Chłodnik (cold beet soup)

Name: Chłodnik (cold beet soup)
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Eastern European
Ingredients: 500ml Water; 1 l Kefir, well-chilled; 200ml Sour Cream, 18% fat, well-chilled; 1 Cucumber, about 200 g, finely diced; 8 Radishes, thinly sliced; 1 small bunch of Dill, fresh, about 20 g, finely chopped; 1 bunch of Chives, or 4 spring onions, finely sliced; 1 tbsp Lemon Juice, or 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, to taste; 1 tsp Sugar; 1 1/2 tsp Fine Salt, plus more to taste; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground; 4 Eggs, hard-boiled, halved; 600g Young Potatoes, boiled, optional; 2 tbsp Butter, for tossing with potatoes, optional; 1 pinch of Salt, for tossing with potatoes, optional; 1 pinch of Dill, for tossing with potatoes, optional

Chłodnik is a refreshingly tangy cold soup perfect for warm days — creamy, herb-scented and bright with crisp vegetables. This version blends a kefir-and-sour-cream base with crunchy cucumber and radishes, finishing with lemon, dill and chopped eggs and buttered young potatoes for a comforting, rustic touch. Chill well and serve cold for a light, satisfying meal.

Chłodnik is a refreshingly tangy cold soup perfect for warm days — creamy, herb-scented and bright with crisp vegetables. This ver... Show more

Traditional Eastern European Recipe

Health Grade

B · Healthy

Rating

4.0

Time

55 min

Price

1,21 €

Calories

457 kcal

vegetarian

low calorie

easy

meal prep

Method

Rinse the vegetables

Rinse the Cucumber, Radishes, Dill, and Chives under cold running water, then dry them well with a clean towel or paper towels so the soup stays bright and not watery.

Chop the mix-ins

Finely dice the cucumber, thinly slice the radishes, finely chop the dill, and slice the chives. Keep everything bite-size so the soup eats easily with a spoon.

Whisk the base

In a large bowl, whisk together the well-chilled Kefir, Sour Cream, and Water until the base is smooth and creamy. Stir in the Lemon Juice, Sugar, Fine Salt, and freshly ground Pepper (Black), then taste and adjust until it is pleasantly tangy and lightly seasoned.

Fold and chill

Add the chopped cucumber, radishes, dill, and chives to the bowl and stir gently just until they are evenly distributed. Cover and chill for 30 minutes so the flavors meld and the soup gets properly cold. If you want to save time, cook the eggs and potatoes while the soup is chilling.

Boil the eggs

Put the Eggs in a small saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle, peel them, and halve each egg.

Boil the potatoes

If you are serving the optional side, place the Young Potatoes in a pot and cover them with water seasoned with Salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain well, toss with Butter while they are still hot, and finish with a little more salt and a pinch of dill.

Assemble and serve

Give the chilled soup a final stir, then ladle it into bowls. Top each bowl with the halved eggs and, if you made them, serve the buttery potatoes alongside.