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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.
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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!
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!
That’s wonderful to hear, Dani! So glad everyone liked it. 🙂
I want to make this in my instapot too. How long did you set timer for?
Hi Karol! I don’t own a pressure cooker, so I am really not sure how long it would take in one.
Do you think it would taste ok using sweet potatoes vs. white potatoes?
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. 🙂
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
I’m so glad you all liked it!! Subbing radishes for the potatoes is a great idea. Happy holidays!
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!
Hope you guys all love it!! 🙂
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!.
Your comment made my day! I am so glad you like it, Carol! 🙂 And thanks for sharing the recipe too.
Could you use bacon instead of ham??
I don’t see why not. 😊
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.
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. 🙂
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!
I hope you enjoy it, Kim! Sorry, no recipe for meatloaf with dill gravy, but that does sound tasty!!
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!
Let me know what you think! ????
This sounds, and looks soooooo good, I think I’m going to make it tonight!
Thanks, Sue!! I hope you like it! 🙂
Why would you make this with ham? Srsly. Make me a version without it. Now.
No.
I agree with Natasha. The ham is like the “bacon” that makes every recipe sooo much better. It adds depth.
I used smoked turkey and the broth I made from the carcass, same sweet smoky flavors, but no pork