Easy Dill Pickle Soup
Learn how to make authentic Polish creamy Dill Pickle Soup. Featuring tender potatoes, briny sour pickles, sweet cream and fresh dill.
Servings: 6
Calories: 202kcal
Ingredients
- 5 oz dill pickles 4 large or 6 small ones, diced small or grated. See Note.
- 1 yellow onion medium, diced small
- 1 medium carrot peeled and diced small
- ½ leek white part only, sliced (optional)
- 2 tablespoon butter divided
- 1 lb potatoes Yukon gold or white, diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth homemade or storebought
- ½ cup light cream or heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- ½ cup pickle brine optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 whole allspice
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Melt butter in 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven or a soup pot on low medium heat.
- Add diced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add diced carrot and leek (if using) and cook 3 more minutes, stiring.
- Finally, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add diced potatoes, broth, allspice and bay leaves, and bring to a boil.
- Partially cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes.
- While the soup is boiling, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet and add grated pickles. Cook until all of the liquid evaporates (5-10 mins), stirring often. Now the pickles and pickle brine to the soup and cook 10 more minutes.
- Check potatoes for doneness. Once tender, stir in cream and chopped dill. Remove bay leaves and allspice.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. You can also add a little more pickle brine, if you prefer brinier soup.
Video
Notes
Use whatever dill pickles you like. Traditionally, Polish pickle soup (zupa ogórkowa) is made with brined sour pickles. That's what I used but regular dill pickles (made with vinegar) will also work. I've also made this soup with half sour pickles (you can find them in most supermarkets in the refrigerated deli section).
If you don't have fresh dill, swap it for 2 teaspoons of dried dill weed.
Adding pickle brine makes the soup taste more sour. Add as much or as little as you like.
If you prefer thicker, creamier texture, blend 2 cups of the soup (with all the chunks) with an immersion blender and add the puree back to the soup.
For a thinner soup, increase the amount of broth by 1 additional cup.
The amount of salt will depend on the kind of broth and pickles you use. Just taste the soup at the end and adjust, as needed. Some pickles tend to be quite salty so you may not need any.
Yukon golds are my favorite potatoes to use in soups because they hold their shape and waxy texture. If you prefer, go with white, red or Russet potatoes.
Nutrition
Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2198IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg