Cucumber Soup, Poland - Light Course

Fermented vegetables are essential ingredients in many traditional Polish dishes. In the summer, many households ferment cabbages, cucumbers and tomatoes in glass jars or wooden barrels. The Brine-Pickled Cucumbers (Ogórki Kiszone) are cucumbers preserved in water, salt, garlic, dill and spices. They have a crunchy texture and a sour flavor. We select brine-pickled cucumbers produced in Poland, available in European grocery stores in the USA. Traditionally served as a first course, soups are an integral part of the Polish cuisine. A wide variety of vegetable soups are made with either fresh or fermented vegetables. The richly flavored Cucumber Soup is made with shredded pickled cucumbers, vegetables, sour cream and seasoning. Our Cucumber Soup has a slightly creamy texture and is a burst of sour flavors.

Water – 8 cups (1,893 ml)
Cucumbers in Brine – 4 large size (350 grams (12.3 ounces))
Yukon Gold Potatoes – 4 medium size
Onion – 1/2 large size
Carrots – 2 medium size
Sour Cream – 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
All Purpose Flour – 30 grams (1 ounce)
Whole Allspice – 5 pieces
Dried Bay Leaves – 3
Freshly Ground Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon
Sea Salt – 2 teaspoons

Step 1

Place the pickles in a bowl and shred them with the large holes of a box grater. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Peel and slice the carrots, and chop the onion.

Step 2

In a Dutch oven, combine the water, potatoes, carrots, onions, pickles, allspice and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low-medium and cook for 45 minutes.

Step 3

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, flour, 3 tablespoons of cold water, a little of salt and mix until the mixture has a smooth texture. Slowly add 4 tablespoons of the hot soup broth to the mixture and mix thoroughly.

Step 4

Add the mixture, black pepper and sea salt to the soup and cook for 15 minutes. Serve the Cucumber Soup immediately. Enjoy the sour flavors of the traditional Polish soup.