Recipe updated: April 3rd, 2024
These air fryer frozen pierogies are pre-made with potatoes and cheddar cheese stuffed inside a dumpling. You can buy them in the frozen section of grocery stores. The best way to fix them is to pop them in the air fryer for about 8 to 12 minutes. They are crispy on the outside and the potatoes and cheese are so soft on the inside.
Compared to the traditional homemade pierogies I made for my husband and children, these air fry pierogies are cooked in the air fryer instead of on the stove. They have a unique flavor all of their own. Pierogies are great with bacon or sausages that are also cooked in the air fryer.
🍴 Key Ingredients
- Potato and cheddar cheese pierogies – any favorite brand you like
- 1 tablespoon of Olive oil (optional)
👩🍳 How to Make Air Fryer Pierogies
These step-by-step instructions are accompanied by detailed photos for enhanced clarity and guidance.
Step 1. Preheat the Air Fryer
Set the air fryer temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2. Brush Pierogies with Olive Oil
Put about 8 potato and cheddar cheese pierogies in a medium bowl. We bought the full-size Cheemo brand pierogies with potato and cheddar cheese inside. But you can use any brand you like, for example, Kasia’s potato and cheese brand, Golden Gourmet, or Mrs. T’s pierogies brand.
Use a pastry brush to dab the top of the pierogies with a little bit of oil. We used olive oil, but you can use any vegetable oil, cooking spray, melted butter, or whatever you prefer. This helps to create crispier pierogies while they are cooking in the air fryer.
Note: There are mini pierogies you can make in the air fryer. The cooking time would be less, about 5–6 minutes, give or take a few.
Step 3. Prepare the Air Fryer Basket
Place a sheet of parchment paper with holes on top of the air fryer basket. If you don’t have any parchment paper, no problem, just use nonstick cooking spray or a little oil on the basket.
Step 4. Place Pierogies on the Basket
Arrange the pierogies on top of the parchment paper in a single layer. They should not overlap each other. We were able to get 8 pierogies on the basket. You may need to do a couple of batches. Make sure to clean the bottom of the air fryer basket before you make a new batch of pierogies.
Step 5. Cook the Pierogies
Place the basket into the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 8 to 12 minutes. If you want crispy pierogies, add a couple more minutes. Flip the pierogies over halfway through the cooking process, but be careful not to burn yourself with the hot air from the air fryer. An easy way to flip the pierogies inside the air fryer is to use heat-resistant tongs.
Note: We cooked our pierogies for 12 minutes and then flipped them over at 6 minutes, but be aware that most air fryers are not the same, so cooking methods can be a bit different. The cooking time depends on the size, the power output of your air fryer, and also if you want extra crispy pierogies or not.
The air fryer we are using is a Cosori with a large capacity unit that can cook for 5 to 7 people as well as a power output of 1800 watts. If you have a Ninja Foodi or another brand that has a different heat output than ours, you may need to adjust the cook time and temperature. You can also keep a close eye on the pierogies while they cook in the air fryer.
🌟 Recipe Variations
- Put a side of sour cream on your plate and do some dipping.
- Sprinkle on some fresh diced green onions or diced red bell peppers.
- These potato and cheddar cheese pierogies are delicious as is, but try your favorite dipping sauce for extra flavor. Some examples are cheese sauce and ranch dressing.
- Wrap some bacon around each one of them, then put them in the air fryer.
❓ FAQs
Potato and cheddar cheese pierogies are more of a side dish than a main dish, so fried or baked ham or sausage potato hash goes great with them, and so do scrambled eggs or fried eggs and bacon.
Store any leftover pierogies in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Use a storage bowl that has a lid on it. After that, you can freeze them. Even though they were frozen in the first place before air frying them, you can freeze them again. Make sure to put them in an airtight container that is safe for the freezer, and just don’t leave them in the freezer for months on end, they will start to lose quality and taste.
💭 Final Thoughts
These golden brown air fryer pierogies are the tastiest little dumplings that are filled with plenty of mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese in each bite. They are a great way to get in a quick snack any time of the day. You can serve them with sour cream, onions, bacon, applesauce, yellow mustard, or honey mustard.
This is an easy snack when using the air fryer method. A delicious comfort food your whole family will enjoy.
📄 Recipe Card
Air Fryer Pierogies
🫕 Equipment
- Pastry Brush (optional)
- Heat-resistant tongs (optional)
🧂 Ingredients
- Potato and cheddar cheese pierogies (any brand you like)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil (optional)
👩🍳 Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put parchment paper with holes in it on the air fryer basket or use cooking spray.
- Brush each pierogi with some olive oil. Just a little will do it.
- Place the pierogies on the air fryer basket in a single layer not touching each other.
- Put them in the air fryer for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown to your liking. Flip them over halfway through the cooking time.
*️⃣ Recipe Notes
- Pierogies are great as a side dish with baked ham, sausages, or bacon and eggs.
- You can dip your pierogies in your favorite dipping sauces for extra flavor. Sour cream, mustard, or honey mustard are some good choices.
🥰 More Air Fryer Recipes for You to Enjoy
- Hash Browns in the Air Fryer (Frozen) – These hash browns cooked in the air fryer are so amazing. Cooked until they are golden brown makes them crispy on the outside, but so soft on the inside. A real treat for a quick breakfast or lunch, and also as a side dish for dinner.
- Air Fryer Fish Sticks (Frozen) – A quick and simple lunch or dinner that tastes terrific in about 10 minutes. These fish sticks are crispy, crunchy, and so delicious.
- Easy Air Fryer Biscuits (Canned) – Quick to make in about 10 minutes and tastes so delicious. Golden brown and crispy on the outside, and so soft and flaky on the inside. Perfect biscuits every time!
A wife, a mother to a son and a daughter, and a grandmother to three granddaughters. Flo loves sharing recipes passed down from her own mother, her mother-in-law, and her grandmother as well as new recipes created with her daughter, Tamara Ray.
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