Dill Pickle Soup (zupa Ogorkowa)

While it may sound a little strange, this Dill Pickle Soup is actually a very popular dish in Poland. I was challenged to make it by one of my fans. Give it a try!

I personally don't eat many recipes as I tend to lean towards simple meals I can throw together quickly. In fact, I had been running out of ideas for this blog until I started asking my fans (you!) what I should make next.

I've had some really GOOD suggestions too, like last week's Taco Soup, so thank you! And ... some odd-sounding suggestions 😆, like this week's Dill Pickle Soup.

Dill Pickles? In a SOUP?!?

But I gave it a try and you know what? I like it! It reminds me of a creamy potato soup, only sour from the addition of dill pickles and sour cream.

I have no idea how close I came to recreating the authentic Polish recipe, so for those of you who know, please tell me how I did!

Ingredients for Making Dill Pickle Soup

Pickles: Vinegar vs Brine

Most pickled cucumbers you see in the store (or probably have in your fridge) are probably cucumbers that have been pickled in vinegar. They are shelf-stable - so no refrigeration is needed.

And these are NOT the pickles we want for this recipe!

We want cucumbers that have been fermented in a salt brine, like these Bubbies, which are a popular brand. These pickles have been fermented and are bursting with good bacteria, so they will be refrigerated.

At my local Fred Meyer, they are located in the same cooler with the tofu, kimchi, veganaise, etc.

You will need about 3-4 pickles (½ cup diced) along with ½ cup of the brine for this recipe.

Other ingredients you will need are:

onion
celery
carrots
garlic
gold potatoes
FRESH dill
low-sodium vegetable broth
vegan sour cream

If you want to make your own vegan sour cream, you can use cashews, sunflower seeds, white beans, or tofu as your base.

My green chile sour cream is a fan favorite, but in this recipe I used:

8 oz. extra-firm tofu
garlic
lemon juice
apple cider vinegar
miso
onion powder
salt

How To Make Dill Pickle Soup

a mirepoix of onions, celery, and carrots

Dice enough onion to get about 1 ½ cups of diced onion and add to a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
Repeat for the celery
You can also dice the carrot but I shredded it. Again, 1 ½ cups and into the pot.
They call this combination of onions, celery, and carrots a Mirepoix, which you can sometimes find already prepared in your store. Look in the frozen veggie section.
Saute the veggies (mirepoix) with a little veggie broth until softened.
Stir in the garlic
Dice about 2 cups of gold potatoes and add to the pot along with 4 cups of low-sodium veggie broth, and 1 cup of water.
Finely mince about 2 T. of FRESH dill and add to the pot.
Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer until the potatoes are soft.
Dice about ½ cup of the brined pickles (about 2-3) and add to the pot along with ½ cup of the brine (pickle juice).
Let simmer for another 5 minutes and then blend a cup or two to thicken. Alternatively, you can add 1-2 T of a cornstarch slurry or ¼ cup of dried potato flakes to thicken.
Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste
Fold in ⅓ cup of your favorite vegan sour cream before serving.
Garnish with more diced pickles and dill.