Ready within 1 hour, this hearty and wholesome broccoli dill pickle soup is the perfect cold weather cozy dinner–just add some crusty bread for dipping. This vegan soup is made with simple ingredients like onions, carrots, potatoes, canned white beans, dill pickles, garlic, and vegetable stock, and happens entirely on the stovetop in 1 pot. Filled with creamy and tangy flavours, plenty of vegetables, protein from white beans, plus a finishing kiss of dill pickle brine to lift everything up, this easy and creamy vegan broccoli soup is perfect for dinner on a cold night. Definitely not your typical vegan broccoli soup!
I have had versions of vegan dill pickle potato soup before and absolutely loved it. I’m a fan of anything dill pickle-flavoured so the creamy and slightly chunky soup is such a slam dunk. It has a strong satiation factor that is so crucial in the winter months.
The inspiration for this vegan broccoli dill pickle soup:
- The traditional Polish recipe ogórkowa zupa is a big reference point here. This soup usually contains potatoes, root vegetables, onions, chopped/grated dill pickles, sometimes meat, sometimes sour cream, and also dill pickle brine. The pickles are sometimes cooked in fat with stock in a separate pot (before being poured into the final soup).
- Versions of this soup are popular in Ukraine and Russia as well.
- My recipe here is not traditional or meant to be a recreation of creamy dill pickle soup as discussed above. The flavour combination of dill pickles with an aromatic potato base is inspired by it though!
- For a more traditional recipe, check out this version from the Eating European blog. This brothier recipe from the New York Times also looks good and may be easier to veganize.
I often find myself making soups as a strategy to use up what’s in my fridge. That’s where this recipe’s journey began. I wanted a broccoli and potato soup with a bit of a different flavour profile and some added bits for plant-based protein so that it could be more of a complete meal. I took inspiration from dill pickle potato soup and added lots of chopped broccoli and white beans. Soaked raw cashews add more creaminess after a quick blend. Flavour boosts come in from garlic, Dijon, nutritional yeast, miso, pickle brine, mustard, and plenty of fresh dill. The broccoli sparkles in this flavour combo!
My favourite thing about this soup is that it really does eat like a complete meal. I also just love the mega tang quality from both the pickles and brine–this can of course be modified to your tastes. We will always take a little bit of extra comfort with our vegetables this time of year, and this soup fits the bill. I hope that you love it!
More dill pickle goodness! Vegan Dill Pickle Dip, Chopped Dill Pickle Salad, Pickle Panzanella Salad, and Vegan Potato Salad with Dill Pickle Dressing.
Free Pantry & Kitchen Equipment Guide
Everything you need for flavourful vegan meals that everyone will love, from my kitchen to yours.
Broccoli Dill Pickle Soup with White Beans & Potatoes
This vegan broccoli dill pickle soup with white beans is creamy, tangy, and exploding with flavour from garlic, spices, dill pickles + brine, fresh dill, and more. Ready in 1 hour and super hearty on its own.
Servings 4 -6
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
- 2 sticks celery, small dice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch chili flakes, optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, chopped (480 grams/3 cups chopped potatoes)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 bunch broccoli, stems and florets chopped (about 375 grams)
- 1 ½ cups cooked white beans (from a 15 oz can)
- ½ cup chopped dill pickles
- 1-2 cups baby spinach, optional
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and drained
- 1 tablespoon light miso
- pickle juice/brine, to taste (see note)
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh dill
Notes
- I use 2 tablespoons of pickle brine and find that to be perfectly tangy for my tastes–I say this as someone who really loves pickles and acidic food in general.
- Soaked sunflower seeds or macadamia nuts stand in nicely for the cashews. Soak macadamias for a full 8 hours though.
- I add the baby spinach to the blended portion of the soup because I love the pretty green colour and extra veggie boost. Of course you can leave it out and the soup will still be great!
Instructions
-
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and swirl it around.
-
Add the onion and celery to the pot and stir. Sauté until celery is bright green and onions are translucent and soft, about 6-7 minutes.
-
To the pot, add the garlic, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, chili flakes (if using), and bay leaves. Stir and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
-
Add the chopped potatoes and Dijon mustard. Season liberally with salt and pepper and stir. Pour in the vegetable stock and stir once more. Place a lid on top of the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, move the lid slightly so that some steam can escape. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
-
Once potatoes are tender, add chopped broccoli, white beans, and chopped dill pickles. Stir and bring up to a simmer again. Partially cover with a lid and cook until broccoli is tender, about 8 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and discard them.
-
If using, add the baby spinach to an upright blender pitcher. Carefully ladle half of the hot soup into the blender pitcher as well. Add the drained cashews and miso. Blend this mixture on high until completely smooth and bright green, about 1 full minute.
-
Pour the blended portion of soup back into the pot and stir. Give the soup a taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. From here, add pickle brine to taste and the chopped fresh dill. Stir once more, bring it back up to a boil, and then serve the soup hot.
