Creamy Dill Pickle Soup

Dill pickle soup (zupa ogórkowa) is a tangy yet creamy traditional Polish soup that’s as delicious as it is unusual. Made with pickled gherkins, this Polish pickle soup is the perfect vegetarian comfort food on a cold winter day.

One of my favourites things to do every winter is trying out new soups. This dill pickle soup (zupa ogórkowa) was an incredible surprise, and even though it sounds pretty unusual, I promise it’s an incredibly tasty veggie soup.

Called zupa ogórkowa in Polish, dill pickle soup is exactly what it says on the tin — a vegetarian soup made with pickled gherkins, potatoes and fresh dill.

In good Eastern European tradition, the pickle soup is made creamy with generous amounts of sour cream.

The result is a soup that will definitely surprise your taste buds — in a very good way.

The soup tastes a lot like pickled cucumbers but the flavour is not overwhelming. A bowl of dill pickle soup is sure to keep you warm and satisfied.

The soup is hearty enough to be enjoyed on its own, thanks to the potatoes, but it also goes down a treat with rye bread or just some fresh crusty bread.

What do you need to make creamy dill pickle soup?

Butter — Use unsalted butter to make zupa ogórkowa. The pickles and their brine are already salty enough.

Onion, carrot and celery — Dice the onion, carrot and celery on the smaller side for this soup. Some versions of Polish pickle soup don’t call for celery, so you can safely skip it if you don’t have any.

Pickled gherkins — You’ll need a jar of pickled gherkins in brine for this Polish dill picke recipe.

Many of the gherkins you can find in supermarkets are pickled in vinegar, but you can still find brine ones.

Alternatively, you can visit an Eastern European shop where they typically stock lots of types of gherkins, many of them in brine.

Potatoes — Yellow and red potatoes are both excellent choices for this zupa ogórkowa recipe. I like to cut them into 1-inch cubes, but you can go for smaller cubes that cook quicker. If you want the soup to be creamier, you can use a potato masher or the back of your spoon to break them a bit once the soup is ready.

Vegetable stock — Both homemade or shop-bought vegetable stock work great for pickle soup. If you’re not a vegetarian, you can also use chicken stock.

Sour cream — A staple of Eastern European cuisines, sour cream is a versatile ingredient that’s often used to thicken sauces, make dips or garnish soups. Make sure you temper it with a couple of tablespoons of hot soup before adding it to the pot. This will result in a smooth texture and will prevent it from curdling.

Fresh dill — Dill is an essential ingredient in zupa ogórkowa and can’t be substituted with anything else.

How do you make zupa ogórkowa?

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion, carrot and celery stalks. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the veggies soften slightly.

Stir in the pickled gherkins, pickle juice, potatoes and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender

Mix a couple of tablespoons of soup in the sour cream to temper it, then whisk this mixture in the soup. Stir in the fresh dill and season to taste.

Serve with extra fresh dill, sliced dill pickles and rye bread (or your favourite crusty bread).

Recipe notes and tips

• Don’t add any extra salt to the soup until right at the end. Because some pickles and pickle juice are saltier than others, you may not need any extra salt, so it’s important to taste the soup before adding any salt.
• If you want the soup to be thicker, you can mix 1 tablespoon of plain flour in the sour cream mixture before adding it to the pot.
• You can grate the pickled gherkins on the big holes of a grater instead of chopping them into little pieces.
• This Polish dill pickle soup will keep well in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• I don’t recommend freezing this soup because of the sour cream in it.