These vegan piroshki with a cheese and dill filling are a plant based version of a popular Russian street food/comfort food. They are fluffy individual-sized pastries with a flavorful, cheesy filling, and are perfect as either a side dish or main course for special occasions.
Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Then, add the soy yoghurt and olive oil, and stir together once more until thoroughly combined. Now knead the dough for around 2-3 minutes, before covering and setting aside for 20-25 minutes.
Make the filling: add the grated vegan cheese, dill, soy yoghurt, and garlic to a mixing bowl, stirring together thoroughly.
Transfer the dough to a large floured surface, then roll it out into a sausage shape. Divide into 9-10 even segments.
Roll each segment into a ball, add a little bit more flour to your work surface, and roll out each ball into a thin circle, around ⅛ inch in thickness. Continue flipping and adding a pinch more flour while rolling out to make sure that it doesn't begin to stick to the rolling pin.
Add around 2-3 tbsp of the filling to one of the edges of the circle. Flip it over and pinch together the edges. Then, proceed to braid the edge to achieve the classic shape of the pirozhok.
TO FRY: Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a frying pan. Transfer the piroshki to the frying pan, making sure not to overcrowd. Fry them for around 5-6 minutes on one side, then flip and fry for a further 3-4 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
TO BAKE: Make sure that the oven is preheated to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Lay the piroshki on the parchment paper, and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping half way through.
Notes
Notes for storage and freezing
To store in the freezer: these vegan piroshki can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Reheat either in the microwave, or in the oven.
To freeze the piroshki, fry or bake them as usual, then lay them out on a baking tray and place in the freezer. When they're completely frozen, transfer them to freezer-friendly bags separated by a sheet of parchment to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 2 months.
To cook from frozen, place them in the oven at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) on a baking tray, and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!