This pierogi dinner is perfect when you're short on time. Frozen pierogi (perogies) get spruced up with sauteed onions and bell peppers, and plant based sausage for protein. This delicious and comforting vegetarian meal comes together in 25 minutes— with just 5 key ingredients. (Vegan option)
Cook vegetables: Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a large nonstick or seasoned skillet over medium heat (see note 4). Add onion, cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add bell peppers, cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
Add sausage: Push the vegetables to the edges of the skillet, then add sausages in the middle. Cook, until the sausages are golden brown all over, 5 to 6 minutes (during this time, be sure to also stir the onions and peppers around too, so they brown evenly). Transfer the onion, bell peppers, and sausage to a plate and set aside.
Cook pierogi (see note 3): Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat and melt the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter. Arrange the pierogi in a single layer in the pan. Cook, flipping occasionally, until golden brown on both sides and warmed through, 6 to 8 minutes. (You may wish to cover the skillet with a lid and add a splash of water to help steam the pierogi and cook them faster).
Combine and serve: Cut the sausage into coins (about ½-inch thick). Add the sliced sausage, onions, and bell peppers back to the pan. Toss to combine. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes to warm. Season with more salt if needed. Divide onto plates and serve with a dollop of sour cream (if using).
Notes
Vegan option: Use grapeseed oil or vegan butter, vegan frozen pierogi, and vegan sour cream (if using).
Plant based sausages: Choose your favorite sausage. We usually use Beyond Meat Mild Italian or Hot Italian when making this recipe.
Cooking pierogi: Since all brands are different, check the package for cooking directions and adjust your cooking preparation if needed. For example, you may wish to boil the pierogi before pan frying. If boiling pierogi, add them a large pot of boiling salted water until they float (avoid overcooking!). Then drain thoroughly and cook in the skillet, in line with step 3, but reduce cook time by about 2 minutes. The brand we buy says to saute directly from frozen, so we follow that method to save time.
Skillet selection: So that the pierogi don't stick to the pan, use either a nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet. If using a cast iron skillet, you may wish to reduce the heat partway through cooking. (Cast iron retains heat well, so the skillet will get hotter throughout the process. Reduce heat if needed, to prevent burning.)
Scaling up the recipe: If you're looking to make a double batch (4 servings), we recommend splitting up the cooking into two large skillets so that the pierogi can cook in a single layer.