Baked Kefir Pirozhki

These golden baked kefir pirozhki are the ultimate make-ahead comfort food: soft, pillowy buns with a tender crumb, generously stuffed with savory pre-fried ground beef. The no-yeast kefir dough comes together quickly and stays fresh for days, making it a true meal prep hero. If you love hand-held bakes, don’t miss our Mini Khachapuri, and for a richer filling option try Slow-Braised Tender Beef.

Ingredients

• 800 g (6 1/2 cups) flour
• 1 egg
• 500 ml (2 cups) kefir
• 80 g (1/3 cup) melted butter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 300-400 g (11-14 oz) cooked ground beef, pre-fried (or any filling you like)

Instructions

1. Prepare your filling of choice – here it is pre-fried ground beef; any savory filling works.
2. Combine all the dough ingredients and knead into a firm dough; let it rest for 10 minutes, then knead again for 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 22 pieces of about 60 g (2 oz) each; shape into balls, fill each with the beef filling, and seal the edges well.
4. Bake in a preheated 180-200 C (350-400 F) oven for 20-25 minutes until golden (adjust to your oven).

Tips

• Seal the edges firmly and place each pirozhok seam-side down so the filling stays tucked in while baking – Allrecipes has great visual guides for shaping filled buns.
• Let the dough rest the full 10 minutes before the second knead; resting relaxes the gluten for a softer, more tender crumb – Serious Eats explains the science behind it.
• Bake a double batch and freeze the extras – they reheat beautifully for quick lunches. For another freezer-friendly favorite, see our Lazy Cabbage Rolls.

Nutrition: per 100 g: 212 kcal, protein 14.7 g, fat 12.4 g, carbs 10.4 g.