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!)

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