Magda's Cauldron

If there’s one pierogi filling that tastes like Polish Christmas Eve, it’s sauerkraut with mushrooms. It’s earthy, a bit tangy, full of umami, the most “Christmassy” bite you can put on the table in December.
I serve this filling a lot on my food tours in Kraków and it always surprises people how much they like it, even guests who normally say “I don’t like mushrooms”. The flavors melt together so nicely that you taste comfort more than “cabbage” or “mushroom”.
The filling is a bit time‑consuming, but it’s very forgiving and perfect for batching. You can make a larger pot once, serve part of it as a warm side dish, and use the rest to fill pierogi, or wrap it into a beautiful yeast or puff pastry.
Sauerkraut itself is also good for you. It’s naturally fermented, full of flavour, and a great way to sneak something a bit healthy into a very indulgent time of year. And the best part: these very traditional Polish Christmas dishes are naturally meat‑free, so they’re vegan or can be made vegan with one or two small swaps, without losing that old‑school, festive taste.

Pierogi with sauerkraut and mushrooms

• Servings: 4
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: medium
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Classic Polish Christmas Eve pierogi filled with sauerkraut and mushrooms.

Filling

• 20 g dried wild mushrooms (like porcini)
• 400 g sauerkraut, with its brine
• 1 small onion
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 2 allspice berries
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional, but very Polish)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Black pepper
• A pinch of sugar

Dough

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 140 g very hot, but not boiling water (around 90°C)
• 20 g canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Extra flour for dusting

Filling

1. Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak overnight. Next day, drain them but keep the soaking liquid.
2. Move the mushrooms to a small pot, cover with fresh water, and simmer for about 20 minutes until soft. Drain again, keeping the cooking water as well, then chop the mushrooms finely.
3. Taste your sauerkraut. If it’s extremely sour, rinse it briefly and squeeze out the water; if you like it sharp, skip the rinse.
4. Pour the reserved mushroom soaking and cooking liquid into a larger pot (strain if needed), add the sauerkraut, bay leaves, allspice and caraway. Add a bit of extra water if the liquid doesn’t quite cover the cabbage.
5. Bring to a gentle boil, then cook on low heat for about 30–40 minutes, until the sauerkraut softens and the flavours come together.
6. While the cabbage cooks, finely chop the onion. Heat oil or butter in a pan and fry the onion on medium heat until soft and translucent.
7. When the sauerkraut is tender, fish out the bay leaves and allspice. If the strands are long, chop the sauerkraut a bit.
8. Add the chopped sauerkraut and chopped mushrooms to the pan with onions. Season with black pepper and small pinch of sugar to balance it.
9. Cook everything together for 15-20 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is fairly dry and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let it cool before stuffing pierogi.

Dough

1. Make the dough: In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Add the very hot water and oil, then stir with a spoon until it comes together.
2. Knead: When cool enough to handle, knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can use stand mixer if you prefer. Cover and rest for 20–30 minutes.
3. Roll out the dough: Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll out one piece at a time to about 2–3 mm thickness on a floured surface.
4. Cut circles: Use a glass or cutter (about 7–8 cm) to cut circles from the dough.
5. Fill: Place a small spoonful of sauerkraut and mushroom filling in the centre of each circle. Do not overfill.
6. Seal: Fold the dough over the filling to form a half‑moon and pinch the edges well, making sure there are no gaps. You can crimp the edge for a traditional look.
7. Cook: Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add pierogi in batches, stir once so they don’t stick, and cook for 2–3 minutes after they float to the surface.
8. Serve: Drain gently and serve straight away with melted butter and fried onions.