Pickle Soup Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Peel and dice the potatoes into roughly 1/2-inch cubes so they cook evenly. Finely chop the onion and dice the celery (and carrot if using).

Sweat aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the celery softens, about 6–8 minutes; do not brown.

Make a roux

Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.

Add stock and potatoes

Slowly whisk in the stock until smooth. Add the diced potatoes, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15–18 minutes.

Finish with milk and cream

Once potatoes are tender, stir in the milk and heavy cream. Warm gently — do not boil — for 3–4 minutes to heat through and slightly thicken.

Prepare pickles

While the potatoes simmer, grate the dill pickles on a coarse side of a box grater or pulse briefly in a food processor so they are finely shredded but still moist. Reserve the jarred pickle juice.

Incorporate pickles

Stir the grated pickles, 2 tablespoons of the pickle juice (reserve 1 tbsp to adjust later), Dijon mustard, chopped fresh dill, black pepper, and kosher salt into the soup. Simmer another 4–5 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Taste and add the remaining pickle juice if you want more tang.

For a creamier chowder texture, remove about one-third of the soup and puree it in a blender until smooth, then return it to the pot and stir to combine. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to pulse the soup until you reach your desired body. Re-warm gently if needed. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare garnish

If using bacon, cook strips in a skillet until crisp, drain on paper towels, then chop. Warm the sour cream slightly so it dollops smoothly.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with a spoonful of sour cream or crème fraîche, a sprinkle of chopped dill and chives, and bacon or smoked ham pieces if using. Serve hot with rye toast or crusty bread.