Polish Dill Pickle Soup
Amazing Polish Dill Pickle Soup Recipe – A creamy potato soup with tangy pickles speckled throughout. This is pure Polish comfort food, known for its distinctive tangy flavor that is balanced with starchy vegetables and creamy egg yolks!
Why We Love This Dill Pickle Soup Recipe
The first time I ever tasted Polish Pickle Soup was at a neighborhood potluck. The theme was “Baltic Night” and every family was required to bring a dish from a country bordering the Baltic Sea.
It was fun to see (and taste) the wide array of north-eastern European dishes everyone cooked. We brought Potato Latkes and Swedish Creams to the party. However one of our friends brought the show-stopper of the evening, Pickle Soup!
Without tasting it, my first impression was…. Weird. Pickles in soup?
But then I started thinking of all the southern dishes like chicken salad, potato salad, and even sloppy joes that incorporate pickles. I would have tried it anyway, yet this closer-to-home thought process changed my attitude.
Needless to say, the Dill Pickle Soup was delicious! A silky potato-based soup with fresh herbs and tangy dill pickles speckled throughout.
Several months later I had the opportunity to go to Poland and taste Polish Pickle Soup in its place of origin. Of course, it was utterly fabulous. Just the right balance of richness and acidity.
Brined and fermented foods are of great importance to Polish culture. Historically, these foods have been a saving grace through the long cold winters and years of hardship. Poles have learned to use them in tantalizing ways.
Pickle soup is just one example of their ability to make something comforting and delicious with limited resources.
If you love potato soup and you love dill pickles, Pickle Soup needs to be on your must-make list.
It’s a cozy and unique potato soup variation that is low-fat, gluten-free, and budget-friendly!
How To Make Polish Pickle Soup
Prep all the vegetables and grate the pickles. Place a large pot over medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add in the onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for another 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the veggies have softened, add the sliced potatoes, vegetable stock, grated pickle, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Remove the bay leaf, and use an immersion blender the puree the soup a little to thicken the base. Do not fully puree.
Remove 1 cup of soup base from the pot. Stir to cool. Quickly whisk the egg yolks into the small portion of soup. Whisk fast so the yolks incorporate smoothly into the base, not scramble. Then whisk the egg mixture back into the pot. Simmer for 5 more minutes. This gives the entire pot of soup a luxurious silky texture.
Stir in 1 tablespoon of dill pickle brine and fresh dill. Taste, then add more pickle juice if desired and salt and pepper as needed.
Scoop the soup into bowls and serve warm. Garnish with extra dill!
Get The Full (Printable) Dill Pickle Soup Recipe Below.
Frequently Asked Questions
You might be asking yourself, where’s the salt? Not to worry; The pickles, pickle juice, and broth all add their own saltiness to the soup. There should not be any need to add more of you own.
Absolutely! If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can thicken the soup by placing 2 cups of soup in a standard blender. Open the vent in the lid and cover the blender. Then cover the lid with a kitchen towel for safety. Puree the soup and stir it back into the pot.
You can store these leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Yep, it makes great leftovers! Store in an airtight container for up to three months. To reheat, allow the soup to thaw, then heat on medium-high heat over the stovetop (about 8-10 minutes).
Other Great Soup Recipes
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Bacon
- Fried Goat Cheese Green Salad
- Healthy Chicken White Bean Soup
- Tuna Chickpea Kofta with Harissa Greek Yogurt Dip
- The Best Queso with Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Smoked Cheese Dip (Spread) with Sour Cream
- Cold Cucumbers Soup by Love and Lemons
Polish Dill Pickle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 1/4 cup chopped carrots
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 russet potatoes, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced
- 10 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup grated dill pickle, from 2-4 whole dill pickles
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 egg yolks
- 1-2 tablespoons pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
Instructions
- Prep all the vegetables and grate the pickles. Place a large stock pot over medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add in the onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for another 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the veggies have softened, add the sliced potatoes, broth, grated pickle, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer the soup for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Remove the bay leaf, and use an immersion blender the puree the soup a little to thicken the base. Do not fully puree.
- Remove 1 cup of soup base from the pot. Stir to cool. Quickly whisk the egg yolks into the small portion of soup. Whisk fast so the yolks incorporate smoothly into the base, not scramble. Then whisk the egg mixture back into the pot. Simmer for 5 more minutes. This gives the entire pot of soup a luxurious silky texture.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice and fresh dill. Taste, then add more pickle juice if desired and salt and pepper as needed.
Soup is fantastic! I’m Polish and had dill pickle soup for first time this year at a Polish restaurant in Hamtramck, Michigan and loved it. I’ve made this recipe three times now and everyone always asks for seconds! The eggs added for the silky texture is a great touch. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
This soup looks delicious! I love dill pickles but have yet to try it in a soup, I can’t wait to make this for my family! thanks so much for sharing!
It’s delicious!!! I added some bratwurst, used a little cream instead of eggs, homemade chicken stock instead of vegetable, and topped with sour cream and fresh dill. Amazing!!
This soup was delicious! I made it exactly to the recipe and it turned out perfectly! Great flavour and texture!
I LOVE pickles and soup! Putting them together seems like a no-brainer :) Do you think I could make this in a crockpot? I imagine I could put everything in, cook for a few hours, then blend and do the yolk thing toward the end??
Hi Jessica,
I’ve never made it in the crockpot, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Yes, definitely mix in the yolks at the very end. :)
Hi! By Dill pickle, do you mean dills pickels marinated in a bottle….sorry for my anglish!1. Thank you!!!
Hi Julie,
Yes, use jarred dill pickles. Like hamburger pickles! :)
I can’t imagine an alternative for egg yolks but the recipe sounds delectable.
Made this for dinner last night. My husband is Polish, so he was all for trying something new.!Thanks for all your fun recipes each week.
What’s the purpose of the egg? Can something else be substituted since we have an egg allergy and this looks so good!
Hi Justine,
The egg yolks give the soup a silky texture. You can skip them if you like.
What a combo! Ill have to give it a try!
My family is Polish and dill pickle soup (aka Ogorkowa Zupa) is the BEST! Similar to your initial reaction, many of my friends have made weird faces at the idea of pickles in soup, but once they try it (especially when my mom makes it), they’re hooked. It’s always amazing to see different food pairings from other countries! Thanks for sharing :)
What an interesting twist on vegetable soup! I love pickles, so I think I’d love this. It looks so thick and rich too!