Did you know that Europeans have their dumplings too? There are 13 European dumplings, but the most popular is the Polish dumpling or traditional Pierogi. (*)
We’re fans of this delicious dumpling because of its buttery, chewy, and tasty pastry dough.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the delicious fillings!
Sweet perogies typically contain fruit, while savory perogies contain mushrooms, mashed potatoes, fried onions, ground meat, cheese, sauerkraut, and many more!
With that said, it’s safe to say that there are pierogi types for everyone!
But here’s the big question: what to serve with perogies?
To be honest, perogies are usually served on their own since they are pretty tasty and filling already. But if you wish to take these dumplings to a whole new level, you have to find the right sides.
We’ve covered it all from the creamy to the cheesy and healthy. If you’re ready to know What to Serve with Perogies: The Sides You Shouldn’t Miss Out On!
Are you ready to make pierogi more delicious?
Well, here are the must-try side dishes to serve with perogies:
Creamy and Sweet Dishes to Serve with Perogies
Toppings are your best friend when it comes to perogies pairings. Below are some of the creamy and sweet toppings that would work well on all types of perogies—sweet or savory.
1. Sour Cream
To be honest, we never serve Perogies without sour cream. They’re just meant to be together, so you need to make sure there’s sour cream on the table when you serve perogies.
Sour cream is a fermented cream that gives off a sour taste, making it an excellent topping for both delicious perogies and sweet perogies.
If you’re serving sweet perogies like strawberry pierogi or bilberry pierogi, you can serve sour cream as is.
On the other hand, top your sour cream with chopped fresh herbs like fill, coriander, parsley, or basil, if you’re serving it with savory perogies. To add an earthy flavor, you can also use sour mushroom cream, which you can make by adding onions, red pine, and porcini mushrooms.
Pro Tip: If you don’t have sour cream on hand, you can easily make one at home. You just need to mix fresh lemon juice, milk, and cream in a jar, cover it with a breathable cloth and let it sit overnight.
2. Cranberry Relish
Another topping that we love serving with perogies is cranberry relish. Its sweet and tangy flavor helps to balance out the richness and saltiness of savory perogies. This pairing delivers the best sweet and salty combination that most people love.
Not only that, cranberry relish adds a pop of color that will make your meal look more appetizing
3. Caramelized Onions
If you adore sweet and salty food combinations, you’ll love serving your delicious perogies with sweet caramelized onions for sure!
Aside from giving your meal a slightly sweet flavor, onions can also provide you with plenty of health benefits. (*)
To prepare this, you need to cook onions in butter and canola oil, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, then season with salt, and top off with fresh thyme.
However, we just want to warn you. Preparing can be time-consuming as the onions must be slow-cooked to release their full flavor. But we also want to let you know—it’s worth it!
4. Apple Chutney
Serving perogies with applesauce is expected, so go for apple chutney if you want to surprise your guests with something new.
Same with applesauce, it will also add a touch of sweetness that will cut through the saltiness of savory pierogi. However, it can bring so much more since this condiment is sweet, spicy, sour, and everything all at once.
Pro Tip: Take your apple chutney side dish to a whole new level by serving pork chop on the side. Instead of just plain pork chops, go for spiced pork chops for a medley of flavors that will satisfy your taste buds.
5. Butter, Sugar, and Cream
We reserved the last topping recommendation for the fruity perogy lovers out there. If you adore fruit-filled perogies, try sprinkling powdered sugar on it, then topping it off with a dollop of whipped cream and butter, and you’ll love it even more!
Pro Tip: Add a few chocolate shavings for a fancier and tastier dessert.
Cheesy Dishes to Serve with Perogies
Cheese and fried perogies go hand in hand, and no one can do cheese better than the Mexicans, don’t you agree? Well, here are some great examples:
6. Cheesy Taco Lasagna
Taco tastes fantastic and lasagna rocks, so can you just imagine what you would get if you combined both?
A dose of cheesy goodness, of course!
Instead of pasta sheets, you use layers or tortillas and add ground beef and beans in between.
And of course, don’t forget to add cheese—lots of it.
The simple flavor of perogies will complement the rich taste of this dish.
And more than that, fried perogies can add a crunchy texture which complements the softness or tortillas quite well.
7. Nachos
Are you into nachos? Well, who isn’t?
If you love nachos the same way we do, here’s a simple tip: replace nachos with fried perogies. It will give you that nice crunch plus added flavor.
After that, load it up with your favorite nacho toppings! Our personal favorites are beans, jalapeños, cheese, tomatoes, and ground beef.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget your guacamole and sour cream, so you enjoy Mexican flavors in full force.
What to Serve with Perogies: Something Healthy
Are you trying to cut down on carbs and fats? Well, we recommend going for boiled perogies and serving it with the following nutritious sides:
8. Broccoli Salad
Broccoli may not be your favorite vegetable, but it’s one vegetable that will give you lots of excellent nutrients. (*)
More than that, it will also provide boiled perogies with their much-needed crunch and texture.
Pro Tip: Top it off with fried bacon crisps for a savory treat or raisins for a fruity touch.
9. Green Salad
If you want something light, tossed green salads are your best option. Our go-to green salad ingredients are green lettuce, red lettuce, spinach, legumes, tomatoes, green peas, kale, yellow peppers, sunflower seeds, and olive oil.
Here’s the best part: you can experiment with your salad toppings and dressings. Here are some suggestions:
- Mexican: jalapeños, queso fresco, black olives, and tomatoes + lime juice, cayenne pepper, mayo, and garlic dressing
- Mediterranean: cherry tomatoes, oregano, basil, and kalamata olives + olive oil and balsamic vinegar
- Hawaiian: oranges, pineapple chunks, oranges, and almond slivers or sunflower seeds + balsamic vinaigrette
10. Cobb Salad
Of course, we can’t forget about the best salad of them all—the Cobb salad.
We claim this to be the best salad as it has lots of textures, flavors, and nutrients that make it a well-rounded and satisfying meal.
You get the crunch from the romaine lettuce and shredded cabbage, the savory flavor and protein nutrient from chicken slices, bacon bits, hard-boiled eggs, and the creamy texture and healthy fats from bleu cheese and avocado slices.
What else can you ask for?
11. Herb Salad
If you wish to keep it just fresh and simple, herb salad is one of the best sides to try.
You would only need chives, parsley, dill, watercress, and fresh mint to prepare this. Toss everything lemon vinaigrette for a refreshing touch.
Pro Tip: Top the salad off with shaved parmesan cheese to tie all the flavors together.
12. Cucumber Salad
Since we’re already on the subject of refreshing sides, we just had to talk about cucumber salad.
There are plenty of cucumber salad versions that you can choose from. Our suggestion is Greek cucumber salad which features English cucumbers, red onions, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, Greek yogurt, fresh dill, and lemon juice.
Pro Tip: Greek cucumber salad complements crispy perogies well. If you want to serve it with boiled perogies, you can go for beetroot salad with cucumber and add roasted pumpkin soup.
13. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Did you know you can make a satisfying pierogi side dish using just two ingredients? Well, you can if those two ingredients are brussels sprouts and bacon.
This is a classic pairing as the caramelized flavor and texture of brussels sprouts (thanks to the balsamic vinegar) complements bacon’s salty taste and crunchy texture.
14. Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, and Parsnip Salad
Brussels sprouts are nutritious in themselves, but you can make it extra healthy by adding other vegetables to the mix.
Our recommendations are carrots and parsnips because the earthy and sweet flavor of these vegetables perfectly complements the nutty flavor of Brussels sprouts.
You can drizzle maple syrup over the vegetables to make it even sweeter. Then, serve this with savory perogies for the ultimate sweet and salty combo.
Pro Tip: Roast it for a few minutes to give the vegetables a crispy and caramelized exterior.
15. Sautéed Cabbage
How about we borrow one side dish from the South? After all, if there’s anyone who knows how to make vegetables stand out, it would be the people from the South.
With that said, let’s go for a classic Southern side dish— sautéed cabbage.
Green cabbage may seem bland, but you can easily spice it up with garlic powder and paprika. These seasonings will undoubtedly bring out the flavors of cabbage.
And of course, let’s not forget about the best seasoning of them all—bacon!
In addition to adding a crunchy texture to the dish, it also delivers a smoky saltiness you won’t get from any other ingredient.
Pro Tip: If you want the dish to have a slightly sour taste, you can add a bit of cider vinegar.
16. Slow Roasted Tomatoes
If you love pairing savory dishes with something tangy, serving pierogies with slow-roasted tomatoes is the way to go.
Roasting tomatoes will allow you to unleash their sweetness and inject a smoky flavor into them. Plus, it gives you sweet and juicy tomatoes on the inside and is perfectly charred and caramelized on the outside.
You just have to slice tomatoes and place them skin side down in a baking sheet to make this. Next, add a few garlic pieces, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Roast them for oven an hour, and you’re good to go.
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Final Words
With all of its fillings, there’s no doubt that perogies are already a complete meal in themselves. But with the right sides, you can make it more well-rounded.
So what to serve with perogies?
You don’t have to look far and wide for the perfect sides because you can already find them all on our list!
Enjoy!
