Pickle Soup

Name: Pickle Soup
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 cup of dill pickles grated (NOT vinegar based); 1 cup pickle brine (add another 1/2 cup if you want a stronger pickle taste at the end); 3 large carrots, grated; 3 celery stalks, finely sliced; 1 small leek, finely sliced; 1/2 small white onion, finely sliced; 4-5 medium gold potatoes, cubed; 1/2 cup pearl barley (optional but suggested!); 4 garlic cloves, minced; 4 tbsp butter; 64 oz chicken broth (can supplement 1/2 with water); 2 bay leaves; handful of dill; 1 lb ground chicken; 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1 shallot, finely grated; 2 tbsp butter; 1/3 cup milk; 1 egg; 1/2 white onion, finely grated; 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped; sprinkle of dried dill; salt ‘n pepper

9 steps

Prep:40minCook:20min

I know I wasn’t ready for all things fall last week, but this is a new week. And I was just sick for a whole week straight where all I wanted was a bowl of soup. During that time, I took my position as a sick person to my advantage and thought about every soup I would want to eat in that very moment. Pickle soup was one of the top contenders.

Updated at: Tue, 19 Sep 2023 07:13:50 GMT

Ingredients

2 servings

for the pickle soup

1 cupdill pickles

grated, NOT vinegar based

1 cuppickle brine

add another 1/2 cup if you want a stronger pickle taste at the end

0.5white onion

½ cuppearl barley

optional but suggested

4garlic cloves

minced

4 Tbspbutter

64 ozchicken broth

can supplement 1/2 with water

2bay leaves

dill

for the chicken meatballs

1 lbground chicken

¾ cuppanko breadcrumbs

1shallot

finely grated

2 Tbspbutter

⅓ cupmilk

0.5white onion

¼ cupparsley

Instructions

for the meatballs

Step 1

Make these first as they’ll chill in the fridge while you make the rest of the soup. In a large bowl, pour the milk over the breadcrumbs and allow it to absorb for a few minutes. Then, add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix gently to combine. If they’re way too sticky you can add another sprinkle of bread crumbs, but they will be pretty sticky regardless, don’t worry this makes them super fluffy. Cover the bowl and pop in the fridge to firm up as you get going on the soup.

Step 2

Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large pot (I like to use a dutch oven) saute your onion and leek until softened and golden about 5-7 minutes. Add the celery, potatoes, carrots and saute for another 1-2 min.

Step 3

Add your broth to the pot and bring to a simmer. add your pearl barley if using. Simmer until your vegetables are still a bit tender (not mushy but can be picked through with a fork) about 15-20 min.

Step 4

In the meantime: remove meatball mixture from the fridge and using oiled hands, form 1/2 tbsp meatballs.

Step 5

Heat a pan to medium heat and add 2 tbsp butter and a tiny bit of avocado oil. Once melted, saute your meatballs until browned and gorgeous. They’ll finish cooking in the soup.

Step 6

Once your vegetables are fork tender, add the meatballs to the soup and simmer for about 10-13 minutes until they’re fully cooked inside.

Step 7

While the meatballs cook: in the same saucepan you used to saute the meatballs, add your garlic, another 2 tbsp of butter and the bay leaves - saute until aromatic. Be sure not to burn the garlic! Add the grated pickles and continue to cook on medium heat until they’re softened, about 7 minutes.

Step 8

Pick the bay leaves out and add the pickle mixture to the soup along with 1 cup of the pickle brine. Add a big handful of chopped dill and give everything a good mix. Take off heat and let sit for 10 min. Taste for more salt and add if you want!

Step 9

Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top, more chopped dill, and black pepper. So good!