How long does it take to make Cold Beet Soup?

Chill at least overnight; before serving, thin with a little water or milk as needed, and serve with half a hard-boiled egg per plate (and warm potatoes on the side).

1 hr 11 minTotal

20 minActive time

50 minSetting

Step by Step

#	What to do	How long
1	Bring a pot of water to a boil, deep enough to cover the eggs by about 2 cm	5 min
2	Gently lower the eggs into it with a spoon	—
3	Turn down the heat slightly and simmer 10 minutes	10 min
4	Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water for 5–10 minutes, and peel from the wide end	8 min
5	Cook the beets whole, in their skins, in a pot of boiling water for 35–40 minutes	38 min
6	Let cool, then peel and grate the beets on the coarse side of a grater	3 min
7	Cut the cucumbers into very small cubes and chop the hard-boiled eggs	5 min
8	In a large bowl, mix the beets with the kefir, lemon juice, salt and black pepper	1 min
9	Add the dill, green onion and cucumbers, stir and taste	1 min
10	Cover and chill for at least overnight	—
11	Serve cold in bowls, with the chopped hard-boiled eggs	1 min

How to Tell It's Done

until a knife slides in easily

Tips

Cold water right after cooking stops the cooking and separates the membrane from the white: peeling is easy, and the yolk doesn't turn gray.

Common Mistakes

A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.

More Ways

Cook 3 medium beets whole in water until completely tender, cool, peel and grate on the coarse side of a grater; mix with the cultured dairy, finely diced cucumber, green onion and dill, salt, black pepper and 3–4 tablespoons lemon juice.
Cold borscht made from cooked beets with sour cream, yogurt or kefir, served cold with chopped dill.

The full recipe: Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik) →

Recipes with Cold Beet Soup

Chłodnik, Cold Beet Soup with Kefir