Creamy Potato & Dill Soup (Koperkowa) Recipe
Creamy Potato & Dill Soup (‘Koperkowa’) is a comforting Polish-inspired soup made with tender potatoes, fresh dill, and a rich cream base. This hearty yet delicate soup combines sautéed onions, grated carrots, and a flavorful stock, finished with a touch of lemon juice and nutmeg for brightness and warmth. Perfect for a cozy meal, it is garnished with fresh dill and grated hard cheese to add texture and depth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1/2 medium onion (roughly 2.5 oz, 70 g), white or yellow
- 2 medium carrots (roughly 5 oz, 140 g)
- 14 oz (400 g) young potatoes, or regular potatoes as substitute
- 1 large bunch fresh dill (3.5 oz, 100 g)
Dairy & Fats
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 7–9 oz (200–250 g) heavy cream, 30% or 36% fat
- 1/3 cup hard cheese (e.g. Polish Bursztyn, Italian Parmesan), grated into flakes
Liquids & Seasonings
- 32–35 oz (0.9 – 1 litre) vegetable or meat-based stock, ideally homemade
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Peel and prepare vegetables: Peel the onion, carrots, and potatoes. Dice the onion finely and the potatoes into small cubes. Grate the carrots using the largest holes of a box grater. Set all aside for cooking.
- Start cooking base: Place a cooking pot or a skillet with a thick base on medium-low heat. Melt one tablespoon of butter, add the diced onion with a tiny pinch of salt, and sauté occasionally until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Add potatoes and carrots: Add the diced potatoes and grated carrot to the pot. Stir and continue frying gently for 2-3 minutes to blend flavors before adding liquid.
- Simmer with stock: Pour in the vegetable or meat stock, bring to a near boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft and cooked through.
- Prepare creamy mixture: Scoop out one cup of the hot soup into a separate bowl. Add the heavy cream and blend together with a fork or spoon until smooth, then return this creamy mixture back into the pot to enrich the soup.
- Add fresh dill and seasonings: Finely chop most of the fresh dill, reserving some for garnish. Stir the dill into the soup along with one tablespoon of lemon juice, half a teaspoon of nutmeg, and generous salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for another 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat to combine flavors.
- Final taste check and adjust: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as necessary, adding extra acidity or salt if desired to balance the flavors perfectly.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining chopped dill and flakes of hard cheese for added richness and texture. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Using young potatoes will yield a more tender texture but regular potatoes work well too.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock; for more richness, meat-based stock is excellent.
- The soup can be blended more thoroughly if a smoother texture is preferred.
- Adjust cream quantity according to desired richness and creaminess.
- The soup is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and gently reheated.
- Fresh dill is key to authentic flavor; dried dill will not provide the same fresh aroma.
- Grated hard cheese is optional but adds a salty, savory contrast to the creamy soup.
Keywords: Creamy Potato Soup, Dill Soup, Polish Soup, Comfort Food, Creamy Vegetable Soup, Koperkowa