Dill Pickle Soup

Yes, you read that right, Dill Pickle Soup!

As you may know, Nicole and I have a mutual affinity for anything related to pickles.  From our Pickled Soprano Cocktails to Dill Pickle Hummus, we will attempt to put pickles in anything and everything.  Last Christmas, her prezzie to me included a pickle-flavoured candy cane (sweet and pickle-y — weird and great for Christmas), and my prezzie to her included a glass pickle Christmas ornament.  You could call us pickle obsessed.

So when Nicole mentioned a traditional Polish recipe that included dill pickles in a soup, I was ready to try it!  We’ve made this a couple of times, and this version is our favourite.  It’s really a potato soup with lots of grated pickles added in at the end. We’ve grated the pickles on both a box grater, and using the grating attachment of my food processor, and it takes about the same amount of time either way.  Using the box grater is kind of fun, and you get to eat all the leftover pickle nubs that don’t get grated at the end … (and there’s less cleanup), so I’ll probably do it that way in the future.

The authentic Polish soup (Zupa ogórkowa) is usually made with lacto-fermented sour pickles and non-vegetarian broth.  We’ve made this soup vegetarian by using veggie stock, and it’s even vegan if you don’t add the Greek Yogurt topping at the end.  It’s one of those comfort foods that you’ve never had before but just hits that nostalgia spot.  Or maybe it just makes us happy because it hits the pickle spot.

Dill Pickle Soup
Serves 4

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
• 4 c. vegetable stock
• 6 baby dill pickles or 3 dill pickles, grated
• sea salt & pepper, to taste
• 4 Tbsp. Greek yogurt (optional, omit to keep the recipe vegan)
• 4 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped

In a large pot over low heat, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic.  Sweat the onions over low heat until they become translucent.

While the onions are sweating, put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water, covering with 5cm (2 inches) of water.  Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat, and boil for 12-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.  Drain the potatoes.

Once the onions are translucent, add the boiled potatoes to the pot, and stir to combine.  Let cook for 5 minutes more over medium heat, stirring frequently so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.  Pour in the vegetable stock and bring the soup to a simmer.

Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.  Bring the pot off the heat, and blitz with an immersion blender (or pour into a blender and blitz) until smooth.

Stir in the grated pickles.  Taste, and add salt & pepper if necessary (I find that I only add a few grinds of cracked pepper here, as the stock and pickles make the soup salty enough).

Pour into four bowls and top with a tablespoon of Greek yogurt (optional), then sprinkle a tablespoon of the chopped dill over the top.  Serve warm and enjoy!