This Leftover Brine Is The Secret To More Flavorful Soups

A timeless dish that comes in many flavors, soup is classic and comforting. One of the most appealing aspects of a heaping pot of soup is its customizability, and adventurous foodies can enjoy the luxury of experimenting with bold, unconventional, yet surprisingly delicious ingredients. Enter leftover pickle brine.

Though it might be second nature to toss pickle brine down the drain once you've munched and crunched your way through those cucumbers-turned-gherkins, hanging on to that zippy liquid comes in handy. Introducing pickle brine to soup gives it a bright, tangy, and uplifting edge that can be as subtle or bold as you prefer. Beyond its obviously zesty taste, pickle brine also adds a delicate saltiness to soup, which functions not only as its own distinct flavor, but also as a catalyst to amplify the other flavors in your dish. Plus, if you accidentally add too much spice to your soup, the acid in the pickle brine can neutralize the fire.

A basic pickle brine is made of water, vinegar, salt, and sugar — common provisions used in a wide range of dishes, ensuring that it never feels out of place in just about any soup recipe. If you're feeling adventurous, you can purchase or prepare pickles brined with added ingredients like jalapenos, onions, or garlic for some soup-ready briny goodness with a little extra pizzazz. Not to mention that repurposing leftover pickle brine is a sustainable food practice that reduces food waste — double win!

Because it's one of the more unconventional soup upgrades, you may not know which soups benefit most from pickle brine. Luckily, your options aren't limited. With its mild flavor underscored by an umami punch courtesy of the poultry, chicken noodle soup is the prototypical pot for a splash of pickle brine, giving it a touch of zippy brightness. Since pickles are a popular fixing on a chicken sandwich, a little brine makes perfect sense in this classic, cold-curing soup.

No soup can mesh with a dash of pickle brine quite like borscht. Designed with tangy flavors in mind and almost always fashioned with dill — a pickle's best friend — it's almost surprising this Ukrainian soup doesn't already feature a splash of brine. Nutritious as they are, veggie soups can taste a bit bland, which makes pickle brine an excellent addition for bringing some present, on-the-nose flavors to the pot. Even soups with ground beef or pork work well with pickle brine, as the flavor-forward liquid brings a light, refreshing edge to their meaty machismo.

Avoid adding pickle brine to soups designed with delicate flavors in mind, such as lobster bisque, which is best enjoyed in its traditional form. Adding it to soups prepared with richness in mind, like chowders and French onion soup, might also distract from the dish's opulence. Similarly, recipes teeming with busy layers of flavor may not need extra zhuzhing up.

It doesn't take a high level of culinary expertise to introduce pickle brine to a boiling pot of soup. However, keeping a few simple tips in mind can ensure you get the most flavor from this simple soup hack. Start with a small dose: Adding too much pickle brine to the pot can disrupt the harmony of your flavors in your favorite simmering stovetop recipe. The aim is to use pickle brine as a complementary ingredient that enhances and equalizes the other elements in the soup rather than encroaching on them. Gradually introduce the brine, and taste as you go. Add the pickle brine towards the end of the cooking process; the acidity in the liquid can prevent the other ingredients from cooking through. Plus, it's harder to conduct a proper taste test while the soup is still simmering.

Pickle brine doesn't last forever, so make sure you put those leftovers to use before it goes off. The liquid will last up to two months, but look for signs of spoilage such as discoloration, cloudiness, foul smells, or mold on the container. Although it's just one of many ways to shake up your soup routine, adding pickle juice to the pot is one of the most exciting and functional. Whether it's a comforting fall soup or a springy consommé, pickle brine is the secret ingredient your kitchen cauldron is missing.