Chłodnik (Polish Cold Beet Soup with Buttermilk and Dill)
In short: A bright pink cold soup of grated beets, cucumber, radish and dill in buttermilk, the refreshing Polish summer lunch served with hot potatoes. It takes about 1 h 10 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Resting
- 2 h
- Total
- 1 h 10 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 185 kcal
On a hot day in Poland, a bowl of chłodnik, the cold beet soup, is hard to beat. Grated beets, cucumber, radishes and a lot of dill are stirred into cold buttermilk or kefir, turning it bright pink. The soup is tart, creamy and crunchy at once, and is usually served with a halved boiled egg and a few steaming new potatoes on the side. It needs no cooking beyond boiling the beets.
Instructions
- Put the beets in a pot, cover with water and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Lift them out, keep 250 ml (1 cup) of the cooking water and let both cool completely.
- Peel the cooled beets and grate them coarsely. Toss them with the lemon juice right away, which keeps the color bright.
- In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, yogurt and cooled beet water until smooth. Stir in the beets, cucumbers, radishes, spring onions, dill and garlic.
- Season with the sugar, salt and pepper. The soup should taste fresh, slightly sour and well seasoned, because cold mutes flavor.
- Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Taste again, and thin with cold water or more buttermilk if it has thickened.
- Serve very cold in bowls, topped with half a boiled egg and a little extra dill, with hot potatoes alongside.
Tips
- Wear gloves when peeling and grating beets, and use a board you do not mind staining. Everything that touches them turns pink.
- Chilling lets the flavors blend and the color deepen. The soup keeps 2 days, but the cucumber loses crunch, so stir it in close to serving if you make it ahead.
Questions and answers
What color should chłodnik be?
A vivid pink or magenta, from the beets and the dairy together. If it looks dull purple, stir in more buttermilk or yogurt and a little lemon juice.
Can I make a vegan chłodnik?
Yes. Use unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt thinned with water and lemon juice in place of the buttermilk and yogurt, and skip the egg garnish.
Can I use pre-cooked beets?
Yes. Use about 500 g (1.1 lb) of plain cooked beets, not pickled, and cold water instead of the beet water. It saves about 45 minutes.
How long does it take to make Chłodnik (Polish Cold Beet Soup with Buttermilk and Dill)?
About 1 h 10 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Chłodnik (Polish Cold Beet Soup with Buttermilk and Dill)?
About 185 kcal per serving, with 11 g of protein, 22 g of carbohydrates and 6 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 185 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 17 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
