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This easy dill pickle soup recipe is an unexpected yet comforting delight with an irresistibly creamy and tangy broth! It’s a hearty and filling soup with ham, potatoes, and fresh dill.
You may also like my Kielbasa Soup or Cabbage Soup with Bacon and Potatoes next.
Why you’ll love it
Dill pickle soup may seem a little unusual if you haven’t heard of it before. Obviously, you won’t like it if you don’t like pickles. But if you do like pickles, give it a chance! I promise it’s delicious. The savory broth is uniquely tasty, and everyone always wants seconds in my home.
I’ve been making my own simple take on classic Polish soup (zupa ogórkowa) for years now. My Czech mom makes pickle soup and so does our Polish friend, so it’s something that I enjoy often! I hope you find my version as scrumptious as I do for easy winter comfort food.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Onion and garlic – tasty aromatics. I like using sweet (Vidalia) onions.
- Dill pickles and pickle juice – the star of the show! Use your favorite brand, and the pickle juice is simply the juice from the jar of pickles.
- Carrots and red potatoes – vegetable goodness
- Chicken broth – for more savory taste in the broth
- Worcestershire sauce – it’s one of my go-to flavor enhancers
- Fresh dill – for even more flavor and a pop of freshness
- Ham – for a special touch, ham adds a little smoked quality
- Sour cream – for creaminess
- Flour – to thicken the broth
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use this Dutch oven for this soup.
- Easily chop up the vegetables and ham with a chef’s knife.
- This ladle is my favorite since it’s sturdy and less messy than others.
How to make dill pickle soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a large pot, sauté the onions and carrots in the olive oil. Add the pickles, potatoes, broth, pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, dill, and ham to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
Simmer until the potatoes are tender. In a small bowl, mix the flour into the sour cream until smooth. Add to the soup, and cook for another few minutes. Season with salt & pepper and more fresh dill if you like.
Substitutions and variations
- You could always use crumbled Oven Cooked Bacon in addition to/instead of the ham. Or, try a smoked sausage like Kielbasa.
- To make this a vegetarian dill pickle soup, omit the ham and Worcestershire sauce and add 1 tsp of smoked paprika for that smoky quality. Increase the veggies if desired.
- If unable to find fresh dill, start with 1 tsp dried dill and add more as needed.
What to serve with dill pickle soup
- It’s a filling soup with the ham and potatoes, so you can simply pair it with a slice of fresh crusty bread or a dinner roll. Or go all out with Cheesy Garlic Bread!
- For a salad, serve it along with mixed greens and this Homemade Ranch Dressing. Craving something different? This Creamy Pesto Dressing is a winner, or try this bright Honey Mustard Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- This pickle soup makes amazing leftovers since the flavors intensify. Store in a covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat over a low heat slowly until warmed through. Add a splash of chicken broth if needed.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. I like to use containers for individual portions.
If you made this creamy pickle soup recipe, please leave a star rating and review below! I’d love to hear from you. Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram with your creations.
Dill Pickle Soup
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
- 1 handful fresh dill chopped
- 3/4 pounds ham diced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, onion, and carrots to a soup pot. Sauté over medium-high heat 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 and ham) 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on January 9, 2017. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
What brand of pickles did you use?
Hi! They were Bick’s dill pickles (the Polish style ones). I live in Canada.
This was a great soup. I will either use less actual pickles or grate them. I think my chunks were too big. I did add a little cornstarch to thicken it, next time I will skip the flour altogether.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Erin!
If making this a day ahead would you wait and add flour/sour cream right before serving?
I think that might be ideal, yes. Leftovers are still good, but I like your idea.
Sounds like a recipe I’d like to try.
One question…can something else be substituted for the sour cream ( not yogurt either) hubby doesn’t eat either one
Hi! Would heavy cream work?
Can you expand on ‘pickle juice’ thanks
The juice that’s in the jar of pickles 🙂
Another winner! I’ve made this a few times now for a dear friend who recently had an intestinal surgery. She loves pickles and this soup was well received. Because of the salt content in pickle brine I used low sodium chicken broth and then once the soup was made and simmering I put a raw potato in the soup for seven to ten minutes to absorb a lot of the salt and then removed the potato. She enjoyed the soup quite a bit and for not having been able to eat solid food for 6 weeks pre-op this was a welcomed meal. This recipe is now in her regular rotation and I will make it for her when she visits. Thank you for another great recipe!
I’m so happy it cheered her up a bit!! 😀 Thanks for letting me know, Ann!
Could this be made without the ham? I’d love to make a vegan version of this & the ham is the only thing I can’t quite figure a replacement for.
I think you could try for sure! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
I’ve made this soup several times for my vegetarian roommate, and I usually add 1tsp of smoked paprika as a substitute for the smoky flavor the ham adds. I usually add more carrots or onion as well. Then I’ll add in the ham or bacon bits at the end in my own bowl. Works out well for us!
No need to reply Natasha. I see in the comments below that this is a freezable soup. I am looking forward to making it!
Let me know how it goes, Gord. 🙂
This soup is fantastic!!!
Thanks, Gord! 😀
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!
Yay!! That’s what I like to hear! 😀
Followed this recipe to the T and omg it’s AMAZING!!
Thank you so much, Tehl!