Chlodnik (Polish Cold Beet Soup)

Beets, cucumbers, and yogurt combine to create Chlodnik, a surprisingly refreshing Polish Cold Beet Soup. 

Summer Soups

Here in the States, we don’t think about soup the way many other cultures do. Soup is a winter standby: something comforting for when we’re cold.

How often do you crave a good soup in the summer?

Or, have ever told someone about a restaurant and said, “What you REALLY have to try is their SOUP.”

Yeah, us neither.

The Polish Love Soup

The Polish on the other hand, they LOVE their soup. Never is a meal served without soup.

Love beets? Try traditional Polish Borscht.

Tim’s parents have told us many stories about going to do yard work on a hot summer day for Tim’s Polish Great Aunt, and when they would come in for lunch, sweaty and tired, the first thing she would set before them was a steaming, hot bowl of soup.

Not quite what you would want for a mid-day pick-me-up.

Chlodnik: Polish Cold Beet Soup

This soup on the other hand would be a better warm weather choice.

Beet soup, also known as borscht is a well known, traditional soup in Poland, Russia, and Ukraine.

Chlodnik is the chilled version.

This soup is a combination of beets and cucumbers with sour cream, yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk. The result is a surprisingly refreshing and light soup with an incredibly intense pink hue.

Choosing Beets for Chlodnik

Be sure to pick young, baby beets for your soup, since smaller beets are sweeter and more tender. This will make all the difference in the flavor of your soup.

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5 from 4 votes

Chilled Beet Soup (Chlodnik)

Beets, cucumbers, and yogurt combine to create Chlodnik, a surprisingly refreshing Polish Cold Beet Soup. 

Prep Time35 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Polish

Servings: 4 - 6 people

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere

Ingredients

• ½ lb beets, peeled and grated
• 1 c vegetable broth (we prefer low sodium)
• 1 c buttermilk or kefir
• ¾ c plain non-fat yogurt or low-fat sour cream
• ¼ c lemon juice
• 1 small cucumber diced
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill or 2 tsp dry
• 1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped, or 1 tsp dry
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp sugar optional, depending upon how sweet your beets are
• 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

Instructions

• Place grated beets in a 2 quart saucepan. Fill the pot with water until the beets are covered by about 1 inch. Heat, uncovered, over medium-low for 45 minutes. (You want the mixture to steam, but never reach a boil. Boiling will create a bit of a bitter flavor in the final soup.) After 45 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and refrigerate until cool. (This can be done ahead of time, and you can leave your beets chilling up to 48 hours in the fridge.)
• When you are ready to make the soup, add vegetable broth, buttermilk, yogurt, lemon juice, diced cucumbers, dill, chives, and salt to the chilled beet and water mixture.
• Taste and add sugar if necessary.
• Serve cold, topped with hard boiled eggs and additional dill or chives, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.9g | Protein: 12.7g | Fat: 5.7g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Cholesterol: 167mg | Sodium: 978mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Sugar: 20.1g

Sarah - Curious Cuisiniere

Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.

www.curiouscuisiniere.com/about/