Pirozhki – Russian Hand Pies with Beef or Potato Filling

Ingredients:

Preparation mode:

👉 Pirozhki (also spelled piroshki) are Russia’s favourite hand pies: soft, golden yeast buns stuffed with savoury fillings and either baked or fried. Every Russian and Ukrainian grandmother has her own version – juicy beef and onion, mashed potato with dill, cabbage with egg or sweet apple and jam – and pirozhki are eaten everywhere, from family lunches and picnics to street stalls and train stations. They are easy to make at home, freeze beautifully and taste wonderful with a bowl of borscht.

How to Make Pirozhki

1. Make the dough. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm milk, egg and melted butter and knead for 8 minutes into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled.
2. Cook the filling. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions for 6–7 minutes until golden. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up, for 8–10 minutes until browned. Season with salt and pepper, add the broth and simmer for 2 minutes – this keeps the filling juicy.
3. Finish the filling. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the dill and chopped eggs, if using. Let it cool completely.
4. Divide the dough. Punch down the dough and divide it into 16 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, cover and rest for 10 minutes.
5. Shape. Flatten each ball into a 10–12 cm circle. Put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the centre, fold over into a half-moon or pull the edges together into an oval, and pinch the seam tightly closed.
6. Rise again. Place the pirozhki seam side down on a lined baking tray, cover and leave for 20 minutes until puffy.
7. Bake or fry. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 18–20 minutes until golden. To fry, cook in 2 cm of hot oil (170°C/340°F) for 2–3 minutes per side, then drain on paper towels.
8. Serve. Serve warm on their own, with sour cream, or alongside a bowl of borscht or soup.

Tips for the Best Pirozhki

• Let the filling cool completely – warm filling makes the dough sticky and hard to seal.
• Seal the seams very well, especially for frying, so the pies don’t open in the oil.
• Keep the shaped pirozhki covered so they don’t dry out before baking.

FAQ

What is the difference between pirozhki and piroshki?
They are two spellings of the same Russian word for small pies. Pirozhki is the closer transliteration; piroshki is common in the USA.

Are pirozhki baked or fried?
Both. Baked pirozhki are soft and bready, fried ones are crispier. The same dough works for both.

Can I freeze pirozhki?
Yes. Freeze cooled baked or fried pirozhki in a bag for up to 3 months and reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10–15 minutes.

👉 More from Eastern Europe: Ukrainian borscht, Russian pelmeni and crispy chebureki. See our Russian New Year menu.

Footnotes:

Baked or fried? Brush with egg and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 18–20 minutes, or fry in 2 cm of hot oil for 2–3 minutes per side.
Potato filling: mash 600 g boiled potatoes with the fried onion, 30 g butter, salt, pepper and fresh dill instead of the meat filling.