Meat Piroshki Recipe
Meat Piroshki or Piroshky are little pockets of soft yeast dough, stuffed with juicy filling and then fried for the most glorious perfection of a bite. They make a great snack, appetizer or a main entrée if you make them big enough 😉 They are also great to take when going camping or hiking since these Piroshki are great eaten both hot or cold.
So, What are Piroshki, Pirozhki, or Piroshky? 😀
All are the name to the same thing – the delicious Russian yeast dough buns that can be filled with either savory or sweet fillings. If this term is new to you and you’ve never had piroshki, you’re truly in for a treat. Find a local Russian store and they probably sell either baked or a fried variety of these Piroshki. Back in Russia or Ukraine, the soft buns were often sold as street food.
My late grandma was the best baker of all things piroshki and bulochki (read – sweet pastry buns like these Cheese Danishes) and after she passed my grandpa took over her hobby. Any time you would come to visit him he would have freshly fried piroshki ready for you. In fact, it’s always a requirement to call before coming otherwise, he gets upset because that would mean that he can’t treat you with something like piroshky, homemade bread, or homemade vareniki.
He used to mix the dough by hand, but ever since he got a bread maker, he’s been making it in the bread maker. That’s why I myself either use my Kitchen Aid mixer or the Bread Maker to make the dough for these piroshki as well.
These piroshki were made with pre-cooked filling from the recipe of SAVORY CREPES.
What can Piroshki be served with?
Usually, they are eaten alone, with a dipping of sour cream, or served alongside some soup. In our family, we’re sour-cream-camp all the way. Piroshki are actually also really good with a nice Tzatziki Dip (a.ka. yogurt, cucumber, garlic dip).
Best Oil for frying Piroshki?
Any oil that has a high smoke point is a good oil for frying, which includes Vegetable Oil, Canola Oil, Peanut Oil, Grapeseed Oil or the one I use – Extra Virgin Olive oil. I prefer anything that won’t impart any smell or flavor onto the fried piroshki, so either Extra Virgin Olive oil or Grapeseed Oil are going to be best.
Can this dough be used to BAKE Pirozhky?
Oh, yes, it can. Follow the directions up to where it tells you to preheat the oil and instead preheat the oven to 350F and bake the piroshky on a baking sheet for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until baked through.
Options for Savory Filling for Piroshky
- Sautéed sauerkraut
- Mashed potatoes with cheese or mushrooms
- Combination of chicken liver, hearts, and beef
- Cooked eggs and herbs
- Beef and Rice
Sweet Filling for Piroshki
- Cherry Pie Filling
- Sweetened Cottage Cheese
- Strawberry Jam
- Apples
Meat Piroshki Recipe
Dough for Meat Piroshki:
- warm milk
- Active dry yeast
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Salt
- All-purpose flour sifted
- Oil
Meat Stuffing for Pirozhky:
- ground pork
- ground turkey
- onion, finely diced
- dill, finely chopped
- parsley, finely chopped
- clove garlic, minced
- Black ground pepper
- Salt, to taste
How to make the dough for Piroshky
- Mix 1 cup of warm to the touch milk (not hot), 1 tbsp active dry yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar until sugar is dissolved. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes allowing the mixture to rise.
- Meanwhile, sift the flour into a bowl of an electric mixer, add salt, eggs, and oil. Once the yeast mixture has doubled or tripled in size, add it to the flour, as well as the other cup of milk and start the mixer on low, allowing the ingredients to combine. Once there is no visible flour, you can turn the mixing speed on the mixer from 1 to 2 and knead the dough until it pulls away from the bowl.
- Set the dough in a warm, draft-free place and allow it to rise for about an hour or an hour and a half until doubled in size.
*If using a bread machine, place the liquids first, then flour and the rest of the dry ingredients, finishing with the yeast. Turn the 1.5-hour cycle for making the dough.
Make the filling for Pirozhki:
- Mix together, ground pork & turkey, diced onion, minced garlic, parsley, dill, salt & pepper. Cover and place in the fridge until the dough is ready to work with.
Generously sprinkle a baking sheet with flour. Set aside.
Form and Fill the Piroshki
- Once the dough is ready to work with, take half of the dough and on a well-floured surface roll it out to about 1/3 inch thickness, being careful to deflate the dough as little as possible. Using the largest round cookie cutter or a large upside-down glass/cup cut out circles (3-4 inches diameter).
- Place about 1 teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each circle.
- Pinch together opposite sides of each circle forming a half-moon shape, and making sure no gaps are left as that is going to allow the juice from the inside into the oil.
- Place the formed piroshki onto the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Cover with a clean kitchen towel while you finish with the rest of the dough, allowing your pirozhki to rise.
*Allowing your piroshki to rise before dropping them in hot oil, makes the dough rise slowly, forming small uniform bubbles throughout the dough. If you do not allow the piroshki to rise before dropping them in the oil, you will get huge bubbles and an “empty” piroshky. So it is important to let them rise beforehand. This tip goes for all yeast dough.
Deep Fry Piroshki in a 350F dutch oven
When you’re almost done with forming your piroshki, fill your Dutch oven or cast iron pan with about 2-3 inches oil. Place your thermometer on the side and when the temperature reaches 350F, slowly place a couple of piroshki into the hot oil, seam up. *Do NOT place your piroshki in the oil before it reaches the right temperature, otherwise, they will absorb a lot of fat and will result in a greasy piroshky.
Fry piroshki on each side turning only once, until deep golden color.
Then place them in a pot, lined with a couple of paper towels to absorb the extra oil, and cover with a lid until you’re done with the rest of your piroshki.
Serve hot, right away with sour cream or as is.
Check out these other FRIED and delicious recipes!
- Super Soft Doughnuts with Sugar Glaze – Simple donuts with the best glaze.
- Quick Ricotta Doughnuts – The best ricotta doughnuts recipe.
- Deep Fried Prawns – Shrimp fried to crispy perfection.
Meat Piroshki Recipe
Meat Piroshki or Piroshky are little pockets of soft yeast dough, stuffed with juicy filling and then fried for the most glorious perfection of a bite.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 cups warm milk
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 Tbsp oil
Stuffing:
- 150 g ground pork
- 150 g ground turkey
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp chopped dill finely chopped
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp Black ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp Salt to taste
Instructions
Make the Yeast Piroshki Dough in the mixer or by hand:
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Check the yeast: Mix 1 cup of warm to the touch milk (90F°), 1 tbsp active dry yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes allowing the mixture to foam up and rise. If after 10 minutes there's no activity in the yeast, discard your yeast and do not start the recipe until you get fresh, unexpired yeast.
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Knead: Meanwhile, sift 4 cups flour into a bowl of an electric mixer, add 1 tsp salt, 2 eggs, and 2 Tbsp oil. Then add the puffed up yeast mixture from step 1, as well as the rest of the milk and start the mixer on low, allowing the ingredients to combine.
When the flour is incorporated turn the mixing speed on the mixer from 1 to 3 and knead the dough until it pulls away from the bowl or feels tacky to touch, about 20 minutes.
-
Proof: Set the dough in a warm, draft-free place and allow it to rise for about an hour or an hour and a half until doubled in size. I turn my oven to 200F° for 2-3 miutes, then turn it off and place the bowl with the dough in there. Then leave the oven light on and allow it to proof.
Piroshki Dough in the Bread Machine
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If using a bread machine place the liquids first, then flour and the rest of the dry ingredients, finishing with the yeast. Turn the bread maker to the 1.5-hour dough cycle for making the dough.
Make the meat filling:
-
Mix together, 150 g ground pork & 150 g ground turkey, 1 diced onion, 1 minced garlic, parsley, dill, salt & pepper. Cover and place in the fridge until the dough is ready to work with.
Shape the Piroshky
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Generously sprinkle a baking sheet with flour. Set aside.
-
Once the dough is ready to work with punch it down.
Take one half of the dough and on a well-floured surface roll out to about 1/3 inch thickness, being careful to not burst all the air pockets in the dough.
Using the largest round cookie cutter or a large upside down glass/cup cut out circles (3-4 inches diameter).
-
Add about 1 teaspoon of the filling to the middle of each circle.
-
Pinch together opposite sides into a half-moon, pinching the two sides together tightly and squeezing any air from around the filling. Sealing the piroshki properly will ensure that no meat juice will leak into the hot oil and create splatter as it fries. Now tap the shaped piroshki with the seam in the middle to flatten slightly.
-
Place the formed piroshki onto the prepared baking sheet seam side up. Cover with a clean kitchen towel while you finish with the rest of the dough, allowing your pirozhki to rise.
*Allowing your piroshki to rise before dropping them in hot oil, makes the dough rise slowly, forming small uniform bubbles throughout the dough. If you do not allow the piroshky to rise before dropping them in the oil, you will get one huge bubble and an “empty” piroshok. So it is important to let them rise beforehand. This tip goes for all yeast dough.
Fry the Piroshki's w/ Turkey Filling
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When you’re almost done with forming your pirozhky, fill your Dutch oven or cast iron pan with about 2-3 inches oil. Place a frying thermometer on the side and when the temperature reaches 350F, slowly place a couple of piroshky into the hot oil, seam up.
*If you drop them seam down, they start turning to the other side on their own and then you have to hold each one with a fork, to brown them on the other side.
**Do NOT place your piroshky in the oil before it reaches the right temperature, otherwise they will absorb a lot of oil and will result in a greasy piroshok.
-
Fry piroshki on each side turning only once, until deep golden color, then remove to a paper towel lined cooling rack to allow excess oil to drip off.
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Then, transfer to a pot, lined with a couple of paper towels to absorb the extra oil, and cover with a lid until you’re done with the rest of your piroshky.
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Will this recipe work in an air fryer?
Hi Marina,
My grandmother made amazing piroshki. Unfortunately, I never got the recipe ;-(. But I know the main ingredients which helps and your recipe reminds me of my grandmothers ;-). And love the picture!!! What I wanted to ask you is about the sugar. I know my grandmother used it but not as much. So is the sugar prominent in this dough? Is it a very sweet dough or does it not taste overall sweet? Appreciate your input. Thanks so much.
Hi Eva!
Thank you for your kind words!
The sugar will not be detectable in the end result but it does help the yeast rise, balance out the flavor, and it helps the piroshki get golden in color when frying. Hope you love the recipe!
Marina, thank you for the reply. I decided to go ahead and make your recipe today. I’m going to send you an email via your contact form. Please take a look as I so want to make this well, and do my grandmother proud.
Marina, I’d like to try this recipe again as the first time working with the dough did not work out for me. Yeast did not fully activate and/or too much liquid. I prefer mixing by hand which you mentioned. How long do you approx knead the dough for? And could I substitute some of the milk with water? Thanks again.
Hi Eva,
If the dough was too runny, you can add a little more flour until it is very soft but workable. Just know that the more flour you add the denser the piroshki will be.
You can stop kneading when the dough becomes tacky to touch.
Yes, you can substitute milk with water.
What else can I use this dough for? Also the meat combo is not really that good. Do you have any other suggestions, beside beef and onion?
What do you mean put wet ingredients first in bread maker – the milk with yeast? Bc I’m confused, thanks!
Yep, that’s exactly what it means.
Hello Marina, I have a question do you use the dough hook if you’re making the dough with a mixer?
Yep!
I have a question do I need to brush with egg on top ?
Only if you plan to bake, not fry them.
Just wanted to make sure, you use raw meat in your filling? Does it get cooked through all the way? I guess I’m used to having the filling be cooked already.
Yes, Thisbe is a chebureki style of piroshky with raw filling that gets cooked as the piroshky fries.
Is the a gluten free version of this delicious looking recipe?
Unfortunately there’s not one that I have tried myself, therefore I can not recommend anything 🙁
Hi!
Will they turn out good if you bake them instead of frying them?
Yes, they will be just as good.
Hi Marina, a lovely recipe! Is there a way to convert it into grams? Thank you.
Have you ever tried using ground onion instead of diced?
I have not because I don’t mind the flavor of the onion, but I know my parents used ground onion in piroshky’s or chebureki.
Marina, do you cook the filling before assembling it with the dough?
No, this filling is raw, and it is cooked as that Piroshki are fried.
The pirozhki look amazing!
Thanks Lana!
Marina, I seen on your instagram piroshki with chicken, mushroom and bacon filling. Would you mind posting a recipe for that please?
The combination sounds delicious. 🙂
Very good website! I really love how it is easy to browse.
I’m wondering how I could be notified when a new article has been made. I’ve registered to your
feed which must do! Have a great day and please excuse my poor english!
Marina thank you for sharing this recipe. This is the best dough that I have tried for piroshki with meat. I will definitely be using it again…And the piroshki themselves where truly addicting.
Vera thank you for your comment! I am glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Marina, thanks for the recipe! What kind of oil do you use for frying?
I use regular corn oil, but peanut oil is best for frying as it has the highest smoke point. Also, if you don’t mind the smell of vegetable oil, it has higher smoke point than corn oil, so it’s also good for frying.