🥶 Cold Borscht with Beetroot (Kholodnik)
Cold Borscht, or Kholodnik, is a vibrant and refreshing Ukrainian beet soup, perfect for warm weather! 🌿💜 This chilled dish combines beets, eggs, cucumbers, and herbs in a tangy kefir or sour cream base, making it a nutritious and delicious summer meal. ❄️
Ingredients
- 2 beets, boiled, peeled, and grated medium
- 3 egg hard-boiled, chopped
- 2 cucumbers, diced
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- 3 cups kefir (or mix of kefir and water)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup cold water (if needed for consistency)
Instructions
- Prepare Beets: Boil the beets 🥕 until tender (about 30 minutes). Let them cool, then peel and grate.
- Chop Ingredients: Dice cucumbers 🥒, chop eggs 🥚, green onions 🌿, and dill. Mince garlic 🧄 if using.
- Mix the Base: In a large bowl, combine kefir 🥛, sour cream 🍶, lemon juice 🍋, salt 🧂, and black pepper ⚫. Stir well.
- Combine Everything: Add grated beets, cucumbers, eggs, and herbs into the liquid base. Mix thoroughly.
- Adjust Consistency: If the soup is too thick, add cold water ❄️ until desired consistency is reached.
- Chill & Serve: Let the soup cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with an extra dollop of sour cream and fresh dill on top. 🌿😋Enjoy this refreshing Ukrainian classic on a hot day! ☀️💜
Notes
In Ukrainian cuisine, there are three traditional varieties of borscht – red with red beets, green with various herbs and cold. The last one is kholodnik.
Cold borscht, or Kholodnik, is not just a refreshing dish, it is a real culinary masterpiece that embodies the richness of Ukrainian cuisine and its love for seasonal products. On hot summer days, when the thought of hot dishes causes only heaviness, Kholodnik becomes a real salvation, giving a feeling of lightness and coolness.
The history of cold borscht dates back to ancient times. Having appeared in the times of Kievan Rus, it became an integral part of the culinary traditions of many Eastern European peoples – Ukrainians, Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians and Belarusians. Over the centuries, the recipe of Kholodnik has changed, adapting to local products and taste preferences, but its basis – beets – has always remained unchanged.
Kholodnik is a unique dish that combines the simplicity of preparation and the infinity of taste variations. It can be prepared on bread kvass, whey, kefir or even buttermilk – the liquid that remains after whipping the oil. The main thing is to adhere to the traditional recipe and use fresh, high-quality ingredients.
The peculiarity of Kholodnik is that it does not require heat treatment. The only component that undergoes boiling is beets. The remaining vegetables and greens are added to the cold broth in fresh form, preserving all their beneficial properties and giving the dish a unique aroma.
Kholodnik is not just a set of ingredients, it is a real symphony of taste, where each component plays its role. The sweetness of beets is harmoniously combined with the freshness of cucumber and radish, the sharpness of garlic adds piquancy, and the tenderness of greens completes the composition. Thanks to such a variety of tastes, Kholodnik not only quenches hunger, but also gives real pleasure.
Kholodnik is a great choice for those who watch their health and figure. It contains few calories, but many vitamins and minerals. In addition, it is easily absorbed by the body and does not cause a feeling of heaviness.
Kholodnik is a dish that gives room for imagination. You can experiment with ingredients, adding your favorite vegetables, greens and spices. The main thing is not to be afraid of the new and remember that Kholodnik is primarily your personal culinary masterpiece.
Kholodnik tastes great with traditional garlic donuts.
