Dill pickle soup recipe or Polish ogórkowa zupa is a creamy tangy soup made with potatoes, pickles and fresh dill and finished with a heavy pouring of sour cream. It tastes super delicious, easy to make, good for you and of course vegan.
Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat. Add a light drizzle of olive oil (or a splash of water) and sautee the onion with a pinch of salt until translucent. (Aprox 5 minutes or so.) Add the grated carrot and celery and cook until they begin to soften, another 5 minutes.
1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery
Add the diced potatoes, bay leaves, pickling juice and water (or veggie stock) and bring to a simmer. Season with a good pinch of salt and cook until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the diced pickles and fresh dill.
1 cup Polish dill pickles (or cornichons), 1/2 cup pickle juice / brine, 1 lb golden potatoes, 2 bay leaves, 5 cups water, S & P to taste, 1/2 bunch fresh dill
Discard the bay leaf and stir in 1/3 cup of the sour cream. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Add more sour cream if desired.
3/4 cup cashew sour cream
Serve warm or cold with extra sour cream on the side and a pinch of chili flakes for heat.
Make the Sour Cream
Soak the cashews in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a powerful blender together with the lemon juice and water. Process until silky smooth. (Depending on the type of blender you are using you might want to add an extra splash of water to keep things running smooth if need be).
1 cup raw cashew pieces, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/3 cup water
WFPB. + Plantricious
For compliance make sure to sautéed the aromatics in water or broth and refrain from adding any oil or butter. The homemade cashew sour cream above is oil-free and compliant but keep in mind that the store bought brands usually are not.
Notes
Grate the Carrot - I insist on the grating element here! Not only does it add body and naturally thicken the soup but it lends it that beautiful golden hue of a veggie stock that has simmered all day long. I only used water here (no stock) and the flavor turned out lovely.
Pickle Juice - The liquid from the jar of dill pickles is an important souring agent of the soup. You want to add it early on so the potatoes and aromatics get cooked in it and absorb all that deep flavor. Don't omit it!
Fresh Dill - It must be fresh and lots of it. The recipe calls for half a bunch, I usually add that into the soup and serve the other half on the side with extra sour cream. Hold off till you remove the soup from heat to add it as it is a mild herb.
Dairy Free Sour Cream - I included our favorite homemade cashew sour cream recipe below. It's health conscious and made without oil or butter but totally delivers the flavor and texture we are after. Alternatively you could use your favorite store bought brand.
Variation - Use a small leek instead of onion and add a handful of chopped tomatoes into the mix. Go wild!
Storage - This soup keeps well in the fridge up to a week and it can even be frozen in airtight lidded containers for up to 4 months. Thaw out in the refrigerator and enjoy cold or reheat on the stovetop.