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Briny dill pickles meet creamy sour cream and potatoes in this comforting dill pickle soup! Its savory, sour, and slightly creamy flavors are impossible to resist.
If you think pickles only belong on a hamburger, made up as air fryer pickles, and served with spicy mayo, you haven’t been lucky enough to my famous pickle soup.
I’ve been turning to this dill pickle soup recipe whenever I need a cozy yet exciting cold-weather meal to feed my family. Now, this soup may sound a little odd, and adding pickles to soup may not be your go-to, but, like cheeseburger soup, it will be after one spoonful of this delectable dish!
This recipe is a play on classic Polish pickle soup or “Zupa Ogórkowa”. It’s not authentic, but is just as cozy, briny, and comforting.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
- Briny dill pickle goodness. If you’re a pickle superfan, you’ll love this soup! It’s briny, tangy, and creamy.
- Hearty and filling. A medley of vegetables, soft and creamy potatoes, and the sour cream mixture make this dill pickle soup recipe incredibly comforting and filling.
- Quick and easy. All you have to do is simmer all of the ingredients in one pot for less than 30 minutes. It’s that easy!
- Vegetarian. I kept this recipe for dill pickle soup vegetarian, but you can use chicken broth or add meat to satisfy your cravings.
Ingredients needed
Dill pickle soup ingredients are simple, resulting in a flavor-packed dish you and the family will love. This is everything you need:
- Oil. To cook the vegetables.
- Classic soup vegetables. This soup recipe begins with sauteed onion, carrot, parsley root, and celery.
- Vegetable stock. If you don’t need to keep this recipe vegetarian, make it with chicken stock instead.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
- Potatoes. Use white, starchy potatoes for maximum creaminess. I like Yukon Gold potatoes, Russet potatoes, and baby potatoes.
- Dill pickles. You can’t have pickle soup without dill pickles! Opt for larger pickles because you have more room to work with and personally, they are even juicier.
- Sour cream. Sour cream and pickles are a match made in heaven. For a lighter option, use plain Greek yogurt.
- Flour. A little flour is stirred into the sour cream mixture to help thicken the soup.
- Pickle brine. Save the leftover pickle juice when you dice the sour dill pickles.
- Fresh dill. Use a little less if your pickles are particularly dill-y.
Find the printable recipe in the recipe card below.
How to make pickle soup
Step 1 – Cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat and saute the onion, carrot, parsley, and celery until tender. Pour the broth into the pot and bring it to a simmer.
Step 2 – Add the pickles. Season the soup with salt and pepper before lowering the temperature and adding in the potatoes and pickles. Continue cooking until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 3 – Make the sour cream mixture. Meanwhile, stir the sour cream, flour, and pickle brine together in a small bowl.
Step 4 – Finish the soup. Stir the sour cream mixture into the soup and cook until it’s heated through. Finally, add the fresh dill to the soup, then serve!
Recipe tips and variations
- Prep it in advance. When I’m low on time or meal prepping, I’ll get a headstart on this recipe by dicing the soup veggies, potatoes, and pickles a few days in advance. Even the sour cream mixture can be made 1 to 2 days before it goes into the soup. Keep everything in individual containers in the fridge until it’s time to cook.
- Make it creamier. For a creamier consistency, blend some or half of the soup with an immersion blender or regular blender.
- Top with a garnish. Garnish the soup with fresh dill, a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced pickles, or crispy onions.
- Make it dairy-free. Just use dairy-free sour cream instead of the regular stuff.
- Add protein. If I need a heartier meal, I’ll add shredded chicken or white beans to the soup. I always make this soup after Thanksgiving and use up leftover roasted turkey.
Storage instructions
To store: Store the leftover pickle soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Once the leftovers are cool, transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the soup thaw in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat: I like to reheat the soup in a pot on the stovetop but you can also zap it in the microwave until it’s warmed through.
Frequently asked questions
Pickle soup originated in Poland, where it’s known as Zupa Ogórkowa, but Ukraine, Russia, and Lithuania have their own variations of the recipe. Traditional Polish soup is made with dill pickles, broth, and potatoes, but I put my own spin on it with extra veggies and the comforting sour cream sauce.
A hunk of crusty bread is a must with this briny soup! I love dunking piece after piece in the soup, ensuring that every bite soaks up as much of that sour-savory flavor as possible. To make it a meal, you can pair pickle soup with family-friendly main dishes, like spaghetti squash casserole, eggplant lasagna, or homemade pizza.
I do not recommend making pickle soup in a slow cooker. It needs to boil and simmer to reach the right consistency and flavor profile, and that can’t be done with a crockpot.
More vegetarian soup recipes you’ll love
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup – The thick, cozy, and healthy soup of your dreams.
- Tuscan White Bean Soup – An Italian-inspired soup that’s incredibly hearty!
- Broccoli Cheese Soup – Velvety, smooth, and ready in 30 minutes.
- Pumpkin Curry Soup – The ultimate cozy fall meal.
Dill Pickle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 large carrot grated
- 1 parsley root diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 small potatoes cubed
- 1 cup sour dill pickles diced
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons pickle juice pickle brine
- 4 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, parsley, and celery. Saute the veggies until they become fork-tender.
- Pour in the stock and cook until it simmers. Season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to low and add potatoes and pickles. Cook until the potatoes are boiled.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, flour, and pickle juice and set aside.
- When potatoes are cooked, pour in the sour cream mixture and cook for a couple of more minutes, then add fresh dill and serve warm on plates.
Do you mean parsnip root instead of parsley root?
No, it’s correct 🙂 It’s similar to turnip.