Polish Potato Soup

4.5
(17)
17 Reviews
4 Photos

What makes this Polish potato soup extraordinary is the addition of chopped dill pickle, pickle juice, and plenty of fresh dill. These ingredients, plus tangy sour cream, create a delicious, complex, comforting potato soup. I find it a comforting soup to eat, but the true comfort, the true relaxation comes from the process of making the soup.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
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Updated on February 5, 2024
4
overhead view of bowl of potato soup with dill and sour cream
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Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs
Servings:
6
Jump to Nutrition Facts

This Polish potato soup is dedicated to my grandmother Sofie. She passed away when I was very young, but even though I never learned any recipes directly from her, I feel like she passed along some great Polish food-making genes, which is maybe why this soup came out so good. Can you inherit cooking skills? Probably a topic for another post, but the point is, this soup is amazing. I truly believe “Grandma New York,” as we called her, would have loved it. 

I love the small, but very effective, kielbasa addition in this soup. If you want to make it meatless, some very well caramelized mushrooms would be a great substitute. The other decision is whether to bother with the two potato additions — you heard my official recommendation in the video, so you’ll have to make that call. Either way this is rustic, comfort food at its finest, and I really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy! 

More recipes: Try the latest and greatest recipes from Chef John!

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 4 ounces Polish kielbasa sausage, quartered and sliced 1/4-inch thick

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped

  • 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled

  • 4 cups chicken broth

  • 1 1/2 cups water, or as needed

  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

  • 3/4 cup diced dill pickle

  • 1/4 cup pickle juice

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, divided

  • 1/3 cup sour cream

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add kielbasa. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes to flavor the oil. Add onions, celery, and carrots, and cook, stirring, until onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, quarter potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer about 1/3 of the potatoes into cold water, and reserve in the refrigerator until needed. Stir remaining sliced potatoes into the vegetables.

  3. Add broth, water, salt, pepper, cayenne, pickles, pickle juice, and half the fresh chopped dill. Raise the heat to high, and wait for soup to start to simmer. While soup is coming up to temperature, stir in sour cream.

  4. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Use a potato masher to break up potatoes.

  5. Drain and add the reserved sliced potatoes, and let soup simmer until potatoes are very soft and tender, about 40 to 45 minutes more. During the last 30 minutes, be careful to stir gently to maintain whole pieces of potato.

  6. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Stir in remaining dill, and serve immediately, garnished with more sour cream and dill.

    overhead view of bowl of potato soup with dill and sour cream

    John Mitzewich

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

343 Calories
13g Fat
49g Carbs
9g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 343
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 25mg 8%
Sodium 1663mg 72%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 9g 18%
Vitamin C 25mg 27%
Calcium 87mg 7%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 1261mg 27%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.