Cabbage (Kapusta) Varenyky
Potato & Onion Varenyky
What are varenyky? They are the Ukrainian version of filled dumplings. People in North America are more familiar with a term “pierogi”. Commercially made pierogi are available in the frozen section of all major supermarkets in Toronto. I personally can’t eat the store-bought dumplings – they are too thick and heavy, and have no flavor. You can’t even taste any filling in them. The homemade varenyky are very delicate, with a thin dough and should have a good amount of flavourful filling.
Varenyky (or pierogi) are comfort food for many people across Eastern Europe and they are such a treat. We made these for our Christmas Eve Meal.
Many people have their own version of the dough but the one below is our favourite. Yields 20 to 22 pieces.
The Dough
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup hot water
The Filling
- Cabbage (Kapusta) Filling: finely chop a small head of cabbage, about 1/4. Fry in oil oil with onion until very tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Potato & Onion Filling: Boil 2 large baking potatoes. Sautee 1 finely chopped large onion in olive oil (or butter) until golden brown. Mash the potatoes with sauteed onion adding salt to taste and lots of pepper.
The Toppings
- Butter
- Sour Cream
- Fried Onions
- Crispy bacon and sauteed onion
Directions:
Mix all 3 ingredients together, and knead just a bit.
The dough should not be very smooth, and it will be quite sticky.
Cover it with an inverted bowl and let it stand for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the working surface with some flour and roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness.
Use a drinking glass or a round cookie cutter to get the perfect round circles.
Potato & Onion Filling
Cabbage Filling
Add about a teaspoon of filling to each circle.
Seal the edges tightly together with your fingers. At this point you can freeze them. Or if you are ready to eat them right away place them carefully in the boiling water. Varenyky will be ready when they float to the surface, in about 5 minutes.
Serve with a topping of your choice.
oh they look so good!!!
They are yummy
They do look seriously good
Thank you, they are
I so have to try a pierogi! Those look totally delish, I saw them being made on a show featuring a food truck who exclusively made them and it got me on a kick to try them if I see them.
There are not difficult to make and very tasty. I am yet to have a dumpling I didn’t like… Italian ravioli, Asian potstickers… mmm
Я прочиталa и понялa, что вкусно.
A как насчет творога? Bместо капусты?
Можно и с творогом, и с мясом – я так даже больше люблю. Но эти мы делали на канун Рождества – традиционно все блюда должны быть приготовлены без мясных, молочных и яичных продуктов. Даже и тесто вымесили без яйца
Да, я понимаю. Эти опции тoже вкусные, мне просто зaхотелocь что-тo сладкое
Можно сделать сладкие вареники с вишней, а потом их подать с сахаром и со сметаной!
Действительно! Хорошая идея! И жизнь пoкажeтся намного слаще
.
Безусловно! А вишню можно использовать из компота.
Just gorgeous! Thanks for the recipe!!
You are very welcome!
These seem so simple! I’ve never made anything like it but I need to try this.
They are a lit bit time-consuming but not hard to make at all.
Oooo yah! I like the simplicity of a meal like this. There really aren’t very many ingredients but ‘o-so-good’. On regular Christmas Eve, my Aunty was at the stove boiling her home made ones. This is all I ate…nothing else…..and I had 2 helpings of 6…Shocking, yes but I couldn’t stop. ;D
It’s difficult to limit them, they are so good! Which kind did you have?
Aunty was making potato & onion with more onion on top and sour cream….yum!
They are just perfect as you described it! I never grew to like the potato-cheddar cheese.
Oh me either Kat, that is not Ukrainian…it’s some Canadian wanna-be.
Exactly, LOL!
These remind me of dropped dumplings! yum-m-m-m-m:-)
I had to look up dropped dumplings, I didn’t know what they were, lol. Another comfort food!
Very southern USA…very comforting
Brings back wonderful memories of my grandmother!
I love trying new foods, this may be next cooking experiment.
Go for it…but get a fresh chicken and cook them in the chicken broth. Boiling water makes them too bland! Is your recipe possibly perogies? I may not have spelled that correctly. That is another thing that I thought of when I saw yours.
Yes, that’s the recipe
There are different ways to spell it: pyrogy, pierogy, pyrohy.
I made something similar but with spinach, dried parsley and garlic as stuffing, cooked it, topped with homemade tomato sauce , put cheese on it and baked it! I did not know I was doing something Ukrainian. Hungry minds think alike.
Every culture has some kind of stuffed dumplings! Your creation sounds delicious
These look fantastic!
Thank you!
Is it seriously that easy? That’s unbelievable. Thanks for unraveling the mystery for me. I have got to make these. I will let you know how it goes!
Please do! It could be a little time consuming if you are making these for the first time but not hard at all.
If I may suggest one tip: make the filling of your choice the day before, that will be a big time-saver.
Reblogged this on virtualborscht.
wow! great food!
Thanks
Loooooooooove these! especially with the bacon…mmmmmmm. And interesting, cabbage in ukrainian, kapusta is very similar to Hungarian káposzta
Yes, these words are close – Hungary is a close neighbour to us
seriously….these look soooo yummy. I am making these… tomorrow! Thank you for the divine recipe!
You will enjoy them! They really are good
Yum Yummies
Thank You…
Thank you
That looks like a lot of work, but I am sure it is well worth it!
I agree w/everyone else – they look yummy and so easy to make …
Thank you!
I almost never drop comments, but i did some searching and wound up here Homemade Ukrainian Varenyky (aka Pierogi) – a Step by Step Recipe | The Kat &
And, if you are writing at additional online sites, I’d like to follow everything new you have to post.
the Falling Leaves. And I do have 2 questions for you if it’s allright. Is it only me or does it look like some of these responses appear like left by brain dead individuals?
Could you list of every one of all your community sites like your linkedin profile,
Facebook page or twitter feed?
Hi Haley! Sorry for the delayed response. I have been MIA due to my intense dance schedule and family obligations.
To answer your questions:
People are simply curious.
a) some of the Ukrainian dishes or customs are unknown to people, hence the questions I get. That’s totally all right with me
b) I don’t have linkedin and twitter. Here is the link my fan page on Facebook dedicated to Salsa dancing:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Skin-Dance-Company/201407536554794
YUM!!!!