This Kruchenyky Recipe is Stuffed With Goodness!
If you’re craving a savory, meaty dish that is both hearty and delicious, look no further than this Ukrainian classic.
Made from thin slices of pork, these Ukrainian meat rolls are juicy, tender, and loaded with flavor.
Filled with mushrooms and onions mixed with sour cream, the meat rolls are fried, then baked until golden brown. Try this recipe and experience the goodness for yourself!
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make these stuffed pork rolls:
- Slices of pork – You can use cuts such as pork loin, pork tenderloin, or pork shoulder (will likely take longer until tender than the first two).
- Chopped mushrooms – Any mushrooms; fresh or frozen both work.
- Chopped onion – Yellow onions work well.
- Sour cream – For the filling.
- Chicken broth – Alternatively, you can use vegetable broth, beef broth, or tomato sauce.
- Salt – To season the filling and the meat.
- Black pepper – To season the filling and the meat.
- Olive oil – For sautéing the mushrooms and onions.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
Before you tackle this kruchenyky recipe, read through these tips and tricks so that you know everything there is to acing this recipe!
- Pound the pork well, but be gentle – the thinner it is, the more tender the rolls will be. But also try not to tear the meat, otherwise, the rolls won’t look nice and the kruchenyky may lose its juiciness.
- You can use any kind of mushrooms. They can be fresh or frozen.
- Instead of chicken broth, you can also use beef or vegetable broth. Tomato sauce also works well. Just keep in mind that it will change the flavor.
- As for fillings, you can also add pickles, bacon, vegetables (e.g. carrots), and/or garlic.
- Don’t overfill the pork slices or they will be difficult to roll.
- Secure the meat rolls with toothpicks, wooden skewers, or cooking twine so they don’t unravel during cooking and baking.
- The cut of meat will affect the cooking time. Slices of pork from pork loin and pork tenderloin will likely be tender sooner than cuts from pork shoulder. Keep this in mind as you cook.
How to Make Kruchenyky – Step by Step Instructions
To make these Ukrainian meat rolls, you can follow the recipe process photos in this section to see exactly how we made them step by step.
As always, you can find the full recipe with exact measurements – but no pictures – at the bottom of this post.
Start by preheating the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meanwhile, place a slice of pork on a cutting board between two layers of plastic wrap.
Gently pound with a meat mallet so that the piece becomes thinner and larger in size. This will tenderize the meat and makes it easier to fill. Be careful not to tear the meat.
Repeat with the other pork slices.
Next, prepare the filling.
In a frying pan, sauté the chopped mushrooms and onion in olive oil over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the fried mushrooms to a bowl, add sour cream and mix.
Place a piece of pork on a plate, salt and pepper the meat to taste.
Then place about 2 tablespoons of the filling on one edge.
Gently roll the pork slices around the filling, forming a thin roll (kruchenik). Secure the edge with a toothpick or wooden skewer.
In a frying pan over medium heat, fry the rolls on both sides, about 4 minutes on each side.
Place the fried kruchenyky in a baking dish and pour over the broth. They should be almost completely covered, so the amount of broth may vary.
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the meat rolls are tender.
When tender, remove the meat rolls from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Serve the meat rolls with sides such as pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or buckwheat. Sometimes they are also served with fresh vegetables and a mixed salad.
You can also serve them with different sauces/condiments, such as tomato (ketchup), mustard, horseradish sauce, and any other sauce of your choice. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
If you have leftover kruchenyky, you can store them in a sealed container or tightly wrapped in aluminum foil in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Related Recipes
If you liked these meat rolls, here are some other classic Ukrainian recipes that might interest you:
- Classic Borscht Recipe
- Galushki (Dumplings)
- Buckwheat Kasha (w/ Mushrooms)
- Sicheniki (Chicken Patties)
- Varenyky (Filled Dumplings)
- Deruny (Potato Pancakes)
Kruchenyky (Meat Rolls)
Ingredients
- 8 slices pork, 2 lbs total; e.g. from pork loin, pork tenderloin, or pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 3 cups chicken broth, approximately
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste (for filling and meat)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste (for filling and meat)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, place a slice of pork on a cutting board between two layers of plastic wrap. Gently pound with a meat mallet to flatten. Repeat with the remaining slices of pork.8 slices pork
- Prepare the filling. In a frying pan, sauté the chopped mushrooms and onion in olive oil over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.2 cups mushrooms, 1 cup onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Transfer the fried mushrooms to a bowl, add sour cream and mix.2 tablespoons sour cream
- Place a piece of pork on a plate, salt and pepper the meat to taste. Then place about 2 tablespoons of the filling on one edge.
- Gently roll the pork slices around the filling, forming a thin roll (kruchenik). Secure the edge with a toothpick or wooden skewer.
- In a frying pan over medium heat, fry the rolls on both sides, about 4 minutes on each side.
- Place the fried kruchenyky in a baking dish and pour over the broth. They should be almost completely covered, so the amount of broth may vary.3 cups chicken broth
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the meat rolls are tender. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Serve the kruchenyky with side dishes and condiments of choice.
Notes
- Kruchenyky are often served with side dishes such as pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or buckwheat. Sometimes they are also served with fresh vegetables and salad.
- Different sauces/condiments such as tomato (ketchup), mustard, horseradish sauce, and any other preferred sauces can be served with it.
- To make the rolls tender, try to pound the pork thin without tearing it.
- Instead of chicken broth, you can also use beef or vegetable broth. Tomato sauce works well too.
- Pickles, bacon, vegetables (carrots), and garlic can also be wrapped in meat rolls so you can experiment with the filling.
- You can use any mushrooms. They can be fresh or frozen.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
