Ukrainian kefir cabbage batter pie

By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026

This Ukrainian poured pie is the kind of bake people make when guests turn up unannounced: a buttery kefir batter stirred with shredded raw cabbage, chopped boiled egg, dill, parsley and spring onion, then poured into a tin and baked until golden. There is no dough to knead or roll. Kefir's acid meets the baking soda and gives the batter its lift.

A pie named for its batter

In Ukrainian it is called a poured pie, after the fluid batter that is poured over or mixed with the filling. It is an everyday bake, served for lunch, dinner or with tea. It also travels well to a picnic, sliced and served cold with salads.

Many versions sauté the cabbage with onion and carrot first, but this one keeps the cabbage raw, so it stays crisp and juicy. Full-fat kefir and butter give the pie a rich flavour.

Why the batter goes straight into the oven

The lactic acid in kefir reacts with baking soda the moment they meet, releasing the carbon dioxide that lifts the pie. Long mixing after the flour goes in lets that gas escape and makes the pie denser, so stir only until combined. Too much soda leaves a noticeable soda aftertaste.

Wet cabbage is the classic cause of a raw middle, because it releases juice inside the pie as it bakes. Keep to 400 g of cabbage: more makes the pie deeper and the centre much slower to cook. If the top browns first, cover it with foil and keep baking.

Serving ideas, swaps and finding dill in Taiwan

Serve it warm or cool, with sour cream, a bowl of soup or a salad. Other versions add mushrooms to the filling or hard cheese to the batter. Well-drained sauerkraut can replace the fresh cabbage.

Fresh dill is hard to find in ordinary Taiwanese supermarkets, but Taiwan-grown dill is sold online and in traditional markets in the cool season. Without it, use more parsley or some chives. Avoid fennel leaves, which smell clearly of star anise.