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This Polish Dill Pickle Soup will likely stand out as one of the most ‘unusual’ recipes we share here on A Family Feast – but I tell you – it’s also one of the most addictively delicious too!
As you can tell from the title of the recipe, this is another Polish family classic – and this particular dill pickle soup recipes comes from an old, very traditional Polish cookbook that was once my grandmother’s.
In Poland and other Eastern European countries, pickling is a common method used to preserve vegetables, fruits, eggs and even meats. So a dill pickle soup may sound unusual by standards here in the United States, but it’s actually very common elsewhere in the world.
And thank goodness – because this soup is incredible – especially if you are a dill pickle fan!
We stayed completely true to the dill pickle soup recipe from the cookbook – a few simple ingredients, cooked simply – just as it would have been back in the day when my grandmother was alive. (It also only takes about 30 minutes to prepare!) We were tempted to update the recipe a bit by adding some carrots and fresh dill (which would be delicious additions!) – but after one taste of this Polish Dill Pickle Soup – it was absolutely perfect as is!
I should point out that this recipe made a fairly large quantity, so feel free to cut the recipe in half.
Adapted from The Art of Polish Cooking (Affiliate Link)
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Polish Dill Pickle Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 pounds new red potatoes, peeled and sliced into bite-sized slices
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 cups shredded dill pickles (shred on large holes of a grater)
- 2/3 cup pickle liquid
Instructions
- In a medium to large pot, heat both broths and add potatoes. Cook until potatoes are just about tender and remove to a bowl using a spider or strainer. Set potatoes aside but keep broth hot.
- In a larger pot, melt butter over medium heat and add flour. Cook for three minutes.
- Add hot broth one third at a time, whipping each third to combine.
- In a medium bowl, mix milk with egg yolks to combine. Temper this egg mixture by adding ladles full of broth into the egg mixture, whipping each time until the egg mixture is hot, then add back into the pot.
- Add pickles, cooked potatoes and pickle juice and heat just to serving temperature but do not boil.
- Garnish with uncooked pickle slices, optional.
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Wow! Love this soup, it is delicious and so quick and easy to make with most ingredients on hand already. This will be made often any season of the year.
Thanks Deborah!
So delicious! I usually make recipes as written the first time, but we had homemade chicken broth to use up, so used 6 cups of that in place of beef/veg. Also, I was cooking for a keto crowd, so I halved the amount of potatoes and added some cabbage. I’m sure the taste was different, and I still intend to try it as written. Interestingly, yesterday I found Cossack style pickle soup in a can in an E European grocery. It’s first 3 ingredients are rice, carrots, onions and it even includes walnuts. Haven’t tried it yet, but it looks like there must be many takes on this. Love your Polish recipes.
Thanks Ken – I’m sure there are many variations of this soup. Glad you enjoyed it!
I know that home made pickles would be the best, but not an option at this time. 🙂 What brand of pickles would you suggest work best in your recipe?
One of my students made this for and International Food Festival we had at our school. The 4th graders really enjoyed it! Many thought it was yummy! I now want to make it for my parents who are visiting.
Wow Patricia! As the mom of a picky eater (5th grade) – I love the idea of introducing new foods to kids at an International Food Festival at school! We almost always buy Vlasic brand pickles and I’m pretty sure we used that brand in our recipe. Hope that helps!
I’ve seen recipes for Dill Pickle Soup in so many different cookbooks I have here and on websites and have been thinking I REALLY need to try this to see what it’s all about. Martha, you’ve convinced me with your description that I’ve gotta get the lead out and get this one done. Now that our New England weather is going to be cooling down to stay, it’s coming on soup time!
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe-I’m looking forward to trying it. I can’t wait to see my husband Bob’s face when he asks what’s for dinner? 🙂
LOL Carol! 🙂 Please let us know how you BOTH like the recipe! I’ve always been skeptical about trying pickle soup – but I’m a fan now! Hope you enjoy the recipe!