Zupa Ogórkowa (Polish Dill Pickle Soup Recipe) features the tangy flavor of dill pickles paired with garlic, fresh dill, and a variety of vegetables in a creamy broth. It’s easy to make and perfect for cozying up with!
Let’s start with the burning question here: what does dill pickle soup taste like?!
Zupa Ogórkowa is a classic Polish soup with a tangy taste that’s balanced with a creamy broth, and flavored mainly of garlic and dill. Yes, you can taste the pickles (aka fermented cucumbers), but don't worry, they cut through the soup’s richness well.
This creamy dill pickle soup is a lovely pairing of comfort food and nutrition, and it’s a great way to stay warm in the winter!
When I was in Poland in August a few years ago, soup was the norm even in the summer, and I tried a few different kinds. This was one of them, and it was served along with sourdough bread. There was an option to add cooked, shredded chicken on top, and it made dill pickle soup a filling meal. (You can check out some of my travel photos from Poland in this post.)
This is definitely one of the most unique soups I’ve ever had. If you like trying new things and you enjoy the flavor of dill pickles, I highly recommend Zupa Ogórkowa.
Like Kristen Bell revealed to Good Morning America and Today, I fully agree that this soup is perfect for the holidays!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The perfect balance between creamy comfort food and nutrition. Yes, this soup is rich and velvety with sour cream added to the broth. But it also has a variety of vegetables to add vitamins and minerals!
- Weeknight-friendly. In just over half an hour, you and your family will be sitting down to a delicious homemade meal.
- It’s naturally gluten free. Here we thicken the soup by coarsely mashing some of the vegetables. The starch from the potato thickens it beautifully. Additionally, sour cream adds creaminess and body to the broth.
- This soup is easy to make vegetarian. To do so, simply use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
The Best Zupa Ogórkowa
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Yellow onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Garlic
- Yellow potatoes
- Dill pickles
- Chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Whole allspice berries (or ground allspice)
- Sour cream
- Dill pickle juice
- Minced fresh dill
Step by Step Instructions for How to Make Polish Dill Pickle Soup
- Chop the onion, carrot, and celery all about the same size.
- Peel the potatoes, and cut them into ½-inch cubes.
- Dice the dill pickles a bit smaller.
- Add the butter to a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Once the butter is mostly melted, stir in the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are starting to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the potato, dill pickle, chicken stock, salt, black pepper, and allspice, and stir. Turn up the heat to bring the soup to a boil, and then turn the heat down so the soup simmers, cover the pot, and cook until the vegetables are softened but not mushy, about 10 minutes.
- Use a potato masher to coarsely mash some of the vegetables.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream, dill pickle juice, and minced fresh dill. Serve it up!
How to Store Dill Pickle Soup
Store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips for Making Zupa Ogórkowa
- Instead of sour cream. You can use the same amount of heavy cream if you prefer.
- Don’t skip the allspice. It’s a classic addition to this recipe, and it adds a beautiful complexity. If you didn’t know it was there, it would be the one “secret” ingredient that you couldn’t put your finger on!
- If you want to try this soup, but aren’t sure that you’ll like the tangy flavor. You can always start with less diced pickles and pickle juice and add more to taste.
Zupa Ogórkowa FAQs
What Kind of Pickles Should I Use to Make Zupa Ogórkowa?
Make sure to use a sour dill pickle that isn’t overly vinegary for this recipe. I like to use half-sour pickles here.
How Can I Make This Soup a Filling Meal?
Top the soup with cooked shredded chicken, and serve it along with buttered sourdough bread (or no-knead bread).
Can You Freeze Creamy Dill Pickle Soup?
Yes and no.
I don’t recommend freezing Zupa Ogórkowa after you add the sour cream. This is because after freezing, soups with sour cream have a tendency to curdle, which can change the flavor as well as the texture.
However, dill pickle soup freezes well if you freeze it before adding the sour cream. To do so:
- Make the soup, but don’t add the sour cream, dill pickle juice, and fresh dill yet.
- Freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
- Thaw it to room temperature, and then reheat it gently on the stovetop.
- Once it’s warm, add the sour cream, dill pickle juice, and fresh dill as directed in the recipe.
More Interesting Soup Recipes to Try
- Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
- Roasted Red Pepper Smoked Gouda Soup
- Polish Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik)
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Zupa Ogórkowa (Polish Dill Pickle Soup Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and chopped (or 3 small onions)
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 large stalks celery chopped
- 5 large cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 1 pound yellow potatoes peeled and cubed into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup diced dill pickles see Note
- 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 dried whole allspice berries or 1 pinch ground allspice
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup dill pickle juice see Note
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
Serving Suggestions:
- Sour cream for garnish
- Fresh dill for garnish
- Sourdough bread buttered
Instructions
- Add the butter to a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Once the butter is mostly melted, stir in the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are starting to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the potato, dill pickle, chicken stock, salt, black pepper, and allspice, and stir. Turn up the heat to bring the soup to a boil, and then turn the heat down so the soup simmers, cover the pot, and cook until the vegetables are softened but not mushy, about 10 minutes.
- Use a potato masher to coarsely mash some of the vegetables. This will help thicken the soup.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream, dill pickle juice, and minced fresh dill. Taste and add additional salt and black pepper if desired.
- Serve.
Faith's Tips
- Nutritional Information: Information for this recipe was calculated without the Serving Suggestions.
- Dill Pickles and Dill Pickle Juice: Make sure to use a sour dill pickle that isn’t overly vinegary for this recipe. I like to use half-sour pickles here.
Nutrition
Christine says
Loved this soup, better than I can remember my mom made.
I'm polish & this was very authentic.
I used my own chicken stock, which gave it more flavor.