afoona
Chłodnik, Cold Beet Soup with Kefir
Soups

Chłodnik, Cold Beet Soup with Kefir

A pink, tangy soup served in summer with hot potatoes. The dish is known from Lithuanian and Polish cooking, and the kefir gives it a soft tang.

⏱ 1 hr🍽 5 servings 🌍 Mediterranean👩‍🍳 Afoona🧩 2 parts
🧀 Dairy🥬 Vegetarian🌾 Gluten-free

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Boiled Egg

  1. 1
    Bring a pot of water to a boil, deep enough to cover the eggs by about 2 cm.
    StovePot
  2. 2
    Gently lower the eggs into it with a spoon.
  3. 3
    Turn down the heat slightly and simmer 10 minutes.
    ⚙ SimmeringStove
    💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
  4. 4
    Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water for 5–10 minutes, and peel from the wide end.
    Ice bath
    💡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.

To assemble

  1. 5
    Cook the beets whole, in their skins, in a pot of boiling water for 35–40 minutes, until a knife slides in easily.
    StovePotKnife
  2. 6
    Let cool, then peel and grate the beets on the coarse side of a grater.
    PeelerGrater
  3. 7
    Cut the cucumbers into very small cubes and chop the hard-boiled eggs.
    KnifeCutting board
  4. 8
    In a large bowl, mix the beets with the kefir, water, lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
    Bowl
  5. 9
    Add the dill, green onion and cucumbers, stir and taste.
  6. 10
    Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
    Refrigerator
  7. 11
    Serve cold in bowls, with the chopped hard-boiled eggs and a spoonful of the sour cream in each bowl.
    Ladle
180calories
12 gprotein
17 gcarbs
6 gfat
● protein 28%● carbs 39%● fat 33%

Per serving (412 g), of 5 servings

For the Boiled Egg · To assemble ·

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (10) · 🍳 One cooking vessel

  • Refrigerator · Also works: Freezer (Chills faster; don't let it freeze) · Ice bath (Ice bath)
  • Stove · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
  • Pot · Also works: Deep skillet (sauté pan) (less liquid, faster evaporation) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Wok (For quick cooking)
  • Cutting board · Also works: Plate (Large plate, dulls the knife)
  • Knife · Also works: Food processor (Fast, less control over size) · Kitchen shears (For herbs/dough)
  • Bowl · Also works: Pot (None)
  • Grater · Also works: Food processor (Grating disc, more to wash) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Knife (Chop finely, different texture)
  • Ice bath · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Refrigerator (Much longer, less green color)
  • Ladle · Also works: Measuring cup (Cup) · Spoon / teaspoon (regular) (Slow)
  • Peeler · Also works: Paring knife (Wastes more of the fruit, slow)

By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.

🧩 Built from…

Boiled Egg → Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik)

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