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This vegan quesadilla is stuffed with all of the pierogi flavors you crave. Potatoes with onions, melty non-dairy cheese, and tangy sauerkraut is encased in a tortilla and served with yogurt ranch dip. It’s the perfect party crowd pleaser or flavor-packed lunch.
There was a time in my life when I always had a bag of frozen pierogi in the freezer.
The Polish dumplings weren’t something I’d grown up eating. But who could resist that carb on carb action of potatoes wrapped in dough?
For the uninitiated, pierogi are the Eastern European equivalent of ravioli but with spuds instead of ricotta.
I’d tear open a bag. Then I’d give them a quick boil on the stove. Finally, I’d brown the dumplings in a skillet until they were crisp on the outside and pillowy on the inside.
A food probably couldn’t get cozier than that. It’s a full on meal of a hug.
Sadly, finding frozen pierogi without dairy or eggs is a tricky thing. I know. I’ve looked.
With a doomed kind of hopefulness, I check the ingredient lists on any new bags that I can find, only to walk away pierogi-less.
(Update: I finally found frozen vegan pierogi! For a more traditional take on pierogi, check out this vegan pierogi recipe with sautéed kale.)
Desperate to quench my craving, I made them once from scratch. They weren’t impossible, but still quite a lengthy task.
And since I’m the only pierogi-loving person in my household, I’m more apt to save my hours-long culinary projects for something that will be universally loved.
(But if I ever make another pierogi-enthusiast friend, I may just have to offer that we spend a day in the kitchen together making enough that both of us can freeze for future potato-variety emergencies.)
Pierogi-style vegan quesadilla
It’s understandable then that whenever David and I are in Chicago dining at the famed Chicago Diner, I’m always tempted by their pierogi-style vegan quesadilla.
An amalgamation of two of my favorite foods, many a time I’ve come close to ordering it. But I’ve always made a last second switch to the beloved vegan reuben instead.
For a sauerkraut lover, these are the impossible decisions.
The last time I was there, I made a mental note to make my own pierogi-style vegan quesadilla at home with all of my dream ingredients.
Now that dream has come into fruition.
Pierogi-style vegan quesadillas are stuffed with:
- Sautéed onions
- Mashed potatoes
- A generous layer of raw sauerkraut
- Melty cheddar non-dairy cheese (I grated a block of Follow Your Heart’s American style.)
Do yourself a favor and use refrigerated sauerkraut. Not the kind found in cans.
You can’t beat the fresh crunch of crisp, raw sauerkraut. Just one jar and you’ll never be able to swing the slurpy canned variety again.
Yogurt ranch sauce
On the side is a yogurt ranch sauce that’s perfect for drizzling on top. Or if you’re anything like me, adding a spoonful with every bite.
The dill and basil dip is good to have around any time you need a light, creamy ranch sauce for dipping.
For the yogurt ranch dip, I used unsweetened coconut milk yogurt from So Delicious.
David has a container of their vanilla yogurt from his office TARDIS fridge almost daily. However, as a person who opts for savory treats, this is a great way to get in some probiotics (both from the yogurt and the sauerkraut), while noshing on vegan quesadillas.
Let me know if you try these filling non-dairy quesadillas! I think they’d be a great addition to your vegan appetizer recipes for game day or a snack for your next get-together.
Pierogi-style vegan quesadilla with yogurt ranch sauce
Ingredients
For potato quesadillas
- 1 large Russet potato about 14 ounces, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
- 1/2 medium onion chopped small
- 1/2 teaspoon organic canola oil or other neutral oil
- 1 Tablespoon non-dairy milk plain & unsweetened
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 12 wheat tortillas
- 3/4 cup non-dairy cheddar-style cheese
- 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut drained and patted dry
- Chopped fresh dill for garnish, optional
For yogurt ranch sauce
- 1 cup non-dairy yogurt plain & unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
To make the quesadillas
- Put potatoes in a medium-sized pot and cover them with water. Bring to a low boil and cook for about ten minutes, until the potatoes are tender enough to easily pierce with a fork. Drain potatoes and set aside.
- Add canola oil to a skillet and bring to a medium heat. Add onions to the oil and saute them for about ten minutes, until the onions have some color around the edges but are translucent in the middle.
- Add the cooked potatoes and non-dairy milk to the skillet with the onions and mash them together with a fork. It's okay if there are some lumps in the potatoes. They don't need to be perfectly smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and set the skillet to the side.
- Now it's time to compile the quesadillas. Bring a second skillet to a medium heat. Put a tortilla in the skillet. Top with a Tablespoon of non-dairy cheese, spread a heaping quarter cup of the potato mixture across it, then a 1/4 cup of sauerkraut, and finally another Tablespoon of non-dairy cheese. Top it with a second tortilla.
- Cook until brown, and then flip and brown on the other side. Remove the quesadilla from the skillet, and repeat the process with the remaining quesadillas.
- Drizzle the cooked quesadillas with yogurt ranch sauce and/or serve on the side for dipping. If desired, garnish with fresh dill.
To make the yogurt ranch sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. The flavors will meld and improve as the sauce sets.
Shell says
January 14, 2016 at 9:36 amI don’t think I’ve ever eaten a pierogi, but they sounds delicious. The quesadilla are a fun twist. Can you please remind me of your favorite brand of sauerkraut? It sounds like I should stop using the slurpy canned variety.
Cadry says
January 14, 2016 at 9:42 amHa, ha! You made me laugh with that comment! My favorite brand is Gold Mine. I especially like their garlic kraut. However, the only place in Des Moines that sells it is Campbell’s. I also like Spirit Creek Farm, which is a local brand in Wisconsin, and Bubbies, which is pretty widely available.
Tracey says
January 14, 2016 at 9:48 amWOW, I was looking for some Superbowl recipes, thank you!!! I also appreciate how easy your recipes are to follow. I love how you put the potato in oz’s etc.
Btw: I didn’t care for the So Delicious as a yogurt to eat by itself..(better in recipes) can you recommend a brand that is good on its own?
Thanks!!!
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 9:06 amLet me know if you make them for your Super Bowl gathering! I haven’t had a chance to serve them to guests yet, but I’m excited to share with some sauerkraut-loving friends of mine. Thank you for the nice compliment about my recipes. I’m glad to hear that you find them easy to follow!
That’s too bad that So Delicious yogurt wasn’t a hit for you. It’s such a personal preference thing, kind of like finding your favorite non-dairy milk. We could buy David their vanilla yogurt by the case. Have you tried the yogurt from Kite Hill? It has an almond milk base, and it’s quite good. It’s only sold at Whole Foods, though.
Caitlin says
January 14, 2016 at 10:12 amthese are so awesome, cadry!!! i seriously want to make these.
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 9:06 amYay! Thanks, Caitlin. Let me know if you try them!
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
January 14, 2016 at 11:15 amWow Cadry, these look amazing! I’ve heard such wonderful things about that Diner but have never been to Chicago. So awesome that I can now try one of their great dishes at home! Sharing …
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 9:08 amThanks, Alisa! It will be interesting to finally order them myself at Chicago Diner someday to see how their version compares to mine. If you’re ever in Chicago, I highly recommend visiting. 🙂
Bianca says
January 14, 2016 at 1:32 pmOooh, I used to love pierogies too! Sad they’re not often vegan. But this looks like the answer. Must try these!!
P.S. How does David not love pierogies?!
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 9:12 amKnowing how often our palates overlap, I think you’d love these, Bianca! Let me know if you try them after you’re finished with your January cleanse. 🙂
P.S. I know! It’s baffling. Luckily, he has a lot of other fine qualities. 😉
Nicole {VeganShowOff.com} says
January 14, 2016 at 1:45 pmCadry, I’m also a pierogi lover and used to make the the Mrs.T’s brand at least once a week sauteed with peppers, onions, and topped with sour cream. I missed these so much after going vegan that I did the same thing as you and made them myself, ONCE, LOL. It was a ton of work and really they didn’t end up tasting as good as the Mrs. T’s so I went without for a while until discovering a random brand called the Golden Gourmet makes accidental vegan ones. I can only find them in one grocery store in my area and they leave a lot to be desired taste-wise unfortunately (the filling is a little bland). I still buy them though! Do you know if you buy the commercially sold restaurant packages of the Mrs.T’s onion pirogi’s the ingredients are different that the ones they sell in the stores and they are vegan! They sell them on Amazon but you get like a million pirogi’s and I couldn’t find anyone to split them with haha. So maybe your recipe will be my savior! It’s a great idea plus it looks super easy. Will definitely give it a try although I’ve never had sauerkraut before!
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 9:23 amThat’s hilarious that you also only made them from scratch ONCE. Enough time has passed now that I’m kind of tempted to do it again, but I know I’ll need to savor each and every one of them, because it won’t be something I’m doing often.
Thanks for the tips on Golden Gourmet & Mrs. T’s commercial packages. That’s so interesting that the kind they sell to restaurants are accidentally vegan. I looked up their Amazon listing, and they’re going for about $90 once shipping is involved. So I can’t really imagine taking the plunge on that, unfortunately.
Being a fellow pierogi fan, I think the quesadillas would be right up your alley. I can’t believe you’ve never tried sauerkraut! That’s crazy. Get on that pronto. And if you decide you’re not a sauerkraut fan, you could just leave it out or try replacing it with sauteed mushrooms instead. Let me know if you try them!
BurbankVegan says
January 14, 2016 at 2:34 pm“Carb on carb action”- I love it!! Recipe is right up my alley, as a fellow raw kraut lover. Both my 19 month old daughter and I love a raw beet/cabbage/carrot kraut we get at the health food store.
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 9:27 amThanks, BurbankVegan! That’s so cute that your daughter is into sauerkraut too. I love that!
I’m intrigued by the kraut you mentioned. Does it have a strong beet flavor? I’m typically not a fan of beets, but sometimes I can handle them raw since they don’t taste as earthy that way. Do you know the brand?
cookeasyvegan says
January 14, 2016 at 3:49 pmWhen I first read the title, I was picturing a literal version of pierogis inside tortillas! That seemed a bit much so I’m delighted to see I was wrong! I tried my hand at making pierogis a while back, and although they were delicious, I never did it again. Your recipe, though, makes total sense — though I would have to use corn tortillas. And, in fact, I have a post coming up on homemade corn tortillas, so I might try this. 🙂 Saving the recipe!
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 9:37 amHa! Yes, I can see why you would think that would be a bit much! There seems to be a theme here of people making pierogi one solitary time and never again. I’m glad to know I’m not alone in that! I look forward to hearing how it goes with your gluten-free version!
cookeasyvegan says
January 15, 2016 at 3:54 pmI want to point out that the recipe made a gigantic quantity — I was nearly expired by the time the last of them was boiled. Most of them got packed into freezer bags, and it took an awfully long time to finally finish them off. Maybe my need for pierogis was fulfilled and expunged.
janet @ the taste space says
January 14, 2016 at 5:54 pmThis definitely looks easier than perogies. Every year we have a perogie party, but we don’t usually have many leftovers. Isa’s perogies are actually very good.
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 9:39 amThat’s so fun that you have a pierogi party every year. Clearly I need to find some pierogi-loving friends. That’s my only option. The one and only time I made pierogi from scratch it was using Isa’s recipe, and I agree, it was quite good!
Lexie says
January 14, 2016 at 6:50 pmPotato in a quesadilla! I’m in. The addition of sauerkraut, double in!! These look scrumptious. Must try.
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 9:40 amAwesome! I’m glad to hear it. Thanks, Lexie!
EC says
January 15, 2016 at 2:57 amI LOVE pierogies! I do make them myself but it’s definitely time consuming. This sounds like a much quicker fix!
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 10:02 amThat’s great that you make them yourself! It’s now been 8 or 9 years since my last go with it. So I’m kind of tempted to do it again.
Jess says
January 15, 2016 at 7:04 am“For a sauerkraut lover, these are the impossible decisions.” You’re so right – the struggle is real my friend. These look super homey and comforting and I fully intend to trying them soon!
PS- That Chicago Diner reuben though. SO GOOD. Mark and I shared one along with a few other dishes when there in the summer but I secretly wanted to eat it and only it once taking my first bite!
Cadry says
January 15, 2016 at 10:05 amThanks, Jess! Let me know what you think if you try them. I’ve had them multiple times in the past week while putting the recipe together, and I’m pretty hooked. I hope you’ll love them too!
P.S. I know your pain when sharing an entree that you love! There’s an immediate realization that you’ve made a big mistake, but what can you do? Hopefully we’ll be able to have our Chicago rendezvous soon, and we can all get our own separate orders of reubens (except for David who will order the tacos).
Jenn says
January 15, 2016 at 3:04 pmMy mom’s side of the family is straight from Poland so I have eaten an enormous amount of pierogis in my life! These sound amazing! I actually made quesadillas once with leftover roasted potatoes and Chao original slices and I said to my husband – “these taste like pierogis!” So, I think it’s awesome that you made a pierogi quesadilla too! 🙂 Love it!
Cadry says
January 17, 2016 at 5:34 pmOh, lucky you! I bet they were delicious too, being made from people who have made them all of their lives.
Mandy says
January 16, 2016 at 12:00 pmOh, my goodness! This post just brought about so many memories for me! First, I grew up eating LOTS of pierogi (my dad’s family is Polish) – obviously not the greatest thing for you, but man they were good! Second, Chicago Diner! When we lived in IL, we’d go there quite a bit – such a great vegan stop. I am loving this recipe – so many of my favorite ingredients in one meal! That yogurt sauce sounds delicious, too! I’m pinning this recipe for later! 🙂
Cadry says
January 17, 2016 at 5:35 pmWhat great memories, Mandy! Let me know if you give this recipe a shot. 🙂
Caitlin says
January 18, 2016 at 6:54 amI love pierogi! If ever we’re in the same city at the same time I’d love to have a day of pierogi making! 😉
Cadry says
January 18, 2016 at 6:59 amIt’s a date!
Kristina says
January 18, 2016 at 7:33 pmI am SO EXCITED about this recipe – I loved pierogi, and have always wanted to make a vegan one. now I’ll just make THESE! 🙂
Cadry says
January 19, 2016 at 9:55 amYay! I’m so glad to hear that, Kristina! Let me know what you think. 😀
Little Vegan Bear says
January 18, 2016 at 11:02 pmYum! I’ve only ever had pierogi twice – the first time I made them myself and oh boy, it was a task! The second time I found a stall at a music festival selling them, with a vegan version on offer. They are so delicious – I love food wrapped in food, hehe. I love the quesadilla idea though, will definitely give it a try – seems like a great week night meal.
Cadry says
January 19, 2016 at 9:57 amYes, who doesn’t love food wrapped in food? That’s the best kind. That’s so awesome that you found vegan pierogi at a music festival. Sounds like my kind of event. Let me know if you try the recipe, and I hope you enjoy it! 😀
Amey says
January 19, 2016 at 1:38 amha ha, I always think of you when I order a reuben. I only learned about sauerkraut in the last couple of years and I really like it! We have that brand Farmhouse Culture here in Santa Cruz at our farmers market, and they have lots of different flavors. I like it a lot, but Musty’s just sorta ho-hum about it. These creative quesadillas sound great! Plus, I have a bunch of packs of Chao Cheese in my freezer that I found for $2 each at Grocery Outlet (score!!). This is also unlike anything I would ever dream up myself — so it would be a fun and different kind of recipe for me to cook up! Thank you 🙂
Cadry says
January 19, 2016 at 10:02 amThat’s so sweet that you think of me when you order a reuben. I hope you think of me often. 😉 Our co-op actually sells Farmhouse Culture. I was so excited to see it show up here, because I had heard your praise for it. I’ve tried several of the flavors, and it’s good stuff! $2 for Chao cheese? That’s a major score! I hope you enjoy the quesadillas if you make them sometime! 🙂
KZ says
January 19, 2016 at 6:43 pmI wonder what took me so long to read this post! If you don’t know already, I’m quite polish, and my mother and I make hundreds of vegan pierogies in 2 varieties every christmas! I always have frozen pierogies in my freezer and usually use up my stash just as the year is ending and it’s time to make more for Christmas! I’d love to talk pierogis some time! Or if you ever come visit NYC, we’ll have to make some together!!
Cadry says
January 21, 2016 at 10:49 amOh, my gosh! What a fun tradition. That’s awesome that you make so many that you are fully stocked for a year. I would LOVE to make some together the next time I’m in New York!
Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Allergy Friendly Eats says
January 21, 2016 at 6:24 pmThese look so tasty! I love that sauce! Dill is my favorite.
Cadry says
January 22, 2016 at 10:23 amThanks, Kelly! <3
Aimee says
April 15, 2016 at 12:22 pmLove quesadillas so these look so up my street! Gorgeous 🙂
Cadry says
April 15, 2016 at 1:14 pmThanks, Aimee! 😀