Pierogi Soup

My family and I get together once a year in the Spring to make Pierogi. Most years we make well over 700+ pierogi. We look forward to the day every year and half way through we wonder why we EVER decided to make this a tradition. The work is tedious but the time together is what we look forward to and enjoy. Sadly, last year we didn’t make pierogi for various reasons, but also because we sort of needed a break. I have had to resort to buying pierogi the last year as I had depleted my homemade supply a long time ago.  I have been thinking on this Pierogi Soup recipe for quite some time, I just wasn’t sure how to execute it, so I took some time to think on it. I finally decided on the ingredients and how I wanted the Pierogi Soup to taste and this past week I decided to put my plan into action. This soup may require you to buy a few spices that you don’t have on hand, but trust me, it is worth it. The layers of flavor in this Pierogi Soup will really wow you. Plus, the soup is full of healthy vitamins and nutrients from the veggies. I also used a homemade turkey stock for this soup which I had on hand in the freezer, which really added layers of flavor, if you don’t have this, not to worry, use a carton of stock, just be sure to roast your carrots onions and celery in the oven for a bit before adding them to the broth. This will give extra flavor. If I haven’t scared you off yet, let’s get started on making that Pierogi Soup!

Ingredients

• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, Diced
• 4 Carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 Celery Stalks, diced, leaves included
• 1/2 a Small Head of Cabbage, rough chopped
• 2 Russet Potatoes, Diced
• 1 lb of Smoked Kielbasa (Polish Sausage), Cut in to bite sized pieces
• 12 to 14 Pierogi, I used Potato and purchased them at a local Polish grocery. You can use frozen that you thaw or homemade.
• 6 to 8 C of Turkey or Chicken Stock, I recommend homemade, but if you need to use a carton, roast your carrots, onions and celery before adding them to the stock.
• 2 t Dry Mustard
• 2 t Celery Seed
• 1 teaspoon White Pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1 t Caraway Seed
• 1 T of Dill
• 3 T of Butter
• 4 Cloves of Crushed Garlic

As I said, I realize the spices may not be something you have on hand, but they really make all the difference in the world.

Pro Tip – Buy the spices in the bulk section and you won’t have to pay for a lot of spices that you may not use often.

The steps for this soup are fairly easy, if you aren’t home all day to watch the sup simmer on the stove, you can get all the ingredients ready and pop this soup in the slow cooker for the day. You will just need to add the pierogi at the end to cook a little with the soup.

Steps

• In a large soup pot, melt 2 T of butter and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onions and garlic are a nice golden brown color.
• Add the celery and carrots and sauté until soft and slightly brown.
• Next, add the cabbage and cook until soft and a little charred.
• Add the smoked kielbasa and cook the same. (you can use fresh polish sausage as well, you may just want to reduce your garlic cloves because this will be VERY garlicky.
• Add all your spices and salt and combine with the mixture. Put the lid on the pot and let this “sweat” for a few minutes.
• Next, add the diced potatoes, toss with the mixture, then add your stock to the pot.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for 3 to 4 hours to get all the delicious flavors into the soup.
• If you are not going to be home, the last step should be to add this to your slow cooker and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.
• When you are nearing the end of your simmering time, take out a skillet, add a tablespoon of butter and add your pierogi, browning on both sides, then add them to the pot for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
• Serve in bowls with more fresh or dried dill and enjoy!

I hate to brag, but this Pierogi Soup was absolutely FANTASTIC. I couldn’t be more pleased with the way it came out. With the veggies, sausage and pierogi it was a complete meal. It really hit the spot on a cold and snowy day. The great news is that this soup also freezes really well. You can make small containers, freeze them and take them out on a day when you don’t feel like cooking and enjoy a warm and hearty meal.

For another great soup recipe CLICK HERE for a my Creamy Cauliflower Soup!