Dill Pickle Soup
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This delicious Dill Pickle Soup is an authentic Polish soup recipe that’s made all in one pot. It’s like a Polish take on chicken soup that’s perfect for pickle lovers!
Add this recipe to your rotation for soup season for a hearty and flavorful dish that’s easy to make and packed with pickle flavor.
If you love soups as much as I do, you’ll want to give this Chicken Corn Soup Recipe or this Roasted Vegetable Soup a try next!
Why This Pickle Soup Recipe is The Best
Have you ever heard of pickle soup before? This incredible take on chicken soup is loaded up with vegetables and tangy pickle flavor for a super comforting dish.
- Nutritious: With lots of healthy veggies and protein from the chicken, this is a great soup with lots of nutrition. You can leave out the cream for a lighter version and this will also allow you to store the soup for a few extra days in the fridge.
- Easy to make: This pickle soup is made with classic ingredients and a simple process that even a beginner home chef can follow for a dish that’s going to quickly become one of your favorite soup recipes.
- SO much flavor: Thanks to pickle brine, pickle chunks, and a variety of herbs and spices, this soup is packed with warm and comforting flavors.
Best of all, this is a classic family recipe that my neighbor’s Polish grandma was kind enough to share with me. Now I’m sharing this classic Polish soup with you, just in time for soup season!
And if you can’t get enough tasty soups, try my Chicken Pastina Soup or this Roasted Corn Chowder.
What is Polish Dill Pickle Soup?
This soup is similar to any classic chicken soup you may have had, but it features chunks of pickles and actual pickle brine in the broth for a flavorful and mouthwatering twist. This soup also features lot of tender veggies for a nice healthy meal.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken broth: Vegetable stock is also an option, but I prefer the richness that chicken broth provides. Chicken bone broth is a great option if you want to add a little more protein to your soup!
- Veggies: There are loads of vegetables in this soup! You’ll need potatoes, carrots, onion, parsnip, and mushrooms.
- Seasonings: For lots of flavor, add bay leaves, black peppercorns, and allspice.
- Pickles: You’ll add both diced pickles and the actual dill pickle juice for lots of distinctly sour and delicious pickle flavor.
- Shredded chicken: I like to use a rotisserie chicken and shred that, but you can also cook the chicken right in the soup, bake it, or use leftover chicken.
- Half and half: This ingredient is optional but helps thicken up the broth.
What kind of Dill Pickles should I use?
If you can find authentic Polish pickles, those are usually the best you can use. Most Polish pickles are packed in a more natural brine instead of straight vinegar, so the flavor won’t be overly acidic. Otherwise, I liked how it turned out with Bubbie’s Pickles and Grillo’s Pickles, but I haven’t tried any other brands yet!
How to Make Pickle Soup
Step 1: Make the broth. In a large soup pot, bring the broth to a boil and add carrots, parsnip, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, and mushrooms. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Simmer. Add potatoes and simmer another 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Step 3: Pickles! Add pickles, pickle brine, and chicken to the pot and simmer another 5 to 10 minutes, uncovered.
Step 4: Finish the soup. Stir in the half and half and fresh dill and simmer one last time until everything is heated through, then serve.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Vegan Pickle Soup: Omit the heavy cream and shredded chicken, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Be sure to get pickles that aren’t super vinegary or the whole soup will be overly acidic or sour. I like Bubbie’s pickles personally, but anything that isn’t too sour should be ok.
- Don’t use pickles that are too sweet, or they might clash with all of the warm and savory flavors. Don’t use a different variety of pickle either (like bread and butter)—dill pickles are a must!
- Use sausage, ham, ground beef, or mini chicken meatballs instead of the shredded chicken if you prefer a different protein.
- If you want a thicker soup, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup after it’s done cooking. You can also transfer some of the soup to a regular blender, give it a good pulse, and then transfer back to the soup and stir together.
- Extra toppings: top with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, more fresh dill, and additional diced pickle for more dill flavor.
Storing Leftovers
I recommend eating this comforting soup as soon as possible after making it for the best flavor, but if you do have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for one day. If you omit the half and half, you can store it for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Reheat in the microwave or transfer back to a pot over medium heat and stir until heated through.
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Dill Pickle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup shredded parsnip
- 1 medium white onion, shredded
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns, 15-20
- 1/4 tsp whole allspice, 15-10
- 1/4 cup dried mushrooms
- 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, diced and stored in cold water to keep from browning until ready to use
- 1 32 oz jar of whole pickles in brine*, peeled and shredded and save any juices from shredding
- 1/4 cup pickle brine the juice from the jar (taste and add another 1/4 cup if you want more pickle flavor)
- 3 cups shredded chicken (light and dark meat), cooked and shredded (I used a rotisserie)
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped dill, more or less depending on how much you like it
- kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring the broth to a boil in a large stock pot over medium heat, then add the carrots, parsnip, bay leaves, black peppercorns, allspice, and dried mushrooms. Reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid 3/4 of the way on for 10 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and simmer 10-15 minutes (lid still on) or until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the shredded pickles, pickle brine, and shredded chicken to the pot and simmer for 5-10 minutes, uncovered. Then stir in the half and half and fresh dill and and simmer for 5 more minutes before serving.
Notes
- The soup will can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days if you don’t add the half and half. If you’re using half and half, it’s best enjoyed right away but can be stored for up to a day.
- It’s important to use pickles in brine, not dill pickles because the vinegar will alter the flavor of the soup. If you can find polish pickles in brine that’s the best option, next best is Bubbie’s brand pickles in brine!
