Name: Pilzno-Style Pierogi with Cabbage and Mushrooms
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: About 60 pieces; 6 servings; 10 small pierogi per serving, about one sixth of the batch
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 500 g all-purpose wheat flour, plus up to 15 g for dusting; 5 g fine salt; 1 l arge egg, about 50 g without shell; 230 ml warm water, added gradually; 15 ml neutral oil; 800 g fresh white cabbage, trimmed weight, finely shredded; 400 g fresh cultivated white button mushrooms, wiped clean and finely chopped; 180 g yellow onion, finely diced; 30 g unsalted butter; 4 g fine salt; 1 g freshly ground black pepper; 2 L water, for briefly simmering the cabbage; 4 L water, for boiling the pierogi; 10 g fine salt, for the cooking water; 40 g unsalted butter; 60 g yellow onion, finely diced

A wide view of „Pilzno-Style Pierogi with Cabbage and Mushrooms“ arranged on a table for serving.

Servings 6

Serving size about 10 small pierogi per serving

Prep time 45 minutes

Cook time 55 minutes

Ingredients ↓

At a glance

Pilzno-Style Pierogi with Cabbage and Mushrooms

These small Polish dumplings hold a tender, gently seasoned filling of fresh cabbage, mushrooms, and onion inside soft wheat dough. The Pilzno name points to a Podkarpackie regional tradition; this measured home version uses fresh cultivated mushrooms and is served with browned butter and onion.

The Polish Ministry of Agriculture's traditional-products register lists the Pilzno pierogi in Podkarpackie and describes a soft, semicircular dumpling with a crimped edge, roughly 25–30 g in size. It identifies the filling as cabbage, fresh mushrooms, and onion. The register also distinguishes the Pilzno version from an older comparison recipe by using fresh rather than dried mushrooms and leaving out herring.

This recipe turns that description into a practical six-serving home batch. It uses fresh white cabbage and shop-bought cultivated button mushrooms; the register does not prescribe a mushroom species or a single measured household formula. The result keeps the fresh-mushroom and no-herring distinction without asking cooks to identify wild mushrooms.

The filling must be fairly dry before it goes into the dough. Briefly simmer and drain the cabbage, cook the mushrooms until their released liquid evaporates, then combine them with onion and cook off any remaining moisture. Cool the filling fully before shaping so it does not soften the dough or weaken the seam.

Tips for success

Drain the cabbage thoroughly after its brief simmer, then chop it finely so the filling sits evenly inside the small rounds.
Cook the mushrooms until the pan is dry before adding the cabbage; loose liquid can open the seams during boiling.
Let the filling cool completely and keep unused dough covered so it stays supple.
Use about 18 g filling for each small pieróg, leaving a clean rim for sealing.
Lower only 8–10 dumplings into the pot at a time and keep the water at a steady boil rather than a hard, splashing one.

Ingredients

Dough

500 g all-purpose wheat flour, plus up to 15 g for dusting
5 g fine salt
1 l arge egg, about 50 g without shell
230 ml warm water, added gradually
15 ml neutral oil

Cabbage and mushroom filling

800 g fresh white cabbage, trimmed weight, finely shredded
400 g fresh cultivated white button mushrooms, wiped clean and finely chopped
180 g yellow onion, finely diced
30 g unsalted butter
4 g fine salt
1 g freshly ground black pepper
2 L water, for briefly simmering the cabbage

Cooking water and serving

4 L water, for boiling the pierogi
10 g fine salt, for the cooking water
40 g unsalted butter
60 g yellow onion, finely diced

Method

Directions

Mix and rest the doughStir the flour and 5 g salt together in a large bowl. Beat the egg with the warm water and oil, then pour it into the flour gradually while mixing with a fork or sturdy spoon. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and no longer sticky. If it feels dry, wet your hands and keep kneading before adding more water. Cover the dough and rest it for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Briefly simmer and drain the cabbageBring 2 L water to a boil in a large pot. Add the shredded cabbage and simmer for 5–6 minutes, until it is just tender but still holds its shape. Drain very well in a colander, pressing gently to remove excess water. Cool until safe to handle, then chop it finely.
Cook the mushroom filling until dryMelt 30 g butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 180 g diced onion and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add the chopped fresh cultivated mushrooms and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until their liquid has evaporated. Add the drained cabbage, 4 g salt, and black pepper. Cook for another 4–6 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is cohesive and no liquid pools in the pan. Spread it on a shallow plate and let it cool completely.
Roll and cut the doughDivide the rested dough into four portions. Keep three covered while you work with one. On a lightly floured surface, roll it to about 1.5–2 mm thick. Cut 7 cm circles with a cutter or glass, then gather and reroll the scraps once. Keep the circles covered with a clean towel so their edges do not dry.
Fill and crimpPlace about 18 g cooled filling in the center of each circle, dividing it evenly among about 60 pierogi. Fold a circle into a semicircle and press from the center outward to push out trapped air. Seal the edge firmly with small, even crimps, keeping the filling away from the rim. Set each dumpling on a lightly floured tray and cover it while you shape the rest.
Boil in batchesBring 4 L water and 10 g salt to a steady boil in a large pot. Lower in 8–10 pierogi without crowding the pot, then stir gently once so none stick to the bottom. When they float, cook for another 2–3 minutes. Lift out one dumpling and check that the dough is tender through the seam, with no raw, floury band. Remove with a slotted spoon and repeat with the remaining batches.
Brown the onion and serveWhile the pierogi cook, melt 40 g butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the reserved 60 g onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden. Spoon the onion and butter over the hot pierogi and serve at once.

Nutrition per serving

Serving sizeabout 10 small pierogi, one sixth of the batch
Caloriesabout 480 kcal
Carbohydratesabout 77 g
Proteinabout 14 g
Fatabout 14 g
Fiberabout 7 g
Sodiumabout 700 mg

These are rounded ingredient-based estimates. They assume all measured filling and topping butter is eaten, all filling salt remains in the dish, and about 1 g of the cooking-water salt is retained across the batch. Flour, mushroom moisture, and the amount of topping eaten can change the final values.

Allergens and food safety

Serving, storage, and reheating: Serve about 10 small pierogi per person with the browned onion and butter. These are substantial enough for a main course and are also associated in the Pilzno register with fasting periods and Christmas Eve meals. The dough and filling can be prepared separately ahead: refrigerate the cooled filling promptly and use it within 3–4 days, or freeze it for longer storage. Keep the rested dough covered and refrigerate it at 4 °C or below if shaping is delayed.

Serving, storage, and reheating: Freeze uncooked pierogi in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to an airtight container. Boil them from frozen in small batches; allow a few extra minutes after they float and check a test dumpling for a tender center. Do not thaw them on the counter.

Serving, storage, and reheating: Cool cooked leftovers in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the surrounding temperature is above 32.2 °C / 90 °F. Keep at 4 °C or below and use within 3–4 days. Reheat only the portion needed in a covered skillet with a splash of water or in the microwave, until hot throughout and at least 73.9 °C / 165 °F.

Contains wheat (gluten), egg, and milk. Use fresh cultivated mushrooms from a reliable shop; do not use unidentified wild mushrooms or assume that cooking makes a misidentified mushroom safe. Keep mushrooms refrigerated until preparation and cook them fully in the filling. Because the dough contains raw egg, cover and refrigerate it at 4 °C or below if shaping is delayed; refrigerate the cooled filling as well. Cool cooked pierogi in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32.2 °C / 90 °F. Use within 3–4 days and reheat leftovers throughout to 73.9 °C / 165 °F.

To finish

Fresh cabbage, fresh mushrooms, and onion make a soft, savory filling in small crimped dumplings.
Keep the filling dry and cool, seal each edge firmly, and serve the boiled pierogi with browned butter and onion.