Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Pierogi
These giant pierogi are stuffed with all the best Thanksgiving leftovers: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. A whole Thanksgiving meal in every bite! Don't have Thanksgiving leftovers? You can use boxed stuffing and instant mashed potatoes, too.
Equipment
- #20 cookie scoop (3 tablespoons)
Ingredients
Pierogi Dough
- 240 grams all purpose flour
- 150 grams hot water (not boiling)
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt (use half as much of another brand)
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning blend (optional)
Turkey and Stuffing Pierogi Filling
- 1½ cups leftover stuffing (blitz in a food processor if needed)
- 1½ cup leftover mashed potatoes
- ¾ cup leftover turkey (shredded or diced)
- ⅛ cup turkey gravy (you may need more)
- ⅛ cup dried cranberries (optional)
Instructions
Pierogi Dough
- Combine flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour hot water and oil into the middle and mix with a fork, gradually incorporating more flour from the sides until a thick paste forms.
- Switch to a dough whisk or wooden spoon and mix until the dough comes together into one shaggy mass in the bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured countertop and knead with your hands until smooth, about 5-7 minutes. Add more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using (or up to 3 days in the fridge).
Thanksgiving Pierogi Filling
- Mix leftover stuffing and mashed potatoes together in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Stir in turkey pieces until evenly distributed.
- Add gravy and dried cranberries (if using) and stir until everything is all mixed together. Add more gravy if needed to get a cohesive mixture. It shouldn't be wet, but you should be able to scoop it and shape it in your hands without it completely falling apart.
Thanksgiving Pierogi Assembly
- Divide the pierogi dough in half. Wrap the piece you're not working with and set aside.
- Roll the dough about ⅛" thick. You don't have to be super precise with this, but it should be pretty thin but not feel like it's going to tear on you. If it becomes see-through, you've rolled too far.Dust additional flour down as needed to prevent sticking, and rotate or flip the dough frequently as you roll.If the dough fights you or shrinks back, cover it with a towel and let it rest for 3-5 minutes, then resume rolling.
- Use the bottom of the 5" pierogi press to cut as many circles as you can out of the dough. Knead the dough scraps back into a ball, wrap in plastic, and set aside for later.
- Working one pierogi wrapper at a time, roll each dough circle a little bit bigger to make room for the filling. Place the rolling pin in the center of the circle and roll outward, rotating 90 degrees each time to keep the circle even.
- Align the circle of dough in the pierogi press. There will be some hanging over, but try to get one half of it as perfectly aligned as possible. That will be the "bottom" side of the pierogi.
- Scoop 3 tablespoon of the stuffing mixture into your hands and shape it into a half-moon/log. Press it into the bottom half of the pierogi press and gently smush so it fits.
- Fold the other half of the dough round up over the filling, align it with the bottom layer of dough, and gently press down with your fingers so it stays in place.If the dough seems dry, brush the bottom edge with a few drops of water.
- Slowly fold the empty half of the press over the pierogi. Adjust the pierogi wrapper as needed if it shifts, particularly in the corners by the hinges. Press it firmly shut for a few seconds, then release. Gently remove the pierogi and set it aside on a parchment lined sheet pan or sheet pan dusted lightly with corn starch.
- Repeat with remaining pierogi dough and filling. Cook immediately or freeze until ready to use.
Cooking Pierogi
- Heat medium skillet over medium heat. Add 2-3 tablespoons oil or butter and heat until shimmering.
- Add pierogi to the skillet. They should start sizzling immediately. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, then add a splash of water (2-3 tablespoons) and cover immediately to steam for an additional 1-2 minutes.If cooking from frozen: Increase steaming time by a few minutes to ensure the filling in the center is heated throughout.
- Serve with gravy or cranberry jam.
RECIPE NOTES
- If the bread chunks in your leftover stuffing are ½" or larger, blitz it in a food processor or give it a rough chop with a knife before mixing.
- Prep time includes making the filling and assembling pierogi. These steps don't have to be done all at once, and you may need to pause to let the dough scraps rest before you re-roll them.
- To freeze pierogi, arrange them on a sheet pan dusted with flour or corn starch. Freeze 30-60 minutes, then transfer to an airtight bag in the freezer. For best results, defrost in the fridge overnight before cooking, then follow standard cooking instructions.
YOUR NOTES
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let me how it was!