Belarus · Soups · Vegetarian

Cold Beet Soup

Name: Cold Beet Soup
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Belarusian
Ingredients: 500 g beets; 1 L kefir; 3-4 pieces fresh cucumbers; 4 pieces eggs; 1 bunch scallion; 1 bunch fresh dill; 4-5 pieces radishes; 1-2 tbsp lemon juice or table vinegar; 1 tsp sugar; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; sour cream and boiled potatoes for serving

A vibrant crimson cold soup from Belarus — refreshing kefir base with grated beets, cucumbers, radishes, eggs and fresh dill. The perfect summer dish: bright, tangy, and served ice cold with sour cream.

60 min 220 kcal 6 serves Medium🌿Vegetarian🇧🇾Belarus★★★★★4.8· 5 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

500 gbeets
1 Lkefir
3 piecesfresh cucumbers
4 pieceseggs
1 bunchscallion
1 bunchfresh dill
4 piecesradishes
1 tbsplemon juice or table vinegar
1 tspsugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
sour cream and boiled potatoes for serving

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“Cold beet soup is the quintessential summer refresher across Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland — a chilled, vibrant magenta bowl that looks as stunning as it tastes. The key is cooking the beets gently until perfectly tender, then letting the beet liquid cool completely before combining with kefir or sour cream. I always add a splash of beet kvass or white vinegar to sharpen the tang; without that acidity, the soup can taste flat and one-dimensional. The traditional garnish of hard-boiled egg halves, fresh dill, and finely diced cucumber transforms each bowl into a complete, satisfying cold meal that needs nothing more than dark rye bread alongside.”

Chill the soup for at least 4 hours before serving — the flavors meld beautifully when cold, and the color deepens to that stunning magenta that makes this soup so photogenic.

Method

Wash beets (do not peel). Cook in water with salt, sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice to preserve the bright color — 40-60 minutes until tender. Remove beets, strain and cool the broth completely.
Hard-boil eggs, cool and peel. Grate cucumbers and radishes on a coarse grater. Finely chop green onion and dill; lightly salt the onion and mash with a spoon to release its juices.
Peel cooled beets and grate on a coarse grater. Combine beets, cucumbers, radishes, herbs and eggs in a large bowl.
Pour in kefir and 500-700ml beet broth (adjust thickness to your taste). Mix well.
Add salt, pepper and more lemon juice if needed. The flavor should be bright and refreshing with a balance of tartness and sweetness.
Refrigerate at least 1-2 hours. Serve cold with sour cream and boiled potatoes.

FAQ

Cold beet soup is a dish in its own right — not borscht. It contains no cabbage or tomatoes, but includes cucumber, radish, eggs, and fresh herbs. It is always served cold, whereas borscht is eaten hot. Think of it as a kvas-based cold soup rather than a variation of borscht.

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Comments (1)

Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
The size of your dice determines the character of this cold beet soup. Large pieces of beets give a rustic, hearty soup. Fine dice gives elegance. I cut everything to match — uniformity matters more than size.