Pirozhki with Saury and Potato — Savory Fish and Potato Pies

Welcome to a delightful twist on a beloved classic! Pirozhki, the famous Eastern European savory pies, are known for their comforting fillings and tender dough. But what if you could enjoy them without the lengthy process of kneading and frying? This recipe for Pirozhki with Saury and Potato offers a brilliant shortcut, using a muffin tin to create perfectly portioned, incredibly delicious savory cakes. We're layering crispy shredded potato, flaky saury fish, and a simple, flavorful dill batter to create a treat that's crispy on the bottom, tender in the middle, and golden on top. It's a fantastic way to enjoy a traditional flavor combination in a modern, easy-to-make format!

Cooking: 30 minutes
Quantity: 4 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 378 kcal
Proteins: 11 g
Fats: 26 g
Carbohydrates: 23 g

Ingredients for Saury and Potato Pirozhki

  • 1/2 can saury in its own juice
  • 100 g potatoes
  • 30 g onion
  • 1 egg
  • 50 g smetana (a type of Eastern European sour cream)
  • 50 g mayonnaise
  • 90 g all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 40 ml vegetable oil
  • a bunch of dill
  • salt, sesame seeds

How to Make Saury and Potato Pirozhki

A bowl with an egg, smetana, and salt, ready to be mixed for the pirozhki batter.

Making the batter.

Whisking mayonnaise into the egg and smetana mixture in a glass bowl.

Add mayonnaise to the bowl and mix the ingredients with a whisk.

Adding flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients for the pirozhki batter.

Add wheat flour and baking powder.


Let’s make the batter. Crack an egg into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and smetana (a type of Eastern European sour cream). To reduce the calorie count of the pirozhki, you can replace the mayonnaise and smetana with kefir, adding a tablespoon of olive oil to it.

Add mayonnaise to the bowl and mix the ingredients with a whisk. You don’t need to beat it vigorously; just mix until smooth to break up the egg’s structure.

Add the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Using whole wheat flour from durum wheat is not only tasty but also healthier.

Stirring freshly chopped dill into the smooth batter for the savory pies.

Add chopped dill to the batter and mix everything thoroughly and quickly to get a smooth, lump-free batter.

Finely chop a bunch of fresh dill. Add the chopped dill to the batter and mix everything thoroughly and quickly to get a smooth, lump-free batter.

Julienned potatoes being rinsed with cold water in a colander.

Cut the potatoes into very thin strips and rinse with cold water.

A muffin tin with oil in each cup being placed in the oven to preheat.

Place the pan in a preheated oven to heat the oil well.

Placing a layer of julienned potatoes into the hot oil in each cup of the muffin tin.

Place a portion of the julienned potatoes into each cup.


Cut the potatoes into very thin strips (julienne), rinse with cold water to wash off the starch, and drain in a colander. Once the water has drained, you can place the potatoes on a paper towel to dry them thoroughly.

Pour refined vegetable oil into muffin tin cups, greasing the sides. Place the tin in a hot oven to heat the oil well.

Next, you need to work quickly so the hot oil doesn’t cool down. Place a portion of the julienned potatoes into each cup.

Spoon a thin layer of batter over the potatoes in the muffin tin cups.

Spoon a little batter, about 1-2 teaspoons, over the potatoes to create a base for the saury.

Spoon a little batter over the potatoes, about 1-2 teaspoons, to create a base for the saury. If you skip this step, the fish juice will leak into the oil, which can create an unpleasant fried fish smell during baking.

Placing pieces of canned saury and chopped onion on top of the batter layer in the muffin tin.

Place a piece of fish in each pie, with a little finely chopped onion on top.

Covering the fish and onion filling with the remaining batter in the muffin tin.

Spoon the batter over the fish, trying to add an equal amount to each so all portions look the same.

Sprinkling sesame seeds over the batter-topped pirozhki before baking.

Sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds.


Remove any bones from the saury pieces. Place a piece of fish in each pie, with a little finely chopped onion on top.

Spoon the batter over the fish, trying to add an equal amount to each so all portions look the same.

Sprinkle each with a pinch of sesame seeds. You can replace the sesame seeds with pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Golden-brown saury and potato pirozhki fresh out of the oven in a muffin tin.

When the crust turns golden and you can smell the delicious aroma of fried potatoes, you can take the pirozhki out of the oven and serve them immediately.

Place the tin in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. The exact baking time will depend on your oven and the size of the muffin cups. When the crust turns golden and you can smell the delicious aroma of fried potatoes, you can take the pirozhki out of the oven and serve them immediately.

And there you have it – beautiful, golden Pirozhki fresh from the oven! These savory pies are best served warm, perhaps with a dollop of sour cream or a fresh green salad on the side. Don't be afraid to experiment with the fillings; cooked salmon or tuna would also work wonderfully. This recipe is a testament to how traditional flavors can be adapted for our busy modern lives, delivering all the comfort and taste in a fraction of the time. We hope you enjoy every bite of these unique and flavorful treats. Happy baking!