Easy French Onion Pierogi with Red Wine Sauce and Crispy Sage
Good morning, foodie friends! I have a new recipe for you that I absolutely adore. I have been watching my friend, Tory, at Mountain Momma Living make pierogis on her account over the past few years and they have always looked so delicious and comforting! So I wanted to try a version of my own! I used Tory’s recipe and technique for making pierogis (because she’s the expert!) and added my own unique spin on the filling. I wanted to do something super savory and seemingly fancy without being pretentious. When I was thinking of ideas, French onion soup came to mind. One of my favorite things about this classic dish is that you can so often find it on the menus of upscale restaurants but at its core, French onion soup is unabashedly simple, rustic, and holds the test of time.
So, I decided to do a riff on soup and developed a French onion pierogi. For the filling, I took the central ingredient of French onion soup – deliciously caramelized sweet onions, cooked low and slow – and added classic additions like fresh sage and garlic. And you can’t forget the cheese because what would French onion be without cheese? For these pierogies, I used a smoked gruyere – it adds complexity while still being melty and creamy. If you can’t find smoked, regular gruyere would also work wonderfully.
Because you boil pierogies for a few minutes before cooking in butter in a hot skillet, the filling becomes warm and melty, and the dough becomes so tender with a crisp outside. These delightful little pillows of delicate, melty, savory goodness are addictively delicious.
I also knew I wanted to do some sort of pan sauce for these… and what goes better with the richness of onions and cheese than red wine, am I right? In the same skillet that I cooked the pierogis, I made a reduced red wine and herby sauce that is finished with butter to add a velvety smoothness. Drizzle this sauce over the pierogis, sprinkle with crispy sage, and you have a decadent meal that is also so easy to pull together. The perfect dish for a dinner party or a cozy dinner at home!
Other Things to Explore
If you want to try another delicious variation of Pierogis, check out these Polish Beef Pierogi. Yum!
Check out my Pierogi inspiration and friend, Tory/Mountain Momma Living's blog, YouTube, and Instagram for recipes, life inspiration, prepping tips and tricks, momma content, and general wonderfulness! Find all of her videos and content here!: Mountain Momma Living You Tube and here!: Mountain Momma Living Instagram
Eat well and enjoy!
These cheesy, herby pierogis are so delicious! Drizzled with a buttery red wine sauce and topped with crispy sage, they make the most delightful side or main dish.
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1/4 cup water (you may need a bit more)
- 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil, avocado oil, or butter (any unflavored cooking oil would work)
- 4 sweet onions, halved and sliced very thin (such as Vidalia onions)
- 3 tsp fresh sage, minced
- 4 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black
- 8 oz smoked gruyere cheese, finely shredded (smoked gruyere cheese,if you can’t find smoked, regular gruyere will work. Swiss cheese would also work well in this recipe!)
- 2 tbsp butter (plus more if necessary)
- 6 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
- 2 cup beef stock or broth
- 1/2 cup dry or medium-bodied red wine
- 1 tbsp sherry
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp champagne vinegar
- 3 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp butter
Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet over low/medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer or the butter begins to bubble slightly, add the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir and cook on low to low/medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and caramel brown in color, about 10 to 15 minutes. This process can take some time, but it is worth it to get those slightly sweet, caramelized onions.
Add the garlic and minced sage. Stir and cook just until fragrant, about 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Stir everything, except for the water, together. Add the water, 1 tsp. at a time, just until the dough comes together. Knead 100 times. Cover the dough until ready to use.
Once you’re ready to make the pierogies, roll out the dough until it is fairly thin and cut into circles that are about 3 ½ inches in diameter (I used a red solo cup). Place 1 heaping tsp. of the onion mixture and 1 Tbsp. of the cheese in the middle of the circle, leaving about ½-inch of space around the edge. Carefully fold the circle in half, over the filling, to create a half-moon shape. Pinch the edges together until they are sealed.
Fill a medium to large saucepan about half-way with water and bring to a boil. While the water is boiling on one burner, add 2 Tbsp. butter to a large, deep skillet on another burner and heat over medium/high heat – This is to pan fry the pierogies after you remove them from the boiling water.
Once the water is boiling, add three or four pierogies and cook until they float to the top – You’ll want to give them enough space in the water so that they don’t stick together. Carefully remove the pierogies, using a slotted spoon, add to the hot skillet and cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. At this point, you can also add the thinly sliced sage leaves to the skillet and cook in the butter until crispy.
Remove the sage with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Repeat this process with the remaining pierogies, adding more butter to the skillet as necessary. You can also go ahead and boil all of the pierogies and place on very lightly greased parchment paper, foil, or a cookie sheet until ready to cook in the skillet.
Once you have cooked all of the pierogis, transfer them to a dish and set aside. You can also put them on a lightly greased cookie sheet or oven-proof dish, in a single layer, and place in a warm/very low heated oven to keep them warm while you make the red wine sauce.
Add everything, expect the butter, to the same skillet you cooked the pierogies in. Cook over medium/high heat and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down slightly and cook at a heavy simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened.
Remove from heat and add the butter. Gently stir until the butter is melted. To serve, place the pierogies on a plate or platter, spoon the sauce over, and garnish with the crispy sage.