There's a soup that shows up on my mom's stove all the time and its this Polish pickle soup (zupa ogórkowa). It sounds unusual if you've never had it before (a soup built on pickles?) but the tang from the brine against a rich, slow-simmered beef broth and a silky egg-and-cream zaprawka is what makes this one of the most comforting bowls in Polish home cooking!!!
Ogórkowa is a staple of Polish home cooking, especially once soup season sets in - it's the kind of soup my mom would have simmering on a Sunday, with enough left over to send everyone home with a container. It's also a great way to use up a jar of pickles that's been sitting in the fridge, and it's a soup I grew up eating long before "fermented" and "gut health" became buzzwords - my mom was just making what she grew up with in Poland!
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Ingredients
This soup starts with a real bone broth base, built up with classic Polish soup vegetables, then finished two ways for flavor: a jar of Krakus puree pickles stirred in to simmer, and a splash of the brine at the end to taste. The zaprawka is a cream and egg mixture tempered into the hot broth is what gives the soup its signature silky, slightly tangy finish. Here's everything you'll need.
- Beef bone-in shank
- Celery stalks
- Carrots
- Leek
- Parsley root
- Yellow gold potatoes
- Vegeta seasoning
- Krakus puree pickles, plus a splash of the brine
- Eggs
- Heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This soup builds in layers - broth, vegetables, pickles, then the zaprawka at the very end - so don't rush the first step. A well-built bone broth is what makes this soup taste like it simmered on my mom's stove all day.
- Step 1: Make the bone broth. Simmer the beef shank for 20-25 minutes to build the base of the soup.
- Step 2: Add the celery, carrots, leek, and parsley root, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and the broth is fragrant.
- Step 3: Add the potatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes, until just fork-tender.
- Step 4: Stir in the Vegeta and the jar of Krakus puree pickles, and simmer for 10-15 minutes so the pickle flavor infuses into the broth. Taste here, and add a splash of the pickle brine if you want more tang - the puree alone is milder than you'd think.
- Step 5: Make the zaprawka. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and heavy cream. Ladle a bit of the hot broth into the bowl while whisking constantly to temper the eggs, then stir the tempered mixture back into the pot off the heat (or over very low heat) until the soup turns silky and slightly thickened.
- Step 6: Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.
Substitutions
This is a pretty traditional recipe, but here are a few swaps I've actually made in my own kitchen.
- Beef shank - a couple of bone-in chicken thighs or a small beef soup bone work well if that's what your butcher has; just adjust the initial simmer time down to about 15 minutes for chicken
- Parsley root - if you can't find it, a parsnip is the closest substitute in both flavor and texture
- Vegeta - swap in your favorite all-purpose seasoning blend or a good bouillon base if Vegeta isn't available near you
The one thing I wouldn't swap is the Krakus puree pickles - it's what gives this soup its texture, since the pickles essentially thicken the broth as they break down.
Variations
Once you've made this soup my mom's way, here are a few ways to make it your own.
- High-protein - add extra shredded beef pulled from the shank once the broth is done, or stir in an extra egg to the zaprawka for more protein per bowl
- Lighter - skip the zaprawka and finish with just a spoonful of sour cream per bowl instead of tempering in the eggs and cream
- Extra veggie - add diced turnip or rutabaga along with the potatoes for a heartier, more traditional pot
Have you had ogórkowa before? Let me know in the comments how your family makes it!
Equipment
A large stockpot or Dutch oven is essential here since the shank needs room to simmer along with all the vegetables. I like a heavy-bottomed pot for this - it holds a steady, gentle simmer instead of scorching the broth on the bottom, which matters since this soup is on the stove for close to an hour. You'll also want a ladle for tempering the eggs and a fine-mesh sieve if you want an extra-smooth broth before the vegetables go back in.
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often - because of the egg and cream in the zaprawka, this soup can break or curdle if it boils hard or reheats too fast, so keep the heat low and patient.
I don't recommend freezing this soup once the zaprawka has been added - the egg and cream mixture tends to separate after thawing. If you want to make it ahead and freeze it, freeze the broth and vegetables before Step 5, then make the zaprawka fresh when you're ready to reheat and serve.
Polish Pickle Soup (Zupa Ogórkowa) My Mom's Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef bone-in shank
- 2 celery stalks
- 3 carrots
- ½ leek
- 1 parsley root
- 4 yellow gold potatoes
- 1 tablespoon Vegeta
- 1 jar Krakus Puree Pickles plus pickle brine, to taste
- 2 -3 eggs
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Simmer the beef shank for 20-30 minutes to build the bone broth base.
- Add the celery, carrots, leek, and parsley root; simmer another 15-20 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and cook until just tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the Vegeta and the jar of Krakus puree pickles. Simmer 10-15 minutes to let the pickle flavor infuse, then taste and add pickle brine gradually if you'd like more tang.
- Whisk the eggs and heavy cream together in a separate bowl. Temper by slowly ladling in a bit of the hot broth while whisking, then stir the tempered mixture back into the pot off heat (or over very low heat) until the soup turns silky and slightly thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.
