Polish National Dishes

Pierogi z fasolą Piękny Jaś: Polish White Bean Pierogi

Pierogi z fasolą Piękny Jaś are small Polish half-moon dumplings filled with mashed white runner beans. The traditional-product register describes the version from Małopolskie with a crimped seam, a soft pale dough and a beige filling that may show golden-brown onion. The recorded size is about 6–7 cm long, 3 cm wide and 1 cm high.

Polish National Dishes
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A plate of small Polish half-moon pierogi with crimped edges, pale white-bean filling, and golden fried onion; one cut dumpling shows its filling.
Yield 4 servings, 8 small pierogi per serving
Serving basis 8 of 32 dumplings
Prep time 50 minutes
Cook time about 100 minutes
Ingredients ↓
Recipe at a glance

Pierogi z fasolą Piękny Jaś: Polish White Bean Pierogi

Pierogi z fasolą Piękny Jaś are small Polish half-moon dumplings filled with mashed white runner beans. The traditional-product register describes the version from Małopolskie with a crimped seam, a soft pale dough and a beige filling that may show golden-brown onion. The recorded size is about 6–7 cm long, 3 cm wide and 1 cm high.

The Polish Ministry of Agriculture records both savory and sweet bean fillings. For the savory version, cooked beans are mashed or ground with garlic, salt and pepper, then mixed with fried onion and pork lard or goose fat. The sweet family of fillings uses butter and sugar, sometimes with vanilla or dried fruit. This measured home recipe follows the savory form usually served to adults, with pork lard binding the bean filling and butter-softened onion on top.

The dried beans need an overnight soak and a full boil before simmering until completely tender. Make the hot-water dough while they cook, then mash the beans with the fried onion and seasonings. Roll small rounds, seal them into half-moons and boil in batches. The dumplings should stay soft and intact, with a distinct bean filling and golden onion topping.

Tips for success

Tips for success

  • Begin with the beans the day before. Soak them in the refrigerator, discard the soaking water and cook them in fresh water until completely tender.
  • Keep the dough covered while you work. If its surface dries, the edges will be harder to seal.
  • Mash the beans while warm, but let the filling cool until easy to handle before shaping. A smooth mash with a few soft bean pieces is easier to portion than a loose purée.
  • Roll the dough evenly to about 2 mm and use a 7 cm cutter to keep the dumplings close to their traditional small size.
  • Use about 18 g filling per round and leave a clean rim. Press out trapped air, then crimp the seam firmly so it stays closed in the water.
  • Cook in batches in gently boiling water rather than crowding the pot. Stir carefully once after adding the pierogi so they do not stick to the bottom.
  • Serve soon after cooking. If working in batches, keep finished pierogi warm with a little melted butter so they do not stick together.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Dough

  • 500 g plain wheat flour, plus a little for dusting
  • 1 l arge egg (about 50 g without shell)
  • 250 ml hot water, about 80–90 °C
  • 15 ml neutral oil
  • 6 g fine salt

Savory bean filling

  • 250 g dried large white runner beans (Piękny Jaś type)
  • 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
  • 30 g pork lard
  • 8 g garlic, finely grated
  • 6 g fine salt
  • 1 g ground black pepper

Onion topping

  • 120 g yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 30 g unsalted butter
Method

Method

Directions

  1. Soak the beans.Cover the dried beans generously with cold water and soak them in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse. Begin the day before you plan to serve the pierogi.

  2. Cook the beans fully.Put them in a large pot and cover with fresh water. Bring to a full rolling boil for 10 minutes, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 50–70 minutes, until every bean is completely tender. Older beans may take longer; follow package directions. Drain well and do not taste or serve undercooked beans.

  3. Make and rest the dough.Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the egg and oil. Gradually pour in the hot water, mixing with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

  4. Prepare the savory filling.Melt the lard in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Mash the drained, fully cooked beans while warm, then mix in the onion mixture, salt and pepper. Let the filling cool until easy to handle.

  5. Shape the pierogi.Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 2 mm thick. Cut 32 rounds with a 7 cm cutter. Put about 18 g filling in the center of each. Fold into a half-moon, press out air and pinch the edges firmly into a crimped seam. Keep the finished pierogi small, about 6–7 cm long.

  6. Boil in batches.Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. Add the pierogi in batches and stir once carefully. When they float, cook for 2–3 minutes more, until the dough is tender and the seams remain closed. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain. Keep finished batches warm with a little butter while the rest cook.

  7. Make the onion topping and serve.Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and golden. Spoon the onion over the hot pierogi and serve.

Nutrition and allergens

Nutrition and allergens

  • Energy860 kcal
  • Carbohydrates141 g
  • Protein30 g
  • Fat21 g
  • Fibre15 g
  • Sodium1,180 mg
  • Allergenswheat, egg, milk

Approximate values per serving, based on 8 pierogi (one quarter of the recipe): - Energy: 860 kcal - Carbohydrates: 141 g - Protein: 30 g - Fat: 21 g - Fibre: 15 g - Sodium: 1,180 mg - Allergens: wheat, egg, milk Values vary with the beans, flour and amount of water absorbed or drained. Wheat flour and egg are in the dough; the butter topping contains milk. Cook the beans fully, refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat them to 74 °C throughout.

Nutrition and allergens

Nutrition and allergens

Serving, storage, and reheating: Serve 8 small pierogi per person with the golden onion topping. The soft dough surrounds a savory, creamy bean filling, while the onion adds sweetness. Their small half-moon shape and crimped seam reflect the registered Małopolskie description.

Serving, storage, and reheating: Cool leftovers quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32 °C. Keep at 4 °C or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat only the amount needed to 74 °C throughout. Add a teaspoon of water to a covered skillet to keep the dough from drying, or microwave in a covered dish, turning the pierogi partway through.

Serving, storage, and reheating: For make-ahead preparation, cook and cool the beans a day ahead, refrigerate them promptly, and prepare the filling and dough on serving day. Shaped uncooked pierogi can be frozen in a single layer until firm, then packed airtight; cook from frozen in batches, allowing extra time after they float and checking that the dough is tender and the filling is piping hot. Do not leave cooked beans, filling or pierogi at room temperature beyond the cooling limits above.

Approximate values per serving, based on 8 pierogi (one quarter of the recipe): - Energy: 860 kcal - Carbohydrates: 141 g - Protein: 30 g - Fat: 21 g - Fibre: 15 g - Sodium: 1,180 mg - Allergens: wheat, egg, milk

Values vary with the beans, flour and amount of water absorbed or drained. Wheat flour and egg are in the dough; the butter topping contains milk. Cook the beans fully, refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat them to 74 °C throughout.

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