Home / October

A little reason to celebrate

National Pierogi Day

Food · October 8

A food day for pierogi, the filled dumplings of Polish and Eastern European kitchens, boiled or fried and stuffed with potato, cheese and more.

National Pierogi Day falls on Friday, October 8, 2027. That is 346 days away.

Pierogi are dumplings made from a soft dough that is rolled thin, cut into rounds, filled, folded into half moons and pinched shut. They come from Polish and wider Eastern European cooking, and in the United States they turn up in church kitchens, family freezers and grocery store aisles alike.

The classic filling is mashed potato with cheese, often farmer's cheese or cheddar, sometimes with fried onion stirred in. Sauerkraut with mushrooms is another old favorite. Sweet versions hold fruit such as blueberries or cherries, or a mild sweetened cheese.

Cooking them is a two-step affair in many homes. The dumplings are boiled until they float, then many cooks fry them in butter until the edges turn golden. Toppings stay simple: browned onions, a spoonful of sour cream, maybe a little dill.

Making them by hand takes time, which is why pierogi are so often a group project. One person rolls, another fills, someone else crimps, and a few end up with too much filling and burst in the pot. Those get eaten first, by the cook, standing at the stove.

A batch freezes well when the pierogi are laid out on a tray before being bagged, so they do not stick together in one frozen lump.

Ways to celebrate

• Try making potato and cheese pierogi from scratch with a friend.
• Fry boiled pierogi in butter with sliced onions.
• Taste a sweet fruit pierogi alongside a savory one.
• Look for pierogi at a local Polish deli or church sale.
• Share a family pierogi filling recipe with someone.

Dates

All national days on October 8

Also on October 8

• National Fluffernutter Day
• World Octopus Day

Categories: Food days