These traditional Karelian pies are part of everyday life in Finland. You can find them in supermarkets, cafés and even at gas stations – nowadays often in vegan versions as well.
My grandmother used to make them herself, which is why they taste like home, comfort and Nordic cuisine all at once to me. Rustic rye crust on the outside, creamy rice filling on the inside: simple, filling and exactly the kind of food that pairs perfectly with rainy days, hot coffee or a warm bowl of soup.
Traditionally, Karjalanpiirakka are often served with egg butter in Finland. This vegan version tastes especially delicious with salted vegan butter and fresh dill.
Quick Overview
🕒 Preparation time: 30 minutes
⏳ Rice cooking time: 50-60 minutes
🔥 Baking time: 15 minutes
👩🏼🍳 Difficulty: easy
Ingredients for 24 pieces
For the filling
- 3 dl short-grain rice (pudding rice)
- 1 litre unsweetened plant-based milk (e.g. soy milk)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegan butter or margarine
For the dough
- 400 g whole rye flour
- 100 g wheat flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 220 ml lukewarm water
For serving
- vegan butter or margarine
- salt
- fresh dill or parsley, fine chopped
Instructions
- Cook the short-grain rice with the plant-based milk over low heat until thick and creamy. Depending on the rice variety, this takes about 50–60 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the salt only at the end of the cooking time and stir it in. Set the finished rice pudding aside to cool.
- Prepare the dough: first combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add about half of the lukewarm water.
- Knead the dough by hand and gradually add the remaining water while kneading. Continue kneading until the dough is no longer too sticky or too crumbly. The dough should remain fairly firm. You can also divide the dough into two portions to make kneading easier.
- Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and cover them with a damp kitchen towel, as the dough dries out and crumbles quite quickly.
- Roll out each piece thinly into an oval shape on a lightly floured surface (about 1.5–2 mm thick). Place each rolled-out piece back under the damp towel. The edges do not need to look perfectly smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 230 °C fan (or 250 °C top/ bottom heat). Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
- Fill the pies one by one: place a heaped tablespoon of rice filling in the centre of each oval. Using 2 spoons makes it easier to spread the filling evenly. Leave about 1 cm free around the edges. Using your thumbs and index fingers, pinch the long edges inward towards the filling. Repeat on the short sides until the rice filling is framed by the dough edges.
- Bake the filled pies for about 15 minutes. Depending on your oven, they are ready once the edges and rice filling start to develop a little colour.
Serving Suggestion
Brush the warm Karjalanpiirakka with salted vegan butter or margarine and sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley if desired.
Notes
- In Finland, Karjalanpiirakka are often served with salted butter. If you can find salted vegan butter, it works especially well here. Otherwise, plant-based margarine or butter with a small pinch of salt tastes delicious too.
- Karjalanpiirakka freeze very well, so it is worth making a larger batch right away.
- Although Karjalanpiirakka are often considered a snack, we usually eat them as a main meal at home.
- The pies keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.