Ukrainian Cold Soup (Kholodnyk) Recipe

Ukrainian cold soup, often called kholodnyk or cold borscht, is a chilled beet soup made with kefir, cucumber, fresh herbs, and boiled eggs. This version balances earthy beets with tangy cultured dairy and is served cold, often with potatoes on the side; family and regional versions vary, including some made with beet kvass.

Ingredients

2 small or medium red beets, about 10½ oz (300 g) total, scrubbed
8 cups (1.9 L) water for cooking the beets
1 tsp (5 g) fine salt for the beet water, plus more to taste
3 medium waxy potatoes, about 1 lb (450 g), scrubbed
4 large eggs, about 7 oz (200 g) without shells
2 cups (300 g) cucumber, finely diced; peel it if the skin is tough
½ cup (50 g) thinly sliced radishes, optional
½ cup (30 g) thinly sliced green onions
½ cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh dill, plus a little extra for serving
4 cups (960 ml) plain kefir, well chilled
2 cups (480 ml) cooled beet cooking liquid
½ cup (120 g) sour cream, plus more for serving if desired
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, or to taste
¼ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp (5 g) prepared horseradish, optional

Instructions

Cook the beets. Put the scrubbed beets in a saucepan and add the 8 cups (1.9 L) water and 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer for about 40 minutes, until a knife slides into the thickest part without much resistance. Larger beets can take longer, so check them rather than relying only on the clock. Lift the beets out with a slotted spoon and reserve 2 cups (480 ml) of the cooking liquid. Let both cool until easy to handle. The remaining liquid can be discarded.
Cook the potatoes and eggs while the beets simmer. Put the potatoes in a separate pot, cover with water, and simmer until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and cool. In another saucepan, cover the eggs with water, bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the eggs to cold water to cool. For whole boiled eggs, cook until both the yolk and white are firm.
Prepare the vegetables. When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins with your fingers or a small knife; trim away the ends. Dice the beets into pieces about the same size as the cucumber so each spoonful has a balanced mix. Peel the cooled potatoes and cut them into bite-size cubes. Peel the eggs and cut them in half or into wedges for serving.
Mix the chilled base. In a large bowl or nonreactive pot, whisk the kefir, cooled beet liquid, sour cream, lemon juice, black pepper, and optional horseradish until smooth. The mixture should be pourable but creamy. If the beet liquid is still warm, wait for it to cool before adding it; warm liquid can make the soup less refreshing and may affect the kefir’s texture.
Add the vegetables and herbs. Stir in the diced beets, cucumber, optional radishes, green onions, and chopped dill. Taste the liquid before adding more salt because the beet broth is already seasoned. Add salt a little at a time, then adjust with extra lemon juice if you want a brighter, more tart finish.
Chill the soup. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour so the soup becomes thoroughly cold and the beet color and dill flavor spread through the kefir. If you need to speed up serving, divide the soup between shallow covered containers to cool more quickly, but do not leave it at room temperature for an extended period.
Serve with the potatoes and eggs. Stir the soup once more, then taste and make a final adjustment to salt or lemon. Ladle it into chilled bowls and add potato cubes and egg wedges to each serving, or offer them separately so diners can choose their own portions. Finish with a small spoonful of sour cream and a pinch of dill.

Tips

Choose beets of similar size. Two small or medium beets cook more evenly than one very large beet. If the knife still meets firm resistance at 40 minutes, continue simmering and check every 5 minutes. The exact time depends on the beets’ size and age.
Cool the broth before mixing. The kefir and sour cream should meet cold or fully cooled beet liquid. If you want to cool the broth faster, pour the reserved portion into a shallow heatproof dish and refrigerate it; avoid putting a steaming pot directly into the refrigerator.
Adjust the thickness gradually. Kefir varies from thin to spoonable. Start with the listed 2 cups (480 ml) of beet liquid, then add a little more cooled liquid or cold water if the soup feels too thick. For a thicker, richer bowl, use less liquid rather than adding a large amount of sour cream.
Keep the cut small and even. Small dice make the soup easy to eat and help distribute beet, cucumber, and herbs through every serving. Use a sharp knife and cut the cooked beets after they have cooled; warm beets are softer and can smear more easily.

Serving Suggestions

Serve kholodnyk cold in individual bowls, with the potatoes and eggs arranged on top or passed at the table. A little extra sour cream, chopped dill, or thinly sliced green onion makes a simple garnish. If you prefer a more substantial bowl, add more potato; if you like a lighter, sharper soup, use a smaller spoonful of sour cream and offer lemon wedges so each person can season their portion.

Rye bread or dark whole-grain bread is a natural companion for the creamy, tart broth. You can also serve the soup as a first course before grilled vegetables, baked fish, or a simple savory pie. Keep the soup cold while people are eating, and bring out only the amount you expect to serve rather than letting the full batch sit on the table. The potatoes and eggs can be served chilled alongside it, which keeps the meal easy to assemble ahead.

Variations

Use beet kvass for a more fermented flavor. Beet kvass appears in some regional and household versions of cold beet soup. Replace up to 1 cup (240 ml) of the beet cooking liquid with beet kvass, then taste before adding lemon or salt because kvass can already be tangy and seasoned. If beet kvass is difficult to find, use the cooled cooking liquid in this recipe; the result will taste clean and earthy rather than fermented.

Make it without kefir. Plain, unsweetened yogurt thinned with cold water or milk can stand in for kefir. Start with 3 cups (720 g) yogurt and whisk in water a little at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency. The soup will be thicker and may taste less lightly fizzy than a kefir version. Buttermilk is another practical substitute, though it is thinner and sharper, so begin with less beet liquid and adjust to taste.

Change the vegetables or herbs. Radishes are optional, and a little more cucumber works well in their place. Some cooks use parsley alongside or instead of dill; it gives a greener, less anise-like herbal note. If you do not enjoy raw green onion, use a smaller amount or leave it out. Keep the beet, dairy, and cold-serving base intact if you want the soup to retain its familiar character.

Serve the components separately. For a more flexible table, keep the soup base, diced vegetables, potatoes, and eggs in separate containers and let everyone assemble a bowl. This is useful when guests prefer different amounts of dairy or when you are preparing the dish a day ahead. It also keeps the cucumber crisp for longer, although the flavors will be less blended until the soup is stirred and chilled together.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate the soup within 2 hours of preparation. Store it covered in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder and use it within 3 to 4 days. The flavor remains pleasant, but cucumber and herbs soften as they sit, so the best texture is usually on the first or second day. Keep the hard-boiled eggs and potatoes separate if you want them to hold their shape and freshness; refrigerate those components in covered containers as well.

This is a cold soup and is not meant to be reheated. Stir the stored soup before serving because the ingredients can settle, then taste it and add a little lemon juice, salt, or fresh dill if the flavor has mellowed. Do not leave a serving bowl out for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the room is above 90°F (32°C). If you warm any leftover potatoes or other cooked components separately, reheat them to 165°F (74°C) before eating. Freezing is not recommended: kefir can separate when thawed, and cucumber becomes watery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Ukrainian cold soup a day ahead?
Yes. Make the soup base and chill it overnight in a covered container. For the crispest result, store the cucumber and herbs separately and stir them in a few hours before serving; keep the potatoes and eggs separate too. Give the soup a good stir and taste it again before it reaches the table, since cold temperatures can mute salt and acidity.

Can I use pre-cooked beets?
Yes. Use about 10½ oz (300 g) plain cooked beets, peel them if needed, and dice them. Since you will not have beet cooking liquid, use 2 cups (480 ml) cold water or mild, unsalted vegetable broth in the base. The soup will be a little less earthy and less vividly flavored than when made with fresh beet broth. Avoid beets packed in vinegar unless you want a noticeably sharper result.

Why is my soup too thick or too tart?
Kefir and sour cream differ in thickness and acidity, so the balance can vary. Thin a thick batch with cold water or extra cooled beet liquid, adding a few tablespoons at a time. If it tastes too tart, stir in a little more sour cream or a splash of cold water rather than adding sugar. If it tastes flat, add salt in small pinches first; a little lemon juice can sharpen the beet flavor once the seasoning is right.

Do the eggs and potatoes go into the soup or on the side?
Either approach works. Adding diced potatoes to the bowls makes the soup more filling, while serving them separately lets everyone decide how much to include. Egg wedges are often placed on top, but you can chop them and stir them in. If making the soup ahead, separate storage helps the potatoes stay firm and the eggs look neat at serving time.

Is kholodnyk the same as every cold borscht?
No single recipe covers every household version. Kholodnyk is a common name for chilled beet soup, and similar cold beet soups are made across neighboring parts of Eastern and Central Europe. The liquid may be kefir, another cultured dairy, beet kvass, or a combination, and the vegetables and garnishes vary. This recipe is a practical kefir-based Ukrainian-style version, not a claim that there is only one correct formula.

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