings have come up to the surface cook them gently for about 4 more minutes, then switch off the heat and using a slotted spoon transfer onto a large plate. Sprinkle with sugar, drizzle with a little butter and serve!

Notes

• Use 4-5 blueberries in each dumpling or 1-2 more for larger dumplings. These pierogi are usually made using small blueberries but these aren't available here in the UK so I am using a large blueberry variety.
• Knead the dough for about 6 minutes until very soft and smooth (this will produce softer pierogi). If the dough sticks to your hands add a bit of flour (no more than 1 teaspoon as this may make the dough a little tough). 
• Best served immediately. Serve with sour cream, yogurt or kefir and sugar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 28kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 11mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

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