Chlodnik Litewski aka Chilled Beet Soup

Downloadable Recipe Card: Here
Prep Time: 30 mins
Serves: 4

What You’ll Need

• Soup

  • 2 beets, leaves and stems removed

  • 2 cups plain greek yogurt

  • 2 cups plain kefir

  • 1 English cucumber, finely grated and chopped

  • 6-8 radishes, finely grated and chopped

  • 1/4 fresh dill, finely chopped

  • 2 tbs fresh chives, finely chopped

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 1/2 lemon, juiced

  • salt and pepper to taste

How To Make

• First, prepare your beets in a pot of boiling water.

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add beets, cooking until soft (~10 mins). Remove from boiling water and let cool until warm to the touch. With your beets still warm to the touch, peel beets (the skin should slip off easily after boiling), and roughly chop. Set aside in refrigerator or freezer to cool rapidly.

• While your beets cool, prepare your greens and yogurt mix.

  • Combine yogurt, kefir, water, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in cucumbers, radishes, dill, and chives.

• Once your beets have cooled, pulse them in the food processor until smooth.

  • Add chilled beets to food processor and pulse until you reach your desired consistency. For me, I like them as smooth as possible.

• Finally, combine beets with yogurt base.

  • Combine your beets with yogurt base and garnish with extra dill or another squeeze of fresh lemon juice!

• Enjoy!

How To Enjoy

I first experienced Chlodnik soup at the New Buffalo Farmer’s Market during the summer of 2022, and I’ve been in love with it ever since. First, its gorgeous pink color is striking and makes people excited to try it. Second, its tangy yet fresh flavor profile is something to write home about. Finally, it’s served cold, and to me, there is nothing like a cold soup to go along with a hot summer day. So here’s my recommendation: buy your ingredients fresh at your local farmers market, whistle while you whip this up, serve it to friends who have a zest for life and food adventures as much as you do, and finally, serve it in bowls that have as much flair as this hot pink, fabulous soup does. Xo!