This Award-Winning Pierogi Potato Salad is perfect for summer or any time of year, and a simple and unique take on potato salad, and seriously, the best potato salad! With bacon, cheese, sauerkraut, potato, and onion, this cold pierogi salad is like a loaded pierogi but in potato salad form! It's easy to make and oh-so delicious! You can make it for a potluck, a summer BBQ, or even when you are camping/glamping in the summer! It transports well and requires very little space to prepare! This recipe won the Go RV'ing: Canada's RV-Friendly recipe contest.
This pierogi salad was inspired by my Healthy Potato Salad and is the perfect side dish for summer. It pairs well with my Marinated Maple BBQ Pork Loin Steaks. If you are looking for Ukrainian Salad or potluck ideas and love perogies, you will love this gluten-free Ukrainian Potato Salad recipe!
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And if you LOVE that loaded pierogi flavor, give my Loaded Pierogi Soup a try too!
🥘 Ingredient Notes
You will need the following ingredients:
- Little/baby potatoes (rainbow pack - includes red, yellow, white, purple, and blue potatoes). You can buy mixed little potatoes in 1- 1.5 lb bags.
- Dry curd cottage cheese. Dry curd cottage cheese is the same as American-Style Farmer's Cheese, which is essentially cottage cheese that has been pressed to remove water. It's a variant of cottage cheese, made by pressing the whey from the curds (compared to just draining). It has a firmer texture than cottage cheese because of the lower moisture content and is cut into curds, drained, and pressed, creating a drier texture. I use this type of cheese in my Potato and Cottage Cheese Perogies, so it made sense to use it in a perogy salad.* We typically refer to it as Dry Cottage Cheese or Dry Curd Cheese in Canada.
- Bacon Bits. I recommend using real bacon bits. You can buy them or make them. To make them quickly, I use pre-cooked bacon from Costco!
- Sauerkraut. Canned or jarred sauerkraut is near other canned vegetables and pickled items. Some stores carry fresh or refrigerated sauerkraut near the deli or produce section. You can use plain or wine sauerkraut if you can't find plain. Wine sauerkraut is a little sweeter than regular sauerkraut. Make sure it's drained well and the liquid is squeezed out BEFORE you measure.
- Mayonnaise. I use Hellman's ½ the fat mayonnaise because I think it's the best-tasting, especially for a lighter mayo.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Dill - you can use dried dill if you don't have fresh
- Sauerkraut- if you don't like sauerkraut (or don't have it), finely chop a couple of dill pickes and use those instead. You can also use the juice from the dill pickles instead of sauerktraut.
- Dry Cottage Cheese- you can make your own Farmer's Cheese, or in a pinch, you can drain cottage cheese and use that instead.
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Award-winning Pierogi Salad
- Step 1: Place potatoes in cold water and bring to a boil. Turn down to medium-high heat and continue to cook until a fork goes easily into them but they are still firm (about 15 minutes). Drain, cool, and refrigerate potatoes until cold (up to an hour). * I often make the potatoes and eggs the night before.
- Step 2: Meanwhile, hard-boil eggs (or do this the night before and keep in cold water in the fridge overnight. Put 6 eggs in medium pot with cold water covering eggs. Bring to a boil on high, then turn down to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes uncovered. Pour out hot water and fill pot with cold water. Allow to sit in cold water for 15 minutes before peeling. Chill in fridge with potatoes for at least 20-30 minutes.* I usually cook the potatoes and eggs the night before. Remove eggs from heat and run under cold water, let sit in cold water for 10 minutes, then refrigerate (still in cold water) until cold (up to an hour) and then peel.
- Step 3: Cut each egg into 4 pieces. Alternatively, you could use an egg slicer.
- Step 4: Cut off radish ends, then chop the radishes into two, then cut into 4-6 pieces.
- Step 5: Cut each cold potato into 2 pieces (* this will depend on the size of the potato, I cut some into 4 pieces and don't even cut the really small ones).
- Step 6: Whisk the mayonnaise, sauerkraut liquid and the Dijon mustard together.
- Step 7: Place cut potatoes in large glass bowl.
- Step 8: Add remaining ingredients (except garnishes and eggs) to bowl with potatoes.
- Step 9: Mix together.
- Step 10: Add eggs and gently stir together.
Add garnishes (dill and paprika) to the potato salad. Serve cold. *If not serving immediately, return to fridge.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Don't Overcook the Potatoes: The key to a great potato salad with good texture is to cook the potatoes until they are just fork-tender. You should be able to slide a fork or skewer into the center with slight resistance. If they are too soft, they will turn to mush when you mix the salad. Starting them in cold water ensures they cook evenly from the outside in.
- Get the Sauerkraut Really Dry: To prevent a watery salad, it's crucial to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the sauerkraut after draining it. Place the sauerkraut in a fine-mesh sieve and press down firmly with a spoon.
- The "Easy-Peel" Egg Trick: As shown in one of the photos, adding a teaspoon of baking soda or a splash of vinegar to the water when boiling your eggs can help make them easier to peel. Then immediate transfer to an ice bath or very cold water, after cooking, is also essential-this shock causes the egg to contract slightly, helping it pull away from the shell.
- Fold, Don't Stir: When combining the ingredients, especially after adding the delicate potatoes and eggs, use a large silicone spatula or spoon to gently fold everything together. Vigorous stirring can break up the potatoes and eggs, resulting in a pasty texture. Folding preserves the integrity of each ingredient.
- Let the Flavors Marry: While you can serve this salad right away, its flavor improves significantly if you let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours before serving. This gives the potatoes time to absorb the dressing and allows all the "pierogi" flavors to meld together for a more cohesive and delicious result.
- Taste and Adjust at the End: The saltiness of your bacon and sauerkraut can vary. Wait until all ingredients are mixed, then taste the salad and add salt and pepper as needed. You might find it needs very little, if any, extra salt.
- For the Best Bacon Flavor: While pre-cooked bacon bits are convenient, cooking 6-8 strips of bacon until very crispy and then crumbling them will provide the best flavor and texture. Cook them until they are crisp enough to shatter, as this helps them stay crunchier in the salad.
🥗 What to Serve with Pierogi Salad
This Pierogi Salad is an easy side dish that pairs well with other Ukrainian dishes, such as my air fryer kielbasa and my Ukrainian cabbage rolls (with ground beef) or these Lazy Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls.
But it's also a great side for BBQ dishes! Try it with my Beer Can BBQ Chicken (shown) and for dessert....NO BAKE Black Forest Tiramisu!
But if you're looking for a Ukrainian dessert to pair with this potato salad, try my Ukrainian Walnut Torte.
🌡️Storage
Store pierogi potato salad leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 2 days. If you want to make this recipe in advance, do not make it more than a couple of days in advance. It does not stand up well to freezing.
👪 Serving Size
This pierogie potato salad serves 10. However, you can half, double, or even triple the recipe by clicking on the servings number in the recipe card. Then select the number of servings you would like, and the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly.
🍽Equipment
For this Ukrainian perogy salad, you will need a large pot to boil potatoes, a medium-sized pot for eggs, a large mixing bowl, and a serving bowl (affiliate link). I like the one I linked to because it comes with a lid and utensils, and you can bring it along to a potluck!
What to do with leftover dry cottage cheese
Perogy potato salad is also a great use of leftover dry cottage cheese! I often buy dry cottage cheese (Farmer's cheese) to make Cottage Cheese and Potato Perogies, and end up with leftovers.
And if you buy it specifically for this recipe and have leftovers, then check out this post: 15 Recipes with Farmers Cheese (Dry Cottage Cheese)
❔ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! While the rainbow baby potatoes add a nice visual appeal, you can use other waxy potato varieties like red new potatoes or Yukon Golds. These types of potatoes hold their shape well after cooking and won't get too mushy in the salad.
Yes, you can! The recipe mentions it stores well for up to two days in the fridge. For the best flavor and texture, I recommend making it the day before or the morning of your event. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully. Just give it a good, gentle stir before serving
For easier peeling, make sure to use eggs that are a few days old rather than super fresh ones. After boiling, immediately transfer them to an ice bath or run them under very cold water for 10-15 minutes. This rapid cooling helps the membrane detach from the egg white, making peeling much smoother.
I adore tasty summer food that requires very little effort because, well, life is short and so is summer. You can prep this pierogi salad in the evening when it's a bit cooler (no oven required, just stove top), then throw it together quickly the next day, and you're off to enjoy your sunny summer festivities!
But this potato salad really makes a delicious side dish any time of the year. If you are looking for Ukrainian recipes, cold salads, a unique potato salad recipe, pierogi food, or pierogi ideas, look no further - this salad is next level. And this Ukrainian twist on this classic comfort food (good old-fashioned potato salad) is a real crowd-pleaser and one the whole family will love!
🥟More Pierogi Recipes!
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📋Pierogi Potato Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (2 pound or .9 kg) pkgs of little/baby potatoes (rainbow pack - includes red, yellow, white, purple and blue potatoes ¾ " - 1 ⅝ ")
- 6 hard boiled eggs
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon dry curd cottage cheese farmers cheese
- ⅔ cup bacon bits (best to use the 'real' bacon bits)
- ¾ cup sauerkraut (from jar)
- 1 ½ tablespoon liquid from sauerkraut jar
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman's)
- ½ cup radishes, finely chopped
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Garnish
- paprika to garnish
- fresh dill and sour cream (optional)
Instructions
- Place potatoes in cold water and bring to a boil. Turn down to medium-high heat and continue to cook until fork goes easily into them but they are still firm (about 15 minutes).2 lbs (2 pound or .9 kg) pkgs of little/baby potatoes (rainbow pack - includes red, yellow, white, purple and blue potatoes ¾ " - 1 ⅝ ")
- Drain, cool and refrigerate potatoes until cold (up to an hour).
- Cook eggs in boiling water until hard boiled (about 10-12 minutes).6 hard boiled eggs
- Remove eggs from heat and run under cold water, let sit in cold water for 10 minutes, then refrigerate (still in cold water) until cold (up to an hour) and then peel.
- Cut each cold potato into 2 pieces (* this will depend on the size of the potato, I cut some into 4 pieces and don't even cut the really small ones).
- Cut each egg into 4 pieces. Alternatively, you can slice eggs with an egg slicer.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, sauerkraut liquid and Dijon mustard together in a separate medium bowl.1 ½ tablespoon liquid from sauerkraut jar, ⅔ cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman's), 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl and add the mayonnaise mixture and remaining ingredients, except eggs and garnishes.⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon dry curd cottage cheese, ⅔ cup bacon bits (best to use the 'real' bacon bits), ¾ cup sauerkraut (from jar), ½ cup radishes, finely chopped, ½ cup green onions, chopped
- Mix gently until combined.
- Gently fold in eggs.
- Sprinkle with paprika and refrigerate until ready to serve.paprika to garnish
- Optional: top will a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill when servingfresh dill and sour cream (optional)
- Add salt and black pepper to taste
Notes
-
- Don't Overcook the Potatoes: The key to a great potato salad with good texture is to cook the potatoes until they are just fork-tender. You should be able to slide a fork or skewer into the center with slight resistance. If they are too soft, they will turn to mush when you mix the salad. Starting them in cold water ensures they cook evenly from the outside in.
-
- Get the Sauerkraut Really Dry: To prevent a watery salad, it's crucial to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the sauerkraut after draining it. Place the sauerkraut in a fine-mesh sieve and press down firmly with a spoon.
-
- The "Easy-Peel" Egg Trick: As shown in one of the photos, adding a teaspoon of baking soda or a splash of vinegar to the water when boiling your eggs can help make them easier to peel. Then immediate transfer to an ice bath or very cold water, after cooking is also essential-this shock causes the egg to contract slightly, helping it pull away from the shell.
-
- Fold, Don't Stir: When combining the ingredients, especially after adding the delicate potatoes and eggs, use a large silicone spatula or spoon to gently fold everything together. Vigorous stirring can break up the potatoes and eggs, resulting in a pasty texture. Folding preserves the integrity of each ingredient.
-
- Let the Flavors Marry: While you can serve this salad right away, its flavor improves significantly if you let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours before serving. This gives the potatoes time to absorb the dressing and allows all the "pierogi" flavors to meld together for a more cohesive and delicious result.
-
- Taste and Adjust at the End: The saltiness of your bacon and sauerkraut can vary. Wait until all ingredients are mixed, then taste the salad and add salt and pepper as needed. You might find it needs very little, if any, extra salt.
-
- For the Best Bacon Flavor: While pre-cooked bacon bits are convenient, cooking 6-8 strips of bacon until very crispy and then crumbling them will provide the best flavor and texture. Cook them until they are crisp enough to shatter, as this helps them stay crunchier in the salad.
Marlene
You can dump regullar large curd cottage cheese in a strainer and rinse all the liquid off of it. Spread on a clean cloth or paper towels for a minute or two to dry any excesss water. A elderly German friend said she did this all the time after moving to the US because it is so hard to find the dry cheese, and it is rather expensive when you can get it.
I'll have to try this; not sure if we'll like the sauerkraut in it, but we do like sauerkraut so will give it a try. I'll make it without the kraut, then add kraut to a small serving and try it. If we like it, will add the rest of the kraut.
Isabelle @ Crumb
I have to admit that I've never thought to use cottage cheese in a potato salad before, but it sounds like a wonderful twist on the traditional mayo-based dressings... plus the bacon and the sauerkraut and the radishes sound like they'd add tons of delicious flavour. Personally, I'd have given this recipe first prize if I was running that contest! 🙂
Terri Gilson
Hi Isabelle: thanks! Yes, the dry cottage cheese curd is different (not moist, like regular cottage cheese). My husband's grandma used it in her perogies all the time. And I wish you were running the contest! 🙂
Terri Gilson
Hi Isabelle: thanks! Yes, the dry cottage cheese curd is different (not moist, like regular cottage cheese). My husband's grandma used it in her perogies all the time. And I wish you were running the contest! 🙂
Fouzia
This looks like a yummy salad recipe so good for picnics. I am bookmarking it to make it for our cottage trip this coming summer. Thanks so much for sharing.
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Fouzia! I hope you enjoy it.
Ann
I'm so with you on making summer food in winter! I need some summer in my life right now and this kind of picnic food sounds perfect to me! Never thought of putting sauerkraut in potato salad, but it sounds delicious 🙂
Terri Gilson
Hi Ann,
Thanks! Yes, the sauerkraut does really works in it! We had this salad for supper last night and my family devoured it!
Sue Slaght
It sounds delicious but most of all easy enough that I could actually make it! now I'm feeling hungry. 🙂
FoodMeanderings.com
Thanks Sue! Yes, it's really simple but with that little twist that elevates it above the everyday potato salad. I hope you enjoy!