Vegan Polish Dill Pickle Soup (Zupa Ogórkowa)

This vegan Polish dill pickle soup, also known as zupa ogórkowa, is a creamy, tangy, comfort-food classic made entirely plant-based and perfect for pickle lovers and anyone craving a cozy Eastern European soup with a twist.

I’m one quarter Polish and spent much of my early childhood surrounded by my Polish grandmother and great aunts. They cooked traditional foods daily, spoke Polish around me (they swore I understood it), and filled the kitchen with the unmistakable aroma of fermented, brined foods. While I don’t specifically remember pickle soup on the table, pickles were always present, especially the old-school deli kind you’d find on New York City’s Lower East Side.

When I later discovered zupa ogórkowa, I knew I had to try a vegan version. This recipe may not be strictly traditional, but it’s deeply inspired and incredibly dill-icious.

What is Polish dill pickle soup?

Polish dill pickle soup is a hearty soup made with fermented dill pickles, vegetables, and herbs, finished with a creamy element for balance. The key is using naturally brined pickles, not vinegar-based ones, which give the soup its signature sour depth.

This vegan version keeps everything comforting and familiar, just without the dairy.

What you’ll need:

Fermented Dill Pickles

This recipe must use fermented (salt-and-water brined) dill pickles—not vinegar pickles. Look for brands like Bubbies, Batampte or fresh deli brined pickles. These are the same style my family bought growing up in NYC delis and markets.

Pickle Brine

A small amount of the brine adds brightness and amplifies the pickle flavor without overpowering the soup.

Vegan Sour Cream

There are many solid options now, but my go-to is Tofutti brand for its neutral tang and thick creamy texture.

Vegan Broth

I prefer a powdered vegan bouillon because it lets me control the strength and gives the soup a beautiful golden color. You can also use your favorite prepared vegetable broth if that’s what you have on hand.

Vegetables

Some recipes shred the vegetables, others chop them. I use a combination of both for better texture, and a food processor makes this quick and easy.

• Prefer a thicker soup? Blend a few cups and stir it back in.
• Love extra tang? Add brine gradually at the end and taste as you go.
• Want it more herb-forward? Fresh dill at the finish is a must.

As I ate this soup, I couldn’t help but think of my Polish grandmother and great aunts. I think she would have been surprised (and hopefully proud) that I carried on this tradition in my own way. She probably wouldn’t have understood the vegan part, and honestly, if I’d served it to her, I might have kept that detail to myself.

What matters most is that food connects us to culture, memory, to comfort, and this soup absolutely does that.

If you’re a pickle lover, you need to try this!

Don’t forget to rate and review the recipe if you make it as it really helps more people find it.

Vegan Polish Dill Pickle Soup

Recipe by Kreg

4.4 from 7 votes

Cuisine: Polish, soupDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

This vegan Polish dill pickle soup is a creamy, tangy, comfort-food classic made with fermented dill pickles, pickle brine, and simple vegetables for maximum pickle flavor.

Cook Mode

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Ingredients

• 2 Large carrots, scrubbed clean

• 2 large celery stalks, washed and trimmed

• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled

• 1 large leek, trimmed, and cut open and washed well to remove any sand

• 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed clean

• 4-6 whole fermented dill pickles (made with salt and water brine, not vinegar brine)

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 tablespoons vegan butter

• 6 cups vegan vegetable broth (from a can or container or made with veggie bouillon)

• 1 1/4 cups brine from the pickles (1 cup needed first and 1/4 cup to finish soup)

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped fine

• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

• 1 cup vegan sour cream

Directions

• Prepare all of the vegetables. You can either shred some of them like the carrots, pickles and potatoes or dice them all small. I did a combo of shredding all the carrots and some pickles but dicing the potatoes, onions, celery and a few pickles. I sliced the leeks finely after really cleaning them well. They’re often grown in sandy conditions so best to slice open and wash well between the layers to remove any silt. You can use some of the green part at the top but not the really woody portion. A food processor with the shredding and slicing discs helped make quick work of this task but it can all be done by hand as well.
• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the vegan butter then add the carrots, celery, onion, potatoes and leeks and sauté for 5-6 minutes on medium heat until they start to soften slightly. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
• Add the pickles, vegetable stock, 1 cup of the pickle brine and the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20
  minutes.
• Taste for salt. Depending on how salty your stock and pickle brine was will affect the salt level. Add some if you feel it needs it about 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it tastes good to you. Add the black pepper, remaining pickle brine and the vinegar and cook for a few minutes.
• Remove one cup of the stock and place in a bowl and whisk in the vegan sour cream until well blended then add back to the soup pot with the chopped dill and turn off the heat. Serve immediately with more sour cream and chopped dill and refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.

Recipe Video

Notes

• If you want a thicker soup, remove 1-2 cups of it and blend using a blender or immersion blender then return to the pot and stir.
• Use your favorite vegan sour cream. I prefer Tofutti brand.

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