Pirozhki with Meat — Pan-Fried Savory Pies

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Pirozhki are the heart and soul of Slavic comfort food, beloved little pies that can be stuffed with a myriad of fillings, from sweet to savory. While yeast-leavened, oven-baked pirozhki are a classic, this recipe offers a quicker, equally delicious alternative: pan-fried pirozhki made with a simple, tender choux-like pastry. Filled with a flavorful mix of cooked meat, sautéed onions, and fresh beet greens, these savory treats are crispy on the outside and wonderfully soft inside. Perfect for a hearty snack, a quick lunch, or as part of a larger meal, they bring a taste of authentic home cooking to your table.

A plate of golden-brown, pan-fried pirozhki with a meat filling.

Pan-fried pirozhki with meat.

Cooking: 30 minutes
Quantity: 2 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 230 kcal
Proteins: 20 g
Fats: 12 g
Carbohydrates: 5 g

Ingredients for the Pirozhki Dough

  • 100 g whey or water
  • 15 g vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 160 g all-purpose flour

Ingredients for the Filling

  • 200 g cooked meat
  • 1 onion
  • 15 g vegetable oil
  • a small bunch of young beet greens

How to Make Pan-Fried Pirozhki with Meat

Heating whey and vegetable oil in a saucepan on the stove.

Heat the whey with neutral vegetable oil until boiling.

Whisking flour into a hot liquid in a saucepan to make the dough.

Add flour in small portions, mixing with a whisk.

An egg being added to the flour mixture in a saucepan.

Crack in a chicken egg.


Heat the whey with a neutral vegetable oil until it boils. You can substitute whey with water or milk.

Gradually add flour to the boiling whey, mixing with a whisk.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add all the remaining flour. Crack in a chicken egg.

A ball of soft dough resting on a floured surface.

Quickly knead the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Generously flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Knead it quickly and let it rest for 10 minutes. If the dough is too soft and sticky, you can add a little more flour. While the dough is resting, prepare the filling.

Cooked meat being processed in a meat grinder.

Pass the cooked meat through a meat grinder.

Chopped onions and beet greens on a cutting board.

Finely chop the onion and young beet greens.

Sautéed vegetables being mixed with ground meat in a bowl.

Add the sautéed vegetables to the ground meat.


Pass the cooked meat through a meat grinder (using the fine plate). Any cooked meat or chicken will work.

Finely chop the onion and young beet greens. Pour vegetable oil into a skillet and add the chopped onion. Sprinkle with salt and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Then, add the chopped beet greens and cook together for another couple of minutes.

Add the sautéed vegetables to the ground meat. Season with salt to your taste and mix everything well.

A ball of dough being rolled out into a thin circle on a floured board.

Roll the dough into a ball and roll it out thinly on a board.

Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle your board with flour. Roll the dough into a ball, then roll it out thinly on the board to form a circle about 18-20 centimeters in diameter.

Meat filling spread over one half of a rolled-out circle of dough.

Spread half of the filling over the dough, leaving half of the circle empty.

Folding the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shaped pirozhok.

Fold the edge of the dough over the meat filling.

Pirozhki frying in hot oil in a skillet until golden brown.

Place the pirozhki in very hot oil and fry until golden brown.


Spread half of the filling over one half of the dough circle, leaving a border of about one centimeter around the edge for sealing.

Fold the empty half of the dough over the meat filling. Pinch the edges together firmly with your fingers to seal them well, preventing the juices from leaking out during frying.

Pour enough oil for frying into a skillet. Any refined, odorless vegetable oil, such as canola, will work. You’ll need a good amount, about one centimeter deep. Place the pirozhki (small savory or sweet pies, a popular Eastern European dish) in the very hot oil and fry until golden brown.

Flipping a pirozhok in a skillet to fry the other side.

Flip the pirozhki and fry on the other side.

Flip the pirozhki and fry them on the other side. After cooking, you can let the oil cool and carefully pour it off the sediment. The oil can be reused if it hasn’t been overheated. If the oil’s color remains light, I use it two or three times.

Cooked pirozhki resting on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

First, place the finished meat pirozhki on paper towels.

Place the cooked meat pirozhki on paper towels first to let the excess oil be absorbed.

These golden, pan-fried pirozhki are best enjoyed warm, straight from the skillet, perhaps with a dollop of cool smetana (sour cream) on the side for the ultimate authentic experience. They make a fantastic portable snack for picnics or lunchboxes. Don't be afraid to experiment with the filling—try adding mushrooms, cabbage, or potatoes. We hope this recipe brings the warmth and comfort of a traditional Slavic kitchen into your home. Enjoy your delicious, homemade pirozhki!