Pickle Soup (Ogórkowa Zupa)
A soul-warming Polish classic where grated sour pickles, root vegetables, and tangy brine come together in a savory broth — rich, comforting, and surprisingly crave-worthy.
Ingredients
- 6-8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 3 large carrots peeled and grated
- 3 large russet potatoes peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 small celery root (celeriac) peeled and diced
- 1 medium parsnip peeled and diced
- 7 dill pickles (8–9 oz) coarsely grated
- 1½ cups pickle brine (or more, to taste)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 3 dried bay leaves
- salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup sour cream and fresh chopped dill for serving optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine 6 cups of stock with carrots, potatoes, celery root, and parsnip. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10–12 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender.
- While vegetables simmer, grate the pickles and set aside. In a frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and bay leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add grated pickles, lower heat, cover, and cook for 8–12 minutes until soft.
- Add the pickle mixture to the soup pot, followed by 1 cup of the pickle brine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add up to ½ cup more brine if you want a tangier flavor. Discard bay leaves.
- (Optional) If using sour cream, temper it by mixing with cold water and then with a few spoonfuls of soup. Stir tempered cream into the pot. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh dill and black pepper.
Notes
Tips and Variations
- Add protein: Shredded rotisserie chicken or sliced kielbasa makes this a full meal.
- Make it vegetarian: Use vegetable stock and skip the meat add-ins.
- Tang level: Taste as you go! Pickles vary in saltiness and acidity.
- Creamy boost: Stir in sour cream or a spoonful of crème fraîche at the end.