This recipe for Polish creamy dill pickle soup or zupa ogórkowa (ZOO-pah oh-goorr-KOH-vah) is the winter counterpart to the summer offering of cold cucumber soup.
In Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe, pickling was a common way of preserving fruits, vegetables, meats, and eggs before refrigeration became widespread. The soup's base of pickled baby cucumbers, (what we just call plain old pickles) in hot broth imakes for a truly delicious and simple soup.
Some versions of this pickle soup use a tomato or ketchup base, but this more widely known variation uses sour cream. If you substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock, it becomes completely vegetarian.
Incidentally, this soup has an interesting background. Eastern European hangover cures often center around salty foods, in order to replenish the salts lost through dehydration, which is a side effect of excessive drinking. This pickle soup is a good contender as is Russian rassolnik, or kidney-pickle soup.
Today, thanks to refrigeration and the availability of year-round produce, this soup can be enjoyed in winter or summer, but it is especially soothing in colder months. Garnish it with fresh chopped dill, and serve with crusty rye or pumpernickel bread.
“Pickle soup sounds a little strange but is truly delicious and very satisfying. A good way to imagine the flavor is like that of a creamy potato soup with a distinctive and irresistible tang. Absolutely worth trying.” —Joan Velush
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1 medium onion, halved and sliced
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4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
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4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
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4 large garlic dill pickles, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, about 2 cups
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2/3 cup pickle juice or water
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1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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1 cup sour cream
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Sugar, to taste, optional
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Finely chopped fresh dill, for garnish
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Hearty rye bread, for serving
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Melt butter in a large pot. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes.
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Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the pickles, pickle juice, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes more.
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In a small bowl, blend flour with sour cream.
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Temper the sour cream mixture by whisking in a little hot soup, so it does not curdle.
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Pour tempered sour cream back into the hot soup, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
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Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and optional sugar.
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At this point, the soup can be left chunky or puréed to the velvety consistency of vichyssoise.
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Serve in heated bowls garnished with fresh dill and accompanied by hearty rye bread.
Tip
- Alternative authentic dill pickle soup can be made with a chicken broth base, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, and sour cream.
Can You Freeze Dill Pickle Soup?
Sadly, because this soup contains sour cream, if you freeze it and reheat it, it won't fare so well. The soup will likely become grainy upon reheating. Instead, if you want to freeze the soup, set some of it aside before adding the sour cream, freeze that portion, and then add the sour cream upon reheating, following the steps in the recipe.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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286 | Calories |
12g | Fat |
39g | Carbs |
6g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 286 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 12g | 16% |
Saturated Fat 6g | 32% |
Cholesterol 36mg | 12% |
Sodium 2269mg | 99% |
Total Carbohydrate 39g | 14% |
Dietary Fiber 4g | 13% |
Total Sugars 10g | |
Protein 6g | |
Vitamin C 13mg | 63% |
Calcium 105mg | 8% |
Iron 2mg | 10% |
Potassium 814mg | 17% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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