Can you cook frozen pierogies in air fryer? Yes! You can cook Mrs T pierogies in air fryer, make mini pierogies in air fryer, and more. Air frying is the best way to cook frozen pierogies- it's fast and you can make them crispy or not. Get the cooking time and temperature for air fryer frozen pierogies and nutrition information in this ultimate guide to all things pierogi!
I really have a thing for Polish food and Eastern European cuisine in general. So, it’s about time I covered how to cook frozen pierogies. I think that after you air fry frozen pierogies, you’ll never want to cook them another way ever again!
Boiling pierogies on the stovetop can be tricky because they go from perfectly cooked to soggy and rubbery really fast. With air fryer perogies, you can get consistently excellent results every time.
But before we get into how to air fry pierogies, let’s back up a bit...
What are pierogies?
Pierogies are a filled dumpling from Central and Eastern European cuisine. They often have a savory filling in the United States and Canada, though sweet pierogies are also available. I most often associate them with Polish, Ukranian, and Russian cuisine, though they are popular in other areas.
The unleavened dough of flour and water (plus sometimes egg) used in pierogies is similar to pasta. The filling is often made of mashed potatoes (plus farmer’s cheese, onions, spinach, and other goodies). What you end up with is a carbs-on-carbs comfort food dish that is completely irresistible.
You can find pierogies under a variety of other names: perogie, perogy, perogi, peroge, pirogi, pirogy, pierogy, pierogi ruskie, pirohy, pyrohy, varenyky, and vareniki. Whatever you call them, I think you’ll find them delicious!
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📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
One serving of this air fryer pierogies (frozen) has 270 calories, 41 grams net carbs, and 7 grams protein. This is for 4 Mrs T’s Classic Cheddar Pierogies cooked with 1 teaspoon of oil. The nutrition information for your frozen pierogies will vary by brand and flavor:
| Type | Calories | Net Carbs (g) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs T’s Onion Pierogies | 230 | 42 | 7 |
| Mrs T’s Sour Cream & Chive Pierogies | 260 | 40 | 7 |
| Mrs T’s Sauerkraut Pierogies | 220 | 43 | 7 |
| Mrs. T’s Mini Pierogies (4 Cheese Medley) | 260 | 41 | 7 |
| Mrs Ts Mini Pierogies (Cheddar and Bacon) | 240 | 40 | 8 |
| Golden Potato and Onion Pierogies | 190 | 36 | 7 |
| Golden Potato and Cheddar Pierogies | 220 | 41 | 8 |
| Kasias Pierogi, Potato & Cheese | 210 | 35 | 6 |
| Peter and Pat’s Pierogies (4 Cheese) Costco | 240 | 37 | 5 |
| Paulina’s Pierogies (Potato, Cheddar & Jalapeno) | 260 | 39 | 5 |
| Poppy’s Pierogies (Potato & Onion) | 250 | 48 | 7 |
Note: The nutrition information in the table doesn’t include the cooking oil, which adds 40 calories per serving. The mini pierogies have a larger serving size. Mrs T’s pierogies list 4 pierogies per serving, while Golden brand lists 3.
Kasia’s pierogies are not frozen; the air fryer time will be shorter for this refrigerated product.
⭐ Benefits
Why make pierogies in the air fryer? Here are some of the advantages of air fried pierogies:
- Easy: While making homemade pierogies from scratch takes considerable skill, you only need two ingredients to make this simple recipe. It’s perfect for amateur cooks and air fryer beginners.
- Fast: It only takes 10-14 minutes to make air fryer pierogies. That’s about the time it would take to get a pot of water boiling or to preheat the oven.
- Budget Friendly: Frozen pierogies are an inexpensive food option. (That said, they’re heavy on the white flour and not the most nutritious choice.)
- Appetizer, snack, or side dish: For the pierogi lovers like me, there’s a way to fit them into a variety of eating situations. Pierogies are super as an appetizer, snack, or side. I’ve enjoyed pierogies for lunch, dinner, and even breakfast. (For breakfast, I served sweet blueberry pierogies with cottage cheese, fresh blueberries, and a drizzle of macadamia honey. YUM)
- Vegan: Most of the major brands of pierogies have vegetarian options, and some brands carry vegan pierogies as well. Frozen pierogies align with most plant based diets.
- Post workout food: The first (and to date, only) time I ran a marathon, I had a HUGE carb craving afterwards. I ended up splitting a box of frozen pierogies with my husband and I have no regrets. Pierogies are a great way to get some glycogen replenishment post-workout.
- Delish: The main reason to enjoy pierogies is because they are tasty, amirite? Sometimes that plate of Polish kielbasa looks incomplete without a little scrumptious pierogi action on there.
🥘 Ingredients
What do you need to make frozen pierogies in the air fryer? Here's the list:
- Box of frozen pierogies
- Avocado oil (or your favorite neutral cooking oil)
- Cooking oil spray (non-aerosol)
I made two types of Mrs Ts Pierogies in the air fryer:
- Mrs. T’s Frozen Pierogies (Classic Cheddar)
- Mrs. T’s Mini Frozen Pierogies (4 Cheese Medley)
The air frying times for regular size pierogi and mini pierogi are slightly different. More details on this below!
🍽 Equipment
To make regular and mini pierogies in the air fryer, you need a meat thermometer and an air fryer. The meat thermometer will help ensure the pierogies have cooked properly.
I use a large 10-Quart Kalorik Digital Air Fryer Oven with two trays. If your Ninja Foodi, Philips, Nuwave, Pampered Chef, Actifry, Instant Pot Vortex, Cosori, Breville, etc. is smaller, you may have to cook the pierogies in several batches.
Note that smaller air fryers may have a shorter cooking time. This is because the food in a one tray or basket fryer spends its entire time close to the heating element. Air frying times for different air fryer oven brands may also vary slightly.
🔪 How to Air Fry Frozen Pierogies
Time to air fry pierogies! Put the entire box of frozen pierogies in a bowl. This should be 12-14 regular pierogies or about 28 mini pierogies.
Drizzle the pierogies with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Stir the pierogies gently to coat them with the oil.
Spray your air fryer basket or air fryer trays with cooking oil spray. (Use a non-aerosol spray; some of the aerosol sprays can damage the finish on air fryers).
Place the pierogies in a single layer on your prepared trays. I was able to fit the contents of an entire box of pierogies (12-16 ounces) on two air fryer trays.
️⏲️ Cooking Time and Temperature
How long to cook frozen pierogies in an air fryer? What temperature do you air fry pierogies? It takes 12-14 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200C) to air fry frozen pierogies.
Begin by air frying the pierogies for 6 minutes. Then switch the position of the trays in the air fryer (no need to flip the pierogies). Air fry 6 more minutes.
If the pierogies on the bottom rack have not reached an internal temp of 165F (74C), put them on the top rack for 2 more minutes.
Cook mini pierogies in an air fryer for 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200C). Switch the position of the trays in the air fryer half way through cooking time (i.e., after 5 minutes).
These cooking times will get you pierogies that are al dente like pasta, with no brown spots. This is how we’ve always enjoyed pierogies. If you want them crispy with some browning, you are welcome to extend the air frying time.
Pierogies are best served warm. They aren’t as good IMVHO once they’ve cooled. Drizzle them with garlic butter, dip in sour cream, or sprinkle on some chives. So good!
🌡️ Leftovers
Leftover pierogies can be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can microwave them for 1-2 minutes to reheat. Alternatively, reheat pierogies in a little oil in a skillet on the stovetop.
For the best texture, I recommend only cooking the frozen pierogies that you’ll be eating at your meal. It’s best not to refreeze pierogies after they’ve been thawed and/or cooked.
👪 What to Serve with Pierogies
What goes with pierogies? Pierogies are perfect as the potatoes in a meat and potatoes meal. I love to serve them with kielbasa and roasted veggies. (Pro tip: you can air fry kielbasa using the same directions given in my Air Fryer Brats recipe!)
Italian sausage is also great with pierogies and so is homemade sauerkraut. Here are a few ideas for toppings or dipping sauce for pierogies:
- Garlic butter
- Sour cream
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Homemade mustard
- Marinara sauce
- Salsa
- Keto cheese sauce
- Buffalo dip
- Fried onions or caramelized onions
💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Frozen pierogies are an ultra-processed food that contains a lot of white flour. Because of this, I don’t consider them the best food choice for healthy weight management. (Darn it!)
That said, a box of pierogies typically only contains 3-4 servings. The mini pierogies in particular may work well for portion control. You get a generous 11 mini pierogies per serving!
Across the board, most of the calories in pierogies come from carbohydrate. Fat (such as butter or sour cream) is often added to pierogies. The macro that’s lacking here tends to be protein.
Pierogies should be looked at as the starch on your plate. You’re going to want to add some protein and non-starchy veggies to make it a meal. I often add kielbasa and roasted Brussels sprouts, but this is only one way to do things.
To keep your meal lower in calories, serve your pierogies with a little non-fat Greek yogurt instead of butter or sour cream. Add lean protein to the meal (such as chicken breast or pork tenderloin) rather than fatty meat like kielbasa.
For a higher calorie meal, I’d still include protein and non-starchy vegetables, but I’d also add more starch and fat. If you don’t want a bigger serving of pierogies, you could add some bread, corn, or noodles. Drizzle the pierogies with some butter or add sour cream on the side.
FAQs
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, and add the contents of the box of frozen pierogies. After the water starts boiling again, boil the pierogies for 3 minutes. (Directions from Mrs Ts pierogi packaging.)
Yes, frozen pierogies can be deep fried. Deep fry regular pierogies for 4 minutes and mini pierogies for 3 minutes. They will be browned and floating when they’ve finished frying.
Bake full-size frozen pierogies in an oven preheated to 400F (200C) for 18-20 minutes. Use cooking spray on the baking sheet and the pierogies to keep them from sticking. Flip the pierogies after 10 minutes.
Yes, you can microwave frozen pierogies, but they won’t get brown and crispy. Put the pierogies in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with water. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 6-7 minutes.
Yes, you can make fresh pierogies in air fryer (not frozen). The total cooking time for defrosted pierogies is shorter, only 8-10 minutes for full-size pierogies. (Don’t forget to switch the position of the air fryer oven trays halfway through cooking time.)
No, Mrs T’s pierogies are not gluten free. There are, however, some brands of gluten free pierogies you can buy from a store. For example, Feel Good Foods brand makes mini pierogies that are gluten free.
👩🏻🍳 Other Air Fryer Potato Recipes
Want more air fryer recipes for potatoes? Check these out next:
- Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
- Frozen Diced Hash Browns in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Home Fries
Also, don’t miss the collection of Best Frozen Foods for the Air Fryer.
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The Disclaimer…
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to my overnight oats no sugar post. Let's get cooking!
📖 Recipe
Frozen Pierogies in Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box frozen pierogies (12-14 count) -OR-
- 1 box frozen mini pierogies (28 count)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- cooking oil spray
Instructions
- Put the frozen pierogies in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and stir to coat.
- Spray two air fryer trays with cooking spray. Place the pierogies in a single layer on your prepared trays. I was able to fit the contents of an entire box of pierogies on two air fryer trays.
- To air fry full-size pierogies: Air fry the pierogies for 6 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Then switch the position of the trays in the air fryer (no need to flip the pierogies). Air fry 6 more minutes. If the pierogies on the bottom rack have not reached an internal temp of 165°F (74°C), cook them on the top rack for 2 more minutes.
- To air fry mini pierogies: Air fry mini pierogies for 10 minutes at 400°F (200°C), switching the position of the trays in the air fryer after 5 minutes.
- Cook the pierogies longer than listed if you prefer them to be browned. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Pierogies should be looked at as the starch on your plate. You’re going to want to add some protein and non-starchy veggies to make it a meal. I often add kielbasa and roasted Brussels sprouts, but this is only one way to do things. To keep your meal lower in calories, serve your pierogies with a little non-fat Greek yogurt instead of butter or sour cream. Add lean protein to the meal (such as chicken breast or pork tenderloin) rather than fatty meat like kielbasa. For a higher calorie meal, I’d still include protein and non-starchy vegetables, but I’d also add more starch and fat. If you don’t want a bigger serving of pierogies, you could add some bread, corn, or noodles. Drizzle the pierogies with some butter or add sour cream on the side. Nutrition information is one serving of Mrs T’s Classic Cheddar Pierogies and will vary depending on the brand of frozen pierogies used.
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