While "half-moon pasta stuffed with minced ingredients" may sound Italian, pierogies are Polish in origin. The boiled pasta is stuffed with anything from mashed potatoes to sauerkraut. Sometimes sautéed in butter, pierogies are not known for being a low-calorie food. However, the tasty dish is known for being versatile. Pierogies may be served with a variety of dishes, including salads, soups or fruit, and will a variety of sauces.

A light garden salad brings a healthy balance to a meal of heavy pierogies. Whatever the stuffing, a simple salad with mixed greens and celery provides a lightly-flavored side dish. Serve cranberry spinach salad to add a sharp bite to potato pierogies. Mix iceberg lettuce, carrots, bell peppers and red onions for a sweet salad that balances out spicy beef pierogies. Toss baby greens, celery, almonds and green onions together to create a crunchy salad that pairs well with cheese-stuffed pierogies.

While serving a potato side dish with potato pierogies is redundant, potatoes do go with almost every other kind of pierogi. Dish out potato salad with a light mustard dressing to compliment cabbage pierogies. Bake home fries and serve with homemade ketchup and mayonnaise fry sauce to balance out any meat-stuffed pierogies. Place twice-baked potatoes on the menu to create a filling side for a meal of vegetable pierogies.

A fruity side dish adds a sweet touch to pierogies stuffed with plain or spicy fillings. Saute apples in butter and brown sugar to add a very sweet taste to potato or cabbage pierogies. Mix cantaloupe and honeydew to create a light fruit salad that balances out heavy meat pierogies. Combine pineapple and mango for a tropical fruit salad that helps mellow spicy pork pierogies.

A variety of sauces may be served with pierogies to turn the simple pasta dish into a fancy main dish. You can serve the sauce over the pasta or serve it in a bowl for dipping. Drizzle cream of mushroom soup over any kind of pierogi to give it a creamy touch. Pour marinara sauce in a bowl for dipping meat- or cheese-filled pierogies. Sprinkle honey mustard sauce over potato- or vegetable-stuffed pierogies for a sweet twist. Mix sour cream and chives to give potato or cabbage pierogies a traditional taste.

Regardless of whether you serve them on the side or in the broth, pierogies are a natural match for soup. A basic vegetable soup in a tomato broth goes well with every kind of pierogi, from chicken to zucchini. A hardy beef stew pairs well with potato, cabbage, vegetable or cheese pierogies. Cream of spinach soup with basil adds a silky touch to meat pierogies.