🟡 Preview — not yet kitchen-tested. Recipe version 1.1 (15 Oct 2026) · Draft formulation — uncooked · Kitchen tester: not yet assigned · Dough needs several test rounds · Video: technique demonstrations (different recipes)

🥟 Вареники з картоплею та грибами · varenyky z kartopleiu ta hrybamy (also spelled vareniki; related to Polish pierogi)

Tender half-moon dumplings filled with potato, mushrooms, onion and dill. Varenyky are among Ukraine’s best-loved dishes, made with savoury or sweet fillings and eaten year-round; potato, cabbage and mushroom fillings are also part of the Christmas Eve table. Every family has its own dough and pinching style.

Kitchen Monk adaptation of Ukrainian varenyky. 🔄 What we changed: a whole-wheat dough made only with flour and water (no egg, salt or oil); an oil-free filling; dill cream or mushroom gravy instead of butter, sour cream and fried onions. Honest note: whole-wheat dough is less silky and more likely to crack than traditional dough. This is the recipe in this collection that most needs kitchen testing.

🍽️ Makes about 36–40 varenyky (4 servings of 9–10; a calculated estimate, to be counted in testing) · ⏱️ Prep about 75 min including shaping · Dough rest 30 min · Cook about 20 min in batches · Total about 2 hours
🍳 Equipment: large pot (at least 5 litres), rolling pin, 8 cm round cutter or a glass of that size, potato masher or fork, slotted spoon, 2 trays lined with parchment, clean tea towel

🧺 Ingredients

Dough

• 300 g whole-wheat flour (finely milled or “white whole wheat” is easier to roll), plus about 2 tbsp for rolling
• 180–210 ml warm water

Filling

• 500 g potatoes, peeled and cut in 3 cm chunks
• 200 g mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• Black pepper, to taste

👩‍🍳 Steps

1. Make the dough. Stir the flour with 180 ml warm water. Add more water a tablespoon at a time, up to 210 ml total, until it comes together. Knead 5 minutes until smooth, soft and slightly tacky but not sticky. Wrap or cover and rest 30 minutes; whole-wheat flour needs this time to absorb water.
2. Make the filling. Boil the potatoes until a knife slides in easily, about 15 minutes. Drain, saving ½ cup of the cooking water. Meanwhile, cook the onion and mushrooms with 2–3 tbsp water in a frying pan for 10–12 minutes, until dry and browned. Mash everything together with the dill and pepper. The filling should be thick and fairly dry, like stiff mashed potato; add a little potato water only if it crumbles. Cool completely.
3. Roll and cut. Work with a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest covered. Roll on a lightly floured surface to about 2 mm, thin enough that you can faintly see the counter through it. Cut 8 cm circles. Gather the scraps, rest them 5 minutes under the towel, and reroll once.
4. Fill and seal. Put 1 level tablespoon (about 15 g) of filling in the centre of a circle. Fold it into a half-moon and press the edges together from one corner to the other, pushing out any air. Then pinch along the edge again firmly. If the edge won’t stick, dab it with a little water. Place on the lined tray, not touching, and cover with the towel.
5. Cook. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil (a hard boil can split them). Add 10–12 varenyky, stirring once so they don’t stick to the bottom. When they float, cook 3–5 minutes more.
6. Check doneness. Cut one open: the dough at the thick pinched edge should be tender and evenly coloured, not chalky or floury. Lift the rest out with the slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining batches.

💡 Troubleshooting: cracking when folded? The dough is too dry or rolled too thin; knead in a teaspoon of water, rest it again, and roll to 2–3 mm. Bursting in the pot? Seal more firmly, push out the air, and keep the boil gentle. Doughy edges? Pinch the edges thinner or boil a minute longer. Sticking together after cooking? Space them out on a plate and serve promptly.

🍽️ Serve with: tangy dill cream or creamy mushroom gravy.

❄️ Freezing uncooked varenyky: freeze them in a single layer on a floured tray until hard, about 2 hours, then move them to a freezer bag. Directions for cooking straight from frozen will be added only after testing.

⚠️ Allergens: contains wheat (gluten). A gluten-free dough would need its own development and testing.

🔁 Substitutions: none tested yet.

🧊 Storing cooked varenyky: refrigerate within 2 hours in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat by steaming or a brief dip in boiling water until hot throughout.

🎥 Technique demonstrations

This video by Мій обід demonstrates making a soft lenten varenyky dough and shaping potato-and-onion varenyky. Its dough is made with hot water and its ingredient amounts are not listed, so it differs from this Kitchen Monk adaptation; follow the ingredients and instructions on this page. The creator has not reviewed or endorsed this adaptation.

For two different ways to pinch the edges, Твій момент shows potato varenyky step by step; that recipe uses oil and salt, so use it only for the shaping technique.

🛒 Shopping checklist

• ☐ Whole-wheat flour (finely milled or white whole wheat): 330 g (about 2⅔ cups), including flour for rolling
• ☐ Potatoes: 500 g peeled (about 600 g before peeling)
• ☐ Mushrooms: 200 g (about 7 oz)
• ☐ Onion: 1
• ☐ Fresh dill: 1 small bunch
• ☐ Black pepper (check your pantry)
• ☐ Parchment paper

🖨️ To print: use your browser’s Print command (on a phone, tap Share or ⋮, then Print).

📚 Cultural context: Ukraine.ua and The Kyiv Independent. These sources did not create or review this formulation. 🌱 Kitchen Monk Standard: no added salt, oil or refined sugar. Part of The Ukrainian Flourishing Table™ · kitchenmonk.org · Corrections welcome: rfjeep@gmail.com · Last reviewed 15 Oct 2026.