Dill Pickle Soup
Updated Jan 28, 2025, Published on Nov 15, 2024
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Dill Pickle Soup is a creamy, tangy soup popular in Eastern European cuisine, especially in Poland, where it’s known as zupa ogórkowa. It features the unique flavors of dill pickles and brine, combined with potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. Vegetable or chicken broth is the base and is thickened with flour and sour cream for a creamy element
This is a unique soup recipe that is perfect if you're a big fan of pickles like me! Keep reading to learn how to make it.
Watch how to make it here!
What ingredients do I need to make this dill pickle soup?
- 4 strips Bacon, chopped; optional
- 1 Yellow Onion, grated or finely diced
- 2 Carrots, grated or finely diced
- 2 stalks Celery , grated or finely diced
- 1 small Leek, light green part only; halve and thinly slice crosswise
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 3 small Yellow Potatoes, about 1 lb; cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 5 Dill Pickle Spears, grated or finely diced
- 1 cup Dill Pickle Brine, divided
- 4 cups Reduced Sodium Vegetable Broth
- 1 cup Water
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream, more to serve
- 1 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1 bunch Fresh Dill, to serve
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
Recipe Note
Bacon is not traditionally added to this recipe, but it adds a delicious smoky flavor and provides a crispy textural element. Plus you can use some of the reserved bacon fat for sautéing the vegetables.
How do I make this soup?
- Optional: If you are adding bacon, start by adding chopped bacon to the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until crispy, stir occasionally. Set aside to a paper towel lined bowl to drain. Leave 1-2 tbsp of bacon fat in the pan for cooking. If not making bacon, add 1-2 tbsp of neutral oil to the pan instead.
- Add the grated yellow onion, grated carrots, grated celery, and thinly sliced leeks to the pot. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and starting to brown.
- Mix in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the cubed potatoes, grated dill pickles, 3/4 cup of the dill pickle brine, vegetable broth, water, and bay leaf.
- Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- In a heatproof bowl, combine the sour cream, all purpose flour, and a ladle of the hot soup. Whisk until well combined. Turn the heat on the soup to low and stir in the sour cream mixture and the remaining 1/4 cup of dill pickle brine. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Divide soup among bowls to serve. Top with the crispy bacon, fresh dill, a dollop of sour cream, and black pepper.
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Dill Pickle Soup
This soup is a little creamy, loaded with vegetables, and of course features the star of the show - dill pickles!
Equipment
- Food Processor optional to grate the vegetables
- Dutch Oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 4 strips Bacon, chopped; optional
- 1 Yellow Onion, grated or finely diced
- 2 Carrots, grated or finely diced
- 2 stalks Celery , grated or finely diced
- 1 small Leek, light green part only; halve and thinly slice crosswise
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 3 small Yellow Potatoes, about 1 lb; cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 5 Dill Pickle Spears, grated or finely diced
- 1 cup Dill Pickle Brine, divided
- 4 cups Reduced Sodium Vegetable Broth
- 1 cup Water
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream, more to serve
- 1 tablespoon All Purpose Flour
- 1 bunch Fresh Dill, to serve
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Optional: If you are adding bacon, start by adding chopped bacon to the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until crispy, stir occasionally. Set aside to a paper towel lined bowl to drain. Leave 1-2 tbsp of bacon fat in the pan for cooking. If not making bacon, add 1-2 tbsp of neutral oil to the pan instead.4 strips Bacon
- Add the grated yellow onion, grated carrots, grated celery, and thinly sliced leeks to the pot. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and starting to brown.1 Yellow Onion, 2 Carrots, 2 stalks Celery, 1 small Leek
- Mix in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the cubed potatoes, grated dill pickles, 3/4 cup of the dill pickle brine, vegetable broth, water, and bay leaf.4 cloves Garlic, 3 small Yellow Potatoes, 5 Dill Pickle Spears, 1 cup Dill Pickle Brine, 4 cups Reduced Sodium Vegetable Broth, 1 cup Water, 1 Bay Leaf
- Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- In a heatproof bowl, combine the sour cream, all purpose flour, and a ladle of the hot soup. Whisk until well combined. Turn the heat on the soup to low and stir in the sour cream mixture and the remaining 1/4 cup of dill pickle brine. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.1 cup Dill Pickle Brine, 1/2 cup Sour Cream, 1 tablespoon All Purpose Flour, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
- Divide soup among bowls to serve. Top with the crispy bacon, fresh dill, a dollop of sour cream, and black pepper.1 bunch Fresh Dill
Video
Notes
Note: I suggest using a food processor to grate the vegetables if you have one! If not, you can use the large holes of a box grater or finely dice the vegetables with a knife.
Adapted from:
https://themodernnonna.com/creamy-dill-pickle-soup/
https://www.thekitchn.com/polish-pickle-soup-recipe-23628556
https://food52.com/recipes/89129-best-polish-dill-pickle-soup
Nutrition
Calories: 227kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 1168mg, Potassium: 635mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 3944IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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