Zupa Ogórkowa
Poland has a love affair with soup, and with good reason. The soups of Poland are unique and flavorful. They range from a light starter to a hearty meal. Plus, they are your answer to all of life’s problems. Are you feeling sick? Soup. Want to boost nutrition? Soup. Trying to lose a few pounds? Soup.
As a die-hard pickle enthusiast, Zupa Ogórkowa, aka pickle soup, is a no-brainer.
Yeah, it sounds a little unusual. But hear me out. Its a perfect combo! Chicken, vegetables, and potatoes all pair perfectly with the salty tang and earthy herb flavor of pickles. Add in a creamy broth and you have a home run.
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: ~45 minutes
Tools
Large stock pot
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Grater
measuring spoons and cups
Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Soup
1 yellow onion, diced
Butter or avocado oil, about 4 tablespoons
2 pounds of potatoes, large dice
I like creamer potatoes
2 cups of carrots, shredded
~ 20 ounces of boneless skinless chicken thighs
To make this vegan, use 2-3 cans of white beans instead!
4 cups (32 ounces) unsalted veggie or chicken/bone broth
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons marjoram
1 tablespoon white pepper
Fresh dill, 1 bunch
1 tablespoon Vegeta seasoning
This is Polish magic! Do not skip this. Buy it on amazon if you must
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
32 ounce container of high quality, refrigerated pickles (I like Grillo’s in classic dill)- separated
All of the spears shredded
Reserve all of the juice for the soup (strain out the herbs)
Will be about 2 cups
Cream Base
0.75 to 1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
adjust based on how creamy you want to soup
creme fraiche has a higher fat content and I prefer it
for a vegan option, you can try Kite Hill sour cream alternative
1/4 to 1/2 cup all purpose flour
Adjust amount depending on how creamy you want the soup/how much creme fraiche or sour cream you use (e.g. 0.75 cup creme fraiche + 1/4 cup flour)
1/2 cup water
Directions
Get the Veggies Ready!
Peel the potatoes (if you want), and cut them into ~1/2-inch cubes
For smaller potatoes with thin skin, you don’t really need to peel
Store in a bowl of water while you prepare everything else
Dice onion
Grate the dill pickle spears and carrots
place in seperate bowls
Start Making Soup!
Sauté chicken and veggies
Add butter to pan
Once the butter is mostly melted, stir in the chicken, sautéed for ~5 minutes
Then add the onion and carrots
Cook until the vegetables are starting to soften, about 5 minutes
Stir in Vegeta, white pepper and marjoram, and whole peppercorns
Give it a good stir
Add the (drained) diced potato, shredded dill pickle, chicken stock, and bay leaf
Turn up the heat to bring the soup to a boil, and then turn the heat down so the soup simmers
Partially cover the pot, and cook until the potatoes are tender
if you can fork the potato easily, they are ready!
Add Cream Base
Remove from heat. While soup cools slightly…
In a separate bowl (I prefer a large 4 cup pyrex measuring cup) add the following
creme fraiche and flour
Mix well
Mix water into the creme fraiche/flour mix
Slowly add broth from pot into mix, 1 ladle at a time
after each addition, mix well until it is smooth and not lumpy
Once you have diluted it to be about 3 cups, stir the cream base into the soup slowly, while stirring
Add Pickle, Spice, And Everything Nice
Add pickle juice, salt and additional spices to taste
Serve with fresh dill sprinkled on top and a slice (or two!) of crusty bread
Smacznego!
(Enjoy your meal!)