Dill pickle lovers will go crazy for this deliciously creamy dill pickle soup recipe loaded with tender potatoes, fresh dill, and tangy pickles!
My dill pickle soup is the perfect comfort food when you crave a hearty soup packed with flavor. The thick and creamy broth is fortified with sour cream and pickle brine, then packed with chopped potatoes, carrots, and dill pickles in every bite.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cooking oil - Olive oil or canola oil is great. Otherwise, additional butter can be used.
- Fresh carrots - Frozen carrots can be substituted and will likely require less cooking.
- Yellow onion
- Garlic cloves - You can substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Chicken broth - Chicken or vegetable stock can be substituted.
- Dill pickle brine
- Russet potatoes - I prefer baking potatoes because as they break apart they thicken the broth, but Yukon gold potatoes can be substituted if you prefer waxy potatoes.
- Bay leaf
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes - A dash of cayenne pepper can be substituted.
- Dill pickles
- Fresh dill
- Sour cream - Heavy cream with one tablespoon of lemon juice can be substituted.
- Salt - The amount of salt needed will vary depending on how salty your pickle brine is.
How to make it
To make this homemade dill pickle soup, begin by sauteeing the carrots in a large soup pot or Dutch oven with cooking oil for three minutes, then add the chopped onions. Cook until the onions and carrots have softened and are beginning to brown, then add minced garlic and cook an additional minute.
Add butter to the pot along with flour. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir everything to combine. Cook while continuing to stir for three minutes to cook out all raw flour taste.
Begin adding the cooking broth and pickle juice in small batches. Whisk to combine the liquid in the flour mixture fully before adding additional liquid. Repeat until all of the liquid has been added.
Add the chopped potatoes to the pot along with a bay leaf, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Place sour cream in a small dish and ladle in splashes of hot soup to temper the sour cream. Stir together and repeat until the sour cream mixture is warm, then it can be added to the soup. Add the fresh dill and chopped pickles at this time.
Taste soup for salt and serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.
Storing & Reheating Leftovers
Leftover dill pickle soup is great to make in advance because it reheats easily and stores well. Leftovers can be gently reheated in a soup pot or slow cooker or microwaved in individual servings until warmed through.
Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator.
Dill Pickle Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrots diced
- ½ large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups dill pickle juice
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes chopped into ½ inch chunks
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup chopped dill pickles
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- ½ cup sour cream
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Add carrots and cooking oil to a large pot set over medium heat. Saute carrots until they are beginning to soften, then add chopped onions. Continue to saute vegetables until the onions and carrots are tender. Finally, add minced garlic and saute for an additional minute.
- Reduce the stovetop to medium low heat and melt butter in the pot with the sauteed vegetables, then sprinkle in flour. Whisk to combine and continue to whisk while cooking for three minutes to prevent scorching.
- Add the chicken broth and pickle brine in small batches, whisking to combine the liquid before more is added. Repeat until all of the liquid has been added. Then add chopped potatoes, bay leaf, black pepper, and crushed red peppers.
- Bring soup a a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender.
- Place sour cream in a small bowl and temper it by stirring in hot spoonfuls of soup into the sour cream to prevent curdling. Repeat until the sour cream is warm, then add it to the soup along with fresh dill and chopped pickles.
- Taste for salt and adjust as needed, then serve.
Pamela Thielman
First had this soup last summer at a restaurant in Port Huron - this smells delicious and tastes just like what I had - thank you for sharing the recipe!