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Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Soup

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This zesty slow cooker dill pickle soup is made with chunks of potatoes, carrots, celery, and of course dill pickles! Cooked low and slow in the crockpot in a thick and creamy broth, this hearty comfort soup is definitely worthy of the hype!

overhead shot of bowl of dill pickle soup in a white bowl.

Pickle Soup Recipe

If you’re a lover of all things dill, you know the idea of a tangy and tart dill pickle soup is making your mouth water. Kind of like what happens at the mere mention of slow cooker dill pickle chicken, am I right?

If you’re hesitant about putting pickles in your soup, let me assure you, pickle soup is nothing short of amazing.

All I ask is that you use the pickles in the jar found in the condiment aisle, not the ones found in the fridge. You’ll get much more of that delicious tang using those.

The balance of briny pickles, chunky veggies, and a creamy broth brings together the familiar with the unfamiliar in one cozy bowl of soup.

It’s pure comfort food that will warm you from the inside out!

Why you’ll love Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Soup

Fabulous yet flexible – As scrumptious as it is, it’s also easily adjustable to suit your tastes. Use spicy dills or jalapeno for a kick. Add in some garlic, or extra dill pickles if you want. Make it yours.

So easy and convenient – If you can chop veggies you can make this soup. It’s a dump-and-set recipe until the end when you stir in the cream mixture. That’s it!

It’s unexpected – As long as you love the savory and sour zing of dill pickles, you’ll love this soup! Even those who don’t will be asking for seconds.

overhead shot of bowl of pickle soup and saltine crackers.

Equipment you’ll need

  • Slow Cooker – This 6-quart slow cooker has been going strong for years and it’s still my favorite.
  • Veggie Chopper – This is my new favorite kitchen tool and it’s perfect for chopping all the veggies for this soup.
  • Ladle – Have you ever tried to serve soup without a ladle? I don’t recommend it.

Ingredients

Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.

  • Veggies – Chopped onions, sliced carrots, and thinly sliced celery. This combination is known as a mirepoix which is traditionally used as a flavor base in all kinds of soups, and stews. We’re not sauteeing them first for flavor, but they will add loads of taste and texture anyway.
  • Pickles – I use dill pickles for this because it’s a dill soup, however, you can choose to use a different kind if you prefer. I think bread and butter pickles would be a bit sweet, but you do you.
  • Baby Potatoes Cut in quarters so they’re about the same size as the rest of the veggies.
  • Seasoning Sugar, salt, & pepper will be used to season the veggies and the broth. The sugar will help to cut through the acidity of the pickle juice.
  • For the Soup Broth – Chicken stock, sour cream, milk, and flour. The flour will help to thicken it, and the sour cream and milk will add a creamy consistency and richness to the broth.
  • Parsley For garnish and a pop of color.
overhead shot of labeled ingredients laid out to make pickle soup.

How to make Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Soup

  1. Step One: To the basin of the slow cooker, add the onions, carrots, celery, pickles, and potatoes. As mentioned above, I highly recommend using a veggie chopper for this. It’ll make your life so much easier.
  2. Step Two: Sprinkle the sugar, salt, and pepper over top of the veggies. Then pour in the chicken stock and cover the pot with the lid. Cook on low for 4-6 hours until the potatoes are tender.
  3. Step Three: In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream, and flour and stir it into the soup until blended.
  4. Step Four: Do a little taste test. Depending on how briny your pickle juice is (or isn’t) you may need a bit of extra salt. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, garnish with parsley and enjoy a bowl or two!
collage of 3 photos showing the process of making slow cooker dill pickle soup.

What to serve with Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Soup

Pickle soup is best served with a big hunk of onion dill bread or quick and easy beer bread to soak up every last drop.

Have a little extra fun and use any boule-shaped crusty bread to make a bread bowl to serve your slow cooker dill pickle soup in.

You can also have it with pita chips, crackers, or croutons for a crunchy element.

I also like to garnish my bowl with pickle slices and a bit of fresh dill.

Possible Substitutions/Additions 🥒

  • The carrots and celery and even the potatoes aren’t meant to be the star of every spoonful. That’s a job for pickles! Chop them smaller than regular dice so that way they are small enough and yet still add texture and flavor to the soup.
  • Add some protein to complete this soup. Shredded chicken, bacon, diced ham, or sausage would be delicious.
  • Use spicy pickles for some heat. Cayenne pepper or jalapenos are also a great addition.
  • Top with Parmesan cheese or freshly grated cheddar.
  • You can make a cornstarch slurry to add to the milk and sour cream if you’d prefer not to use flour.
  • To make an even thicker soup, remove some of it to a blender to puree it, then add it back in and mix to combine.

How to reheat and store leftovers

How long will pickle soup last in the fridge?

Once completely cooled, transfer the soup to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze this pickle soup recipe?

Yes! While it is best served right away because that’s when the pickle flavor will be at its most intense, you can definitely freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.

How to reheat dill pickle soup?

This soup reheats nicely on the stove or in the microwave.

If reheating from frozen, sometimes the potatoes and dairy can result in a funny texture. Almost grainy. To avoid this as much as possible, reheat over low heat.

spoon lifting a bite of pickle soup from a bowl.

FAQs

How can I make it low carb?

Since the only carb-heavy ingredients included in this recipe are the potatoes and flour, they’re simple fixes!

Use cornstarch instead of the flour, or omit it completely and then swap the potatoes for cauliflower or another non-starchy vegetable of your choice.

Where does dill pickle soup come from?

Originally it comes from Poland, however, it has been Americanized and given a few shortcuts as well!

Traditionally it is made with a meat base. The pickles used need to be kept in a salt brine and not one in vinegar like you’d find at your local grocery stores more often.

The pickles are not cooked with the soup but added after, and it’s usually served with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Is leftover pickle juice good for anything?

It is! Leftover pickle juice, especially if they’re homemade fermented pickles, has a ton of good probiotics in it. Good enough to have a sip or two on its own throughout the winter months for gut health.

Other than that pickle juice can be added to salad dressings, and tartar sauce.

Use it as a brine for different kinds of meat for dinner (use it for making copycat Chick-fil-A nuggets!), or add it to your potato salad, chicken salad, or egg salad.

Need more crockpot soup recipes? Try these:

Crockpot Split Pea Soup

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Click here for my entire collection of soup recipes.

Don’t miss the rest of my slow cooker recipes.

ladle scooping pickle soup from a slow cooker.

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overhead shot of bowl of dill pickle soup in a white bowl.

Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Soup

Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates
This zesty slow cooker dill pickle soup is made with chunks of potatoes, carrots, celery, and of course dill pickles! Cooked low and slow in the crockpot in a thick and creamy broth, this hearty comfort soup is definitely worthy of the hype!
4.67 from 15 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 243 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 medium carrots sliced
  • 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ cup chopped dill pickles + ⅓ cup pickle juice
  • 1.5 pounds baby potatoes quartered
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup milk
  • 5 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • parsley for garnish

Instructions
 

  • To the basin of a 6 quart slow cooker, add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, pickles, and potatoes.
  • Sprinkle the veggies with the sugar, salt and pepper.
  • Pour in the chicken stock.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the milk, sour cream and flour.
  • Stir the sour cream mixture into the soup.
  • Garnish with parsley and serve!

Notes

You can add minced garlic or diced jalapenos for a kick.
I recommend dill pickles or a spicy pickle. 
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 10gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 1063mgPotassium: 936mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 3629IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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