Serve these meat piroshki by themselves or pair them with that awesome garlic dip you might recall from the potato piroshki. The flavor is fantastic!

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If you liked the potato or apple pirojki, you will love these meat filled Belyashi! Some people refer to theses as chebureki, but chebureki are usually made with raw meat and have a thinner dough. The dough is so easy when using  a Breadmaker. Serve these meat piroshki by themselves or pair them with that awesome garlic dip you might recall from the potato piroshki. I know these are originally made with lamb, but turkey and beef are more practical and the flavor is fantastic!

Ingredients for the Meat Piroshki Dough:

1 1/2 Tbsp oil
15 oz warm water
4 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (divided)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast

Ingredients for the Meat Filling:

1 lb ground turkey
1 lb ground beef (Fat content: 80/20)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 large onion, finely diced
1 medium carrot, finely grated
3 Tbsp dill
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 cup warm water

Other Ingredients:

Enough canola oil to go half-way up the side of the piroshky when frying.
Lots of extra flour to dust the cutting board (I probably use at least 1/2 cup extra flour)

Ingredients for Garlic Dip – “Vmochanka”  

(this is for one serving, so increase it accordingly):
1/4 cup  warm water
1 Tbsp olive oil (you can use any kind of oil really)
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 tsp salt

How to Make Russian Pirojki (Chebureki) Dough:

How to make the Dough:

1. The easiest way to do this is in a bread maker. If you have one, set it to the dough setting and add the ingredients in the following order: Oil, water, 2 cups flour, salt, 2 cups + 2 Tbsp flour*, yeast.
A bread maker will do the following: mix, let dough rise, mix again and let the dough rise (It takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours) and once it’s done in the bread maker, its ready to go.

*to get an exact flour measurement, use a dry ingredients measuring cup and scrape off the top with the back of a butter knife.

You can also make this dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook on speed 2 (mix all the ingredients together, let rise, mix again and then let it rise in a warm place (like the oven). (It should be 2 to 2 1/2 times in volume). While it’s rising, work on the meat filling for piroshki – see below.

A piece of cake sitting on top of a wooden cutting board, with Chebureki and Dough

2. Put the finished dough onto a well floured cutting board, dust the dough with flour and with well-floured hands, shape it into a large log.
It will rise more as you make the piroshki

A piece of cake sitting on top of a wooden cutting board, with Dough and dough

3. Cut off pieces one at a time about 3/4″ thick.

A piece of meat on a cutting board, with Chebureki and Dough

4. Place the piece of dough over your well-floured hand (dough will be sticky) and shape it into a 3″ to 4″ circle using your hands. Do not put flour on the side where you are going to put the meat, otherwise the sides won’t seal.

A circle of dough in someone\'s hand being filled with a meat filling

5. Stir the meat mix to distribute the juices. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of meat filling in the center.Cover the meat with the sides of the dough (being careful not to let oils or juices seep out), and pinch the edges together to seal the dough. Flatten the pirojki slightly to make them a more uniform size.

Notes:

It helps to wash your hands half-way through the process to keep the dough from really sticking to your hand. And keep those hands well-floured!

Meat piroshki, belyashi, being formed in someone\'s hand

6. Heat oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan or cast iron dutch oven. There should be enough oil to cover the pirojki half-way up the side.

A close up of a bowl, with Kitchen and Flour

7. Place them in the hot oil (about 330˚ F) and fry until deep golden brown on each side. Sometimes they puff up a lot on one side so you may end up with a third side that needs to be fried.

8. Place on paper towels to cool and enjoy! Try the garlic dip – it’s GOOD!

A plate with meat piroshki separated with napkins between layers

How to Make Meat filling for Belyashi:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Brown ground beef and turkey, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula. Season meat with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/ tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

A close up of ground meat being cooked in a skillet

2. When the meat is almost done, add diced onion and saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Diced onions added into a skillet with ground meat

3. Add shredded carrots and saute another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Shredded carrots added into skillet with ground meat and onions

4. Add 3 Tbsp dill, mix well.

Ground meat mixture for meat piroshki

5. Add mayo, stir well.

Mayo added into skillet with meat mixture

6. Stir in 1/2 cup water to moisten the meat mix. Transfer meat mix to a bowl and let cool to warm or room temperature.

Meat mixture for belyashi

A bowl filled with the meat mixture that is used to fill meat piroshki

Meat Piroshki (Belyashi)

4.87 from 36 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 20

Ingredients for the Dough:

Ingredients for the Meat Filling:

Other Ingredients:

  • Enough canola oil to go half-way up the side of the piroshky when frying.
  • Lots of extra flour to dust the cutting board, I probably use at least 1/2 cup extra flour
  • this is for one serving, so increase it accordingly

Ingredients for Garlic Dip – “Vmochanka”:

  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, you can use any kind of oil really
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

How to Make Meat filling for Belyashi:

  • Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Brown ground beef and turkey, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula. Season meat with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/ tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
  • When the meat is almost done, add diced onion and saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add shredded carrots and saute another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add 3 tbsp dill, mix well.
  • Add mayo, stir well.
  • Stir in 1/2 cup water to moisten the meat mix. Transfer meat mix to a bowl and let cool to warm or room temperature.

How to make the Dough:

  • The easiest way to do this is in a bread maker. If you have one, set it to the dough setting and add the ingredients in the following order: Oil, water, 2 cups flour, salt, 2 cups + 2 Tbsp flour, yeast. A bread maker will do the following: mix, let dough rise, mix again and let the dough rise (It takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours) and once it’s done in the bread maker, its ready to go.
  • You can also make this dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook on speed 2(mix all the ingredients together, let rise, mix again and then let it rise in a warm place (like the oven). (It should be 2 to 2 1/2 times in volume). While it's rising, work on the meat filling for piroshki - see below.
  • Put the finished dough onto a well floured cutting board, dust the dough with flour and with well-floured hands, shape it into a large log.It will rise more as you make the piroshki.
  • Cut off pieces one at a time about 3/4″ thick.
  • Place the piece of dough over your well-floured hand (dough will be sticky) and shape it into a 3″ to 4″ circle using your hands. Do not put flour on the side where you are going to put the meat, otherwise the sides won’t seal.
  • Stir the meat mix to distribute the juices. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of meat filling in the center.Cover the meat with the sides of the dough (being careful not to let oils or juices seep out), and pinch the edges together to seal the dough. Flatten the pirojki slightly to make them a more uniform size.
  • Heat oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan or cast iron dutch oven. There should be enough oil to cover the pirojki half-way up the side.
  • Place them in the hot oil (about 330° F) and fry until deep golden brown on each side. Sometimes they puff up a lot on one side so you may end up with a third side that needs to be fried.
  • Place on paper towels to cool and enjoy!

Notes

It helps to wash your hands half-way through the process to keep the dough from really sticking to your hand. And keep those hands well-floured!
Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Meat Piroshki (Belyashi)
Skill Level: Medium
Cost to Make: $
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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4.87 from 36 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  • Rick Moore
    December 2, 2020

    Hi Natasha ,
    I am going to try this recipe , based on all of your sweet answers to all of the folks out there asking you questions. You answered each and every one of them with style and grace .
    My question is about the dough thickness around the filling . Would you please provide some info . Thanks so much 12/04/2020

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 3, 2020

      Hi Rick, thank you! I’m not sure exactly what you are asking, but the dough should remain at least 1/4 thick after piroshki are molded with the filling. You don’t want to stretch them too thin (the outside should not be transparent) or you run the risk of them bursting and getting oil in the center while frying.

      Reply

  • manda
    June 17, 2020

    for the garlic dip do i just toss in all the ingredients into a blender and blend them up together?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 17, 2020

      Hi Manda, we just stir it all together in a little bowl. The flavor is best if you make it slightly ahead and refrigerate it before serving.

      Reply

  • Lana
    August 19, 2019

    I really liked these piroshki but I didn’t like that they absorbed oil. If I were to bake these what temperature should I bake them at? Have you tried baking these piroshki?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 20, 2019

      Hi Lana, I don’t think this recipe would work well for baking. If you want baked piroshki, you are better off following this recipe here.

      Reply

  • Anna
    February 18, 2019

    Natasha, I am so grateful for all the recipes and tips you post on Instagram and this blog, all your posts helped me improve on my cooking/baking skills. Thank you so much and God bless you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 18, 2019

      You are so nice! Thank you, Anna! I’m so happy you are enjoying our blog and recipes! Blessing to you!

      Reply

  • Brooke
    January 8, 2019

    My daughter Natalya loves to make these with her dedushka. She begs to make them almost every other week, which thankfully our Ukrainian crew does not object to. She’s been making these since she was 14(ish) so its an easy recipe that anyone can follow.I wish they weren’t as oily, but that may be an error on her part, not the recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      January 8, 2019

      Hi Brooke, it could be due to placing them in the oil before the oil is hot which can cause them to soak up extra oil. If it seems oily in the filling, you might try a leaner meat. I hope that helps and I’m so glad you enjoy the piroshki!

      Reply

      • Brooke
        January 8, 2019

        Thanks, I will pass that along to the chef 🙂

        Reply

  • Perry McCullough
    December 31, 2018

    First try didn’t go so well. Not sure what went wrong with the dough, used my bread maker on the dough setting and after an hour and a half, the dough had risen, but was very liquidy…it poured out of the bread maker and spilled over the sides of my floured board. Maybe too much water or not enough flour…or both?? Once I got the consistency bolstered with at least another cup of flour neaded in, the dough was handled…until I ran out halfway tjrough the meat filling and had to make another batch, which came out exactly like the first.
    The filling is a good recipe to start with, but not my taste with all the dill, so I will tweak it…but I am curious as to why there was so much left over after the first batch of dough was exhausted. I am new to this, so I may have used too much dough per piroshki, but it all came out well and when I used less dough, the dough would tear or not cover the heaping TBL of filling.
    It will be a long while before I am out of piroshkis, but I will try-try again.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 31, 2018

      Hi Perry, it really does depend on how much you fill them. We love a fair amount of filling inside to balance the amount of dough.

      Reply

      • Olesya
        April 11, 2022

        I had the same result. It was very watery dough. Had to ad at LEAST a cup maybe two of flour for it to be somewhat normal dough

        Reply

  • Leanne Fournier
    December 19, 2018

    Hi there – this looks interesting. Is the dough heavy or quite light and do you know if I can do the sauerkraut version with this dough?

    Reply

  • Adele
    October 1, 2018

    Perfect! Thank you so much for this recipe, so yummy, a little too yummy! This is the one Im gonna repeat when I crave piroshki.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 1, 2018

      Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Adele! :). I’m all smiles!

      Reply

  • Sue Mishoe
    February 24, 2018

    Hi Natasha!

    I’ve just made piroshkis with beef and rice. They came out good, but a little bland. It wasn’t your recipe. 😉

    I’ve seen two sauces…your garlic dipping sauce and another “thousand island” type sauce. I see your garlic one is for potato stuffed pies. So I was hoping you could suggest the best Russian dipping sauce for a beef and rice meat pie?

    Or would the garlic sauce
    work well?

    Thanks in advance for your help!
    I intend on using your version next time I make them! 😊
    I’ve tried a couple of your recipes and love them!!!
    Best Regards,
    Sue

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 24, 2018

      Hi Sue, the garlic sauce would work really well for this also :). I’m guessing it probably needed more seasonings with using rice vs all meat for the filling.

      Reply

  • Ali
    November 22, 2017

    Hi Natasha, I want to make this recipe, but I’m wondering, can I use ground pork instead of ground turkey? Or will the taste be different?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 22, 2017

      Hi Ali, that will still work well 🙂

      Reply

  • Mariel
    October 15, 2017

    I’m beyond excited to make this today! I’ve tried so many recipes for piroshki and they’re disappointing… my dad’s side emigrated from Prussia in the late 1800s but they weren’t big on keeping to tradition. They moved to a Polish area and made pierogi, which are a poor substitute. lol

    When I was a child, my mother (who speaks Russian) would take me with her every Saturday, to help USSR refugees learn English. They’d make a FEAST of piroshki, dolmadakia, eggplants to make a kind of babaganoush salad, and a salad made from leaves and a lemony, homemade kind of mayonnaise. We’d be sent home with a stinky, greasy paper bag of piroshki and eagerly dug into them at home.

    This looks EXACTLY like the dough I remember, which I’ve been looking for and trying other recipes to replicate for YEARS. I think I’ve finally found it – THANK YOU!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 15, 2017

      My pleasure Mariel! Please let me know what you think of the recipe!! 🙂

      Reply

  • Valentina
    December 15, 2016

    My family makes their piroshki a bit different we use raw meat filling for the inside. Anyways, I had a question for you and was wondering how do you keep your oil clean? Not just with piroshki but also like otbivniye and things like that it seems like my oil gets that black sticky stuff after the first batch.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 15, 2016

      Hi Valentina, I usually get the blackened bits if my prioshki aren’t sealed and some of the filling seeps out and gets burned in the oil. I would use a fine mesh spatula or sieve like this one to skim off the black stuff if it occurs and that helps to keep the pan clean.

      Reply

  • Evan, TheGrillingGreek, Panagiotopoulos
    November 23, 2016

    I do not have a bread maker. How long do I have to mix the dough by hand?
    I am a desperate person who must make these Piroshkis soon.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 23, 2016

      Hi Evan, Using a stand mixer with a dough hook on speed 2
      1. mix all the ingredients together and knead for 10 minutes until well blended.
      2. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 min until double in volume,
      3. mix again and then cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place (like the oven, but not hotter than 100 degrees F). (It should be 2 to 2 1/2 times in volume ~ about 1 hour)
      I hope that helps.

      Reply

  • Jessica
    November 23, 2016

    That’s a great recipe for fried meat pirogi, however, it’s definitely not belyashi. Belyashi are made with diffent kind of dough and have hole on top;)

    Reply

  • Olga Melnik
    November 7, 2016

    Hi Natasha,
    Does this dough make soft(like fluffy) peroshki? Or is it more like the chebureki style? I’m trying to recreate something this granny used to make but never got the recipe. She makes like soft ponchiki balls filled with meat and deep fried.. Would this recipe work?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 7, 2016

      Hi Olga, it sounds like it would work based on what you’re describing. The dough is very soft 🙂

      Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 7, 2016

      Hi Olga, it sounds like it would work based on what you’re describing. The dough is very soft 🙂

      Reply

  • Tina
    June 14, 2016

    Are there any ready made dough’s that you recommend for this? My family loves perashkis, i want to make them but i want to buy the dough instead of making it from scratch.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 14, 2016

      Hi Tina, I haven’t found anything comparable. Have you tried raw tortillas? Although the form for those is different and they are more like turnovers but they still taste very Slavic :). If you haven’t discovered them yet, they are really really tasty! 🙂

      Reply

    • Elena D
      August 10, 2017

      Rhodes Frozen Dinner Rolls is what I use when I’m too lazy to make my own dough.

      Reply

  • Julie
    April 14, 2016

    Hi Natasha,

    THANK YOU for this blog. My late grandmother used to make this amazing sweet bread with beef or sauerkraut in it…I don’t think she ever wrote the recipes down. This seems like it might be a similar recipe. Is sauerkraut a common replacement for the beef?

    Julie

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 15, 2016

      Hi Julie! I’ve heard of it being done but I’ve only tried with braised cabbage which has sauerkraut mixed into it and it’s super tasty! Here’s where I used that filling for the baked version of piroshki but you can totally use it in fried piroshki.

      Reply

  • Lisa
    April 14, 2016

    My ancestors moved to Canada from Russia in 1860s we still cook a lot of this food.I’m studying it now.thanks for the blog

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 15, 2016

      You’re so welcome! I hope my blog is a good resource for you 🙂

      Reply

  • Irina
    April 2, 2016

    Hi Natasha! Can you please advise on how long should I let the dough rise the first and second time. And also what should be the oven temp when plased to rise for the second time in it. I am using the mixer method since I don’t have a bread maker… yet 🙂 Spasibo!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 2, 2016

      Hi Irina, it depends on if you are leaving it at room temperature or in a warm (not hotter than 100˚F) oven. If it’s in a warm oven, I’d say about 30-45 minutes each rise but at room temperature it could take at least an hour each rise.

      Reply

  • Mila
    March 23, 2016

    Natasha,
    Can this dough recipe be used for baking as well?
    You think I should use your recipe for baked apple piroshki for the dough (only use meat filling) or use this recipe and bake?
    I am trying to see if the dough was meant for frying, would it taste different if baked in the oven.
    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 23, 2016

      Hi Mila, I don’t think this recipe would work well for baking. If you want baked piroshki, you are better off following this recipe

      Reply

      • Mila
        March 23, 2016

        Thank you Natasha. But when when I clicked on that link new page appeared saying ‘404 – page not found. Sorry, the page you were looking for could not be found’

        Maybe something is missing in the link?

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          March 23, 2016

          Thank you for letting me know, I just got it fixed and you can go there by clicking here as well.

          Reply

          • Mila
            March 24, 2016

            Thank you! I saved it.
            I have a question. I know it’s not in the topic, but I couldn’t find the right thread for it.
            I am trying to re-create the old familiar ‘Kartoshka’ Cookies taste that we used to make in the Soviet Union from cocoa powder, walnuts, butter and condensed milk. I got it all, but am having a trouble to find the right cocoa powder for that. Some are light, some dark some are already sweet, some have no sugar.

            If you ever made it here in the US, can you please suggest best cocoa powder kind that we can find here?

            Thank you again!

          • Natasha
            natashaskitchen
            March 24, 2016

            Hi Mila, to be honest, I’ve never made the kartoshka cookies but it is on my to-do list. I’m not sure exactly but I would guess it’s probably a standard brown cocoa color – I would probably go with the Hersheys regular cocoa powder to make it look like the skins on potatoes.

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