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    Home » Pork

    Dill Pickle Soup with Smoked Ham

    Published: Jan 9, 2017 / Updated: Feb 19, 2020 / 71 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    This dill pickle soup with smoked ham is a hearty, savory, creamy, and comforting dish. A big pot of it can be on your table in only 45 minutes!

    white bowl with Polish dill pickle soup with smoked ham beside a cloth napkin

    It's not very often that I get excited by soup, but here we are. I've wanted to make my own version of the classic Polish dish (zupa ogorkowa) for a while now. My mom makes pickle soup and so does our Polish friend, so it's something that I enjoy periodically.

    I can't say I've ever had a pickle soup that didn't hit the spot, and this version definitely left me wanting more (my husband finished most of it). 😛

    I get that dill pickle soup would sound very weird if you hadn't heard of it before. Obviously you won't like it if you don't like pickles.

    If you do like pickles, give it a chance! I promise it's delicious.

    The smoked ham adds a special little something extra to this creamy pickle soup and also makes it more filling. This is the perfect winter comfort food. Or anytime comfort food, really. I can do soup year-round.

    bowl of Polish dill pickle, potato, carrot, and smoked ham soup with a spoon

    This comforting dill pickle soup recipe isn't complicated, and the soup doesn't take ages to cook, which is nice for busy weeknights.

    Obviously I don't mind spending time in the kitchen, but I think we can all appreciate quick meals that taste just as amazing the next day.

    How to make pickle soup

    1. Sauté the onions and carrots in a large soup pot; add the pickles, potatoes, chicken broth, pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, dill, and ham to the pot.
    2. Bring to a boil and then simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
    3. Mix the flour into the sour cream until smooth, then add it to the soup. Cook for another 5 minutes.
    4. Serve with extra salt & pepper and more fresh dill if desired.

    (Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below)

    More cozy soup recipes to try:

    • Ham and White Bean Soup
    • Kielbasa Soup
    • Cabbage Roll Soup
    • Easy Hamburger Soup

    bowl of Polish dill pickle soup with smoked ham and a spoon

    So. Dill pickle soup - yay or nay?

    Will you be making this easy pickle soup recipe?

    Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!

    Polish dill pickle soup with smoked ham is a hearty, savory, creamy, and comforting dish. A big pot of it can be on your table in only 45 minutes!

    Polish Dill Pickle Soup with Smoked Ham

    This dill pickle soup with smoked ham is a hearty, savory, creamy, and comforting dish. A big pot of it can be on your table in only 45 minutes!
    4.86 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Polish
    Servings 6
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 medium onion chopped
    • 1 cup finely chopped dill pickles
    • 1 medium carrot peeled & grated
    • 3 large red potatoes (skins on) diced
    • 2.5 cups chicken broth
    • 1 cup pickle juice
    • 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • Handful fresh dill chopped
    • 3/4 pound piece smoked ham diced
    • 1/2 cup sour cream
    • 1 tablespoon flour
    • Salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Add the olive oil to a large pot on medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot once the oil is hot. Sauté for 5 minutes.
    • Add the remaining ingredients except for the sour cream and flour. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
    • Mix the flour into the sour cream until you have a smooth mixture. Stir it into the soup and cook the soup for another 5 minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Garnish with extra fresh dill if desired.

    Notes

    • This soup can turn out a bit salty for some people (depending on the salt in the pickle juice) so I suggest using low-sodium chicken broth if that's a concern for you. 
    • If using dried dill, start with 1 teaspoon and work your way up from there if needed.
    • Serves 4-6.
    Keyword dill pickle soup recipe
    Author Natasha Bull
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    1. Shannon says

      March 10, 2023 at 2:23 PM

      5 stars
      Oh my word, this is the most delicious soup! The name kinda throws you off and I honestly didn’t know what to expect but SO glad I tried. This will be a staple now. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 11, 2023 at 11:57 AM

        Yay!! That's what I like to hear! 😀

        Reply
    2. Tehl says

      October 7, 2022 at 5:19 AM

      5 stars
      Followed this recipe to the T and omg it's AMAZING!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 7, 2022 at 10:14 AM

        Thank you so much, Tehl!

        Reply
    3. Erin L Strelkov says

      September 6, 2022 at 5:54 PM

      I'd love to try this soup but my son is gluten intolerant, so I can't use the flour. Is it possible to substitute corn starch?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 6, 2022 at 7:34 PM

        Hi! You could give it a try. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 16, 2022 at 6:44 AM

        We are gluten intolerant and simply sub gluten free flour for the regular flour in this recipe.works great!

        Reply
    4. Danielle says

      August 3, 2022 at 1:53 PM

      Everything turned out great EXCEPT the flour and sour cream mixture made the soup have giant lumps and I whisked it for 10 mins and that did the bare minimum. Will make a rue in the beginning and not the end next time.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        August 3, 2022 at 1:57 PM

        Hmmmm... I'm sorry to hear that! 🙁 Yup you could definitely make the roux in the beginning.

        Reply
    5. Theresa says

      July 30, 2022 at 10:19 PM

      We grate the pickled gherkins on the coarse blade which gives a good distribution & nice texture. Can also add chopped polish sausage if no ham as always have cubed frozen kielbasa for soups!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 31, 2022 at 1:50 AM

        Great tips!

        Reply
    6. Rob Keesee says

      June 26, 2022 at 11:26 AM

      4 stars
      Great recipe/ Will be trying this weekend!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 27, 2022 at 12:34 AM

        Enjoy!!

        Reply
    7. Michele Feldman says

      May 12, 2022 at 8:16 AM

      5 stars
      I'm very impressed with this recipe! It was delicious just as written, not too salty and very easy to pull together. I used low sodium chicken broth. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 12, 2022 at 9:10 AM

        Fantastic!! I'm so happy it was a hit. I appreciate your review, Michele!

        Reply
    8. Kristina says

      September 3, 2021 at 9:06 AM

      5 stars
      This soup was a surprise...mostly because I made it thinking my dill-hating husband would have nothing to do with it. Well, he (and I) loved it...and he ate most of the leftovers. I followed the recipe pretty closely and will definitely make this again soon. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 3, 2021 at 9:19 AM

        Haha well that's great to hear!! 😀 You're very welcome.

        Reply
    9. Vonne says

      July 16, 2021 at 10:59 AM

      5 stars
      A couple of variations, but not enough to greatly alter the recipe. I had a little more ham, so in addition to the chicken stock, I added 3 c of water with ham based mixed in. I have navy beans so I used them instead of potatoes. Had fresh dill from garden as called for - I just folded what I cut and put in soup to pull out after the flavors are out. My crew loves dill pickle soup. Oh yes, and I also still had the ham bone, so it’s in the mix to pull out when the soup is done.

      This one is a winner.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 16, 2021 at 12:02 PM

        I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Thank you for your review!

        Reply
    10. Robin says

      February 8, 2021 at 1:06 PM

      5 stars
      My first thought when I saw this recipe was “no way!” I like all the ingredients though so I decided to give it a try and I’m not sorry I did! This soup was remarkably delicious. The pickles and pickle juice are tempered by the broth, smoky ham and sour cream so it doesn’t scream pickles when you taste it. Overall it was just a big bowl of comfort! My husband and I love soup all year round and this one is definitely going into my soup rotation!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 8, 2021 at 1:07 PM

        I'm so glad you gave it a try, Robin! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Nicole says

      February 8, 2021 at 11:07 AM

      Can you freeze this delicious soup?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 8, 2021 at 1:02 PM

        Yes - I think that should be fine. 🙂

        Reply
    12. Mary says

      February 5, 2021 at 10:09 AM

      This looks good and I like to make it. I have some ham bone stock. How do you think that would work in place of the chicken stock? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 5, 2021 at 10:12 AM

        I think that would work just fine. I'd probably be careful about adding extra salt until you taste it, though. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    13. Lynda M Appel says

      March 30, 2020 at 2:47 PM

      5 stars
      Hi Natasha,
      Due to the Stay at Home order, trying to cook from my freezer and pantry. I had Honey Baked Ham left over from New Years and pickles and potatoes. Just made this soup. OMG! So so yummy! Thanks for this great recipe. Stay safe and healthy.
      Lynda

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 30, 2020 at 3:32 PM

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Lynda!! You too! Thanks for leaving me a comment. XO

        Reply
    14. Jenn says

      January 25, 2020 at 4:57 PM

      5 stars
      We love your recipe. I used this recipe in a soup cook-off last year at my work, and it won first place! I use homemade bone broth, and I don't add salt, so it seems to do the trick to regulate the salt. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 25, 2020 at 5:16 PM

        Oh wow... I'm happy it won the contest! So glad you enjoy the recipe! 🙂

        Reply
    15. Lori says

      December 16, 2019 at 12:00 PM

      5 stars
      Had tried pickle soup a couple years ago in a restaurant and enjoyed it. Made this as an experiment. Had some homemade pickles that ended up being much too salty to eat from the jar. So the options were, soup or pig food. Soup WINS!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 16, 2019 at 3:41 PM

        So happy you liked it!! Haha pig food... yes, I am glad you made the soup. 😀

        Reply
    16. Annie says

      January 25, 2019 at 10:55 AM

      I have a quart of buttermilk that needs to be used up. Do you think I could substitute it for the sour cream and just add a bit more flour to thicken? Or would that alter the flavor too much?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 25, 2019 at 1:47 PM

        Hi Annie! I don't cook with buttermilk too often, so I can't say for sure, but it seems pretty ingenious to me, so I'd give it a go! 🙂

        Reply
    17. Randi says

      December 12, 2018 at 1:56 PM

      I'm wondering if I leave this to simmer for a few hours, will it turn out OK?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 12, 2018 at 6:40 PM

        I’d say a low simmer with lid ajar would work fine. ❤️

        Reply
    18. Cindy Beals says

      October 20, 2018 at 5:59 PM

      A dear family friend made a potato casserole with dill pickles and spicy breakfast sausage. We could never find the recipe, so when I stumbled upon your dill pickle soup recipe it sounded like a soup version of her potatoes. I substituted sausage for the smoked ham and was so excited when I had a spoonful of the soup! It was amazing and tasted just like Elna's potatoes. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 20, 2018 at 6:12 PM

        I'm so pleased you like it, Cindy!! I love the idea of adding sausage into this soup... I will have to try it.

        Reply
    19. Bobbi | Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen says

      May 30, 2018 at 2:02 PM

      5 stars
      OK, can I just say that looks insanely good? I love everything about this soup 😋

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 30, 2018 at 2:05 PM

        Thanks, Bobbi! You should definitely give it a try. 🙂

        Reply
    20. judy Mullendore says

      March 16, 2018 at 7:17 PM

      I made this with Turkey bone broth and smoked turkey meat ( I work at a restaurant that specializes in everything Turkey) and our garlic dill pickles... It was a big hit .

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 16, 2018 at 7:20 PM

        Love your twist on the recipe! Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    21. Beth Ball says

      December 31, 2017 at 4:58 PM

      So. I have NEVER had Polish food until I made a best friend that is as Polish as Polish can be, living in Chicago. Everytime I go visit, he makes me all the Polish foods- and I come back craving his food lol! So went to Pinterest to get some recipes and found this.

      Made it.

      Ate it.

      Holy Yum.

      So then I shared it on my FB with all my very American, west coast friends and they all made it, and shared it. Repeat. You and your soup are near famous over here.

      So why am I telling you this long ol story? I am Director of Content for Twin Cities Kids Club (located in MN, 7000 FB followers). We are writing a blog about yummy soups, and would like to mention this. We will link back to this blog and your FB and Instagram- if you need anymore from us please don't hesitate to email me!

      And for real- Thank you for the deliciousness.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 31, 2017 at 11:42 PM

        Polish food is delicious, isn't it?! So glad you liked this soup. And that you told all your friends haha. 🙂 Happy new year!!

        Reply
    22. K. Anderson says

      November 5, 2017 at 11:22 AM

      5 stars
      Excellent! Made this with half homemade dills/juice and half Bick's Garlic Dills/juice and simmered broth with ham bone.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        November 5, 2017 at 11:41 AM

        Yay!! Thanks for leaving a comment.

        Reply
    23. Dani says

      October 30, 2017 at 6:06 PM

      5 stars
      Made this tonight in my instant pot. Turned out really yummy! I have a multi generation household and this soup is now a favorite of my 82 yr old mom and 3 yr old grandson. My grandson usually hates pickles won’t even eat them on hamburgers but really loved the soup asked for seconds! My mom who is a really picky eater said this was her new favorite! Thanks so much for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 30, 2017 at 6:22 PM

        That's wonderful to hear, Dani! So glad everyone liked it. 🙂

        Reply
      • Karol says

        November 28, 2017 at 10:42 AM

        I want to make this in my instapot too. How long did you set timer for?

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          November 28, 2017 at 10:59 AM

          Hi Karol! I don't own a pressure cooker, so I am really not sure how long it would take in one.

          Reply
    24. Jennifer says

      October 19, 2017 at 11:10 AM

      Do you think it would taste ok using sweet potatoes vs. white potatoes?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 19, 2017 at 11:41 AM

        Hmm... it's hard to say. It'll definitely be sweeter, but I don't see why it wouldn't work if you're ok with that. 🙂

        Reply
      • Monica M says

        December 22, 2017 at 8:08 PM

        4 stars
        This recipe is delicious! My daughter doesn't like pickles and she had three bowls. I am currently eating low-carb meals so we substituted radishes for the potatoes and no one knew it had radishes. Note: the radishes need a about 10 min. longer than potatoes

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          December 23, 2017 at 1:04 PM

          I'm so glad you all liked it!! Subbing radishes for the potatoes is a great idea. Happy holidays!

          Reply
    25. Joyanne says

      October 12, 2017 at 5:50 PM

      Making this tonight. My entire house loves pickles, so Im sure it will be a hit. I doubled the recipe tho as there are 7 of us!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 12, 2017 at 8:22 PM

        Hope you guys all love it!! 🙂

        Reply
    26. Carol says

      October 2, 2017 at 12:49 PM

      This soup is delicious! I've made it at least 6 times in 4 months. Everyone makes a face when you say pickle soup... then they taste it and they love it. I've given out the recipe 4 times Thank you for sharing!.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 2, 2017 at 1:28 PM

        Your comment made my day! I am so glad you like it, Carol! 🙂 And thanks for sharing the recipe too.

        Reply
    27. Melissa says

      July 14, 2017 at 3:11 AM

      Could you use bacon instead of ham??

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 14, 2017 at 3:15 AM

        I don't see why not. 😊

        Reply
    28. Tracyanna says

      March 1, 2017 at 11:11 AM

      I made this soup yesterday and it turned out delicious. It was very good. However when I added all the ingredients, there was barely any liquid so I ended up adding a lot more chicken broth and the potatoes needed to simmer for a really long time. But it turned out great because the pickles softened which I liked. And even though I mixed the flour into the sour cream, I got worried because it was really hard to get it to completely melt in the soup. Almost thought I ruined it lol. But I am definitely making this again because it was such a unique and delicious flavor. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 1, 2017 at 12:04 PM

        Hi Tracyanna, so glad you enjoyed it! I'm thinking I possibly sliced my potatoes a bit smaller and used a smaller pot, which could account for the differences. Sometimes flour can be a bit stubborn! I'm so glad it all worked out, though. 🙂

        Reply
    29. Kim says

      February 15, 2017 at 10:12 AM

      I am excited to try this tonight. Do you by any chance have a recipe for meatloaf with dill gravy? I have been searching forever! There was a restaurant in Downers Grove, IL that used to serve it...soooo good!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 15, 2017 at 11:19 AM

        I hope you enjoy it, Kim! Sorry, no recipe for meatloaf with dill gravy, but that does sound tasty!!

        Reply
    30. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      January 10, 2017 at 7:43 AM

      I have never heard of this Polish soup Natasha, but I'm totally intrigued! Considering my love for pickles, I'll definitely need to try it!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 10, 2017 at 7:48 AM

        Let me know what you think! ????

        Reply
    31. sue | theviewfromgreatisland says

      January 9, 2017 at 11:19 AM

      This sounds, and looks soooooo good, I think I'm going to make it tonight!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 9, 2017 at 11:26 AM

        Thanks, Sue!! I hope you like it! 🙂

        Reply
    32. Natasha's Sister says

      January 9, 2017 at 9:34 AM

      Why would you make this with ham? Srsly. Make me a version without it. Now.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 9, 2017 at 9:45 AM

        No.

        Reply
        • Suzie Q says

          April 2, 2018 at 7:20 PM

          I agree with Natasha. The ham is like the “bacon” that makes every recipe sooo much better. It adds depth.

          Reply
      • ellarn says

        December 9, 2018 at 12:43 PM

        I used smoked turkey and the broth I made from the carcass, same sweet smoky flavors, but no pork

        Reply

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