Dill Pickle Soup (Polish Zupa Ogórkowa)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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cooking the broth (optional)
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
6 small servings
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Calories
184 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Polish
Dill Pickle Soup (Polish Zupa Ogórkowa)
Description
Dill Pickle Soup (Polish Zupa Ogórkowa) centers on fermented cucumbers (not quickly pickled ones) and their brine, which provides a gentle naturally sour note. The soup includes butter, carrot, onion, and potatoes, cooked in a clear chicken broth. Optionally, one can make the broth from scratch using chicken wings or carcass, various root vegetables, and spices to add depth. The soup is finished with heavy cream and chopped dill for smoothness and herbal freshness. The use of fermented cucumbers distinguishes this soup from others that use vinegar-based pickles. It's traditionally served as a warm, comforting starter or light meal.
The cooking method involves simmering the vegetables and fermented cucumbers in broth, then adding cream and seasoning to taste. The resulting soup has a creamy texture complemented by the soft potatoes and tender vegetables, with a mildly sour, herbaceous flavor.
This soup pairs well with rustic bread and can be enjoyed during colder months or when a uniquely flavored soup is desired. It offers an authentic taste of Polish cuisine.
Notes include the importance of using the right cucumbers and brine for proper flavor, the option to use frozen or various parts of chicken for broth, and tips for adjusting the sourness by gradually adding brine and tasting. It suggests lean spareribs as an alternative to chicken wings for broth and notes calorie estimate per serving.
Ingredients
for the soup:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 lb fermented cucumbers NOT dill pickles, 450g, in brine
- 1 carrot medium
- 1 onion small
- 6 cups chicken broth or make your own brown (recipe below, 1.5 L
- 1 lb potatoes 5 medium potatoes, 450g
- 1/2-1 cup cucumber brine (pickle juice), from the jar with cucumbers
- 1/3 cup heavy cream 80ml
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons dill chopped
from-scratch broth (optional):
- 8 chicken wings or carcass and neck of a chicken + a couple of wings
- 2 carrot large
- 1 onion
- 1/2 leek
- 1/2 parsley root optional
- parsley a couple sprigs, leaves
- celeriac or 2 celery ribs, piece
- 3 bay leaf
- 2 allspice berries optional
- 10 black peppercorns
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 8 cups water 2 liter
Instructions
make the homemade broth (optional, use 6 cups store-bought broth!):
- This step is optional. You can use store-bought broth and omit this section completely. But if you wish to make the soup from scratch, like it's made in Poland, you need to:
- Add the chicken wings into a big pot and pour in 8 cups of cold water. Cook over medium heat until the water is simmering, but it shouldn't come to a rolling boil, it should just simmer (you will see a couple of small bubbles on the surface of the water). Skim off the grey lumps/foam on the surface of the water with a slotted spoon or with a small mesh strainer to get a clear soup (this is optional).
- While the water in the pot is warming up clean the vegetables. Peel the carrots, parsley root and celeriac. Cut into 2-3 bigger pieces. Cut the leek in half and wash it thoroughly.
- When the water with meat is simmering add all the vegetables and spices, season very lightly with salt. Bring again to a simmer. Cover partially and cook over low heat (the soup should only simmer) for about 1-1.5 hours.
- Strain the broth. You can discard all the vegetables (you can leave 1 carrot for the soup if you wish). When the meat is cold enough to handle, separate it from the bones and skin and discard them (you can keep the meat and add it later to the soup).
make the soup:
- Grate the cucumbers on the big holes of a box grater. Squeeze the grated cucumbers with your hands and reserve the liquid (you should have about 1/2 cup of the brine, add another 1/2 cup of the brine from the jar with cucumbers, you should have 1 cup of liquid/brine in total). After you have squeezed out the water you should have about 1 2/3 cups of grated cucumbers.
- Grate the carrot on the small holes of a box grater, cut the potatoes into small cubes (about 1/2-inch / 1.5 cm), finely chop the onion.
- Heat the butter in a medium pan and add the cucumbers, cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add them to the pot with broth.
- Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan, add the onion and carrot. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the content of the pan to the pot with broth and cucumbers.
- Add potatoes to the pot, bring to a boil, and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Add the cucumber's brine (juice), add it gradually, and taste the soup making sure it's not too sour or not sour enough for you.
- Take the soup off the heat.
- Temper the cream: pour the cream into a cup, add a couple tablespoons of soup, stirring after every added tablespoon, then add the tempered cream into the pot.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in chopped dill.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Use naturally fermented cucumbers in brine, avoiding any with vinegar for authentic flavor.
- Add cucumber brine gradually while tasting to control the sourness of the soup.
- Chicken wings or carcass with neck are preferred for broth to maximize flavor and gelatin; frozen meat can be used directly without defrosting.
- Spareribs can substitute chicken in broth, using lean pieces cut smaller.
- Calorie count is about one-sixth of the recipe per small serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6small servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 184 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 184kcal | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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