Kholodnik (Belarusian Cold Beet Soup)
Local name: Халаднік
In short: A chilled bright pink soup of beets, kefir, cucumber, radish, dill and boiled egg, served with a hot potato on the side on summer days. It takes about 1 h 20 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 340 kcal
When the weather turns hot, Belarusian kitchens make kholodnik, a cold soup the color of a magenta ribbon. Boiled beets meet kefir, crunchy cucumber, radish, spring onion and plenty of dill, and the soup chills until it is sharp and refreshing. Halved boiled eggs go on top, and a steaming boiled potato often comes on the side. People break the potato into the cold soup, and the contrast is the point.
Instructions
- Put the beets in a pot, cover with water and boil for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain, keeping 500 ml (2 cups) of the cooking water, and cool both completely.
- Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 9 minutes, cool them in cold water and peel. In another pot, boil the potatoes in water for about 20 minutes until tender, then keep them warm.
- Peel the cooled beets and cut them into small cubes, or grate them on the coarse side of a grater.
- In a large bowl, combine the beets, cucumbers, radishes, spring onions and half of the dill.
- Stir in the kefir, cooled beet water, lemon juice, salt and sugar. Taste and adjust, since the soup should be lightly sour and bright pink.
- Chill for at least 1 hour. Serve in bowls topped with halved eggs, the remaining dill and sour cream, with a hot boiled potato on the side.
Tips
- For a deeper flavor, roast the beets wrapped in foil at 200°C (400°F) for 1 hour. If you roast them, use plain cold water for the soup.
- Cooked, vacuum-packed beets save time. Add a splash more lemon juice if they taste mild.
Questions and answers
Can I make kholodnik ahead of time?
Yes. Make it up to 2 days ahead and add the eggs, extra dill and potatoes at serving time. The color deepens overnight.
Why is kholodnik served with a hot potato?
The mix of hot, floury potato and cold soup is the traditional way to eat it, and it makes the soup filling. Many people crush the potato into the bowl.
What is the difference between kholodnik and okroshka?
Okroshka is a cold soup of cucumber, herbs, potato and often meat in kvass or kefir. Kholodnik is built on beets, which give it the pink color, and usually has no meat.
How long does it take to make Kholodnik (Belarusian Cold Beet Soup)?
About 1 h 20 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 55 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kholodnik (Belarusian Cold Beet Soup)?
About 340 kcal per serving, with 19 g of protein, 45 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 340 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 23 g |
| Sodium | 830 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
