Welcome to the ultimate summer refresher! Kholodnik, which literally translates to "chiller," is a beloved cold soup from Eastern Europe, perfect for beating the heat on a sweltering day. Its stunning, vibrant pink hue comes from beets, while a creamy kefir base provides a tangy and refreshing flavor. This particular version includes hearty sausages, transforming a light soup into a satisfying and complete meal. It's a delightful combination of crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and savory notes, all served chilled to perfection. Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite summer soup!
Kholodnik na Kefire — Cold Kefir Soup with Sausages
Ingredients for Kholodnik (Cold Kefir Soup) with Sausages
- 1 medium cooked beet
- 2 cooked potatoes
- 2 fresh cucumbers
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 2 Doktorskie sosiski (a type of mild, bologna-like sausage; can be substituted with frankfurters)
- 400 ml kefir (a fermented milk drink, similar to a thin yogurt)
- small bunch of green onions
- small bunch of parsley and dill
- salt, ground black pepper
How to Make Kholodnik na Kefire with Sausages
Peel the young potatoes that have been boiled in their skins and dice them into small cubes.
Add the chopped cucumbers to the boiled potatoes.
Finely chop the green onion feathers.
Peel the young potatoes that have been boiled in their skins and dice them into small cubes. You can prepare this cold soup in either a pot or a large salad bowl, as no cooking is required. To prevent young potatoes from falling apart while boiling, add vinegar at a ratio of 1 tablespoon of 6% vinegar per 1 liter of water.
Dice the fresh cucumbers into small cubes. Add the chopped cucumbers to the boiled potatoes. Try to chop the vegetables to a uniform size; this rule applies to both salads and cold soups.
Finely chop the green onion feathers. Add 2-3 tablespoons of chopped onion to the vegetables. Onion fly larvae can live in the onions, so trim the tips of the feathers and rinse them under a stream of cold water as if they were straws. Alternatively, slice the feathers lengthwise and rinse them.
Slice the Doktorskie sosiski into thin rounds.
Slice the Doktorskie sosiski (a type of mild, bologna-like sausage popular in Eastern Europe; can be substituted with wieners or frankfurters) into thin rounds. Add the sliced sausages to the vegetables.
Add two tablespoons of chopped herbs to the soup.
Grate the peeled beet on a coarse vegetable grater and add it to the other ingredients.
Pour in the cold kefir.
Chop a small bunch of parsley and dill with a knife. Add two tablespoons of the chopped herbs to the soup.
Peel the beet that has been boiled in its skin. Grate the peeled beet on a coarse vegetable grater and add it to the other ingredients. To ensure the beet is flavorful and retains its bright color during cooking, do not cut off the tail and leave a little of the greens at the base. Small young beets need about 40 minutes to cook, while a large beet might take up to 2 hours; check for doneness with a knife. To easily peel a boiled beet, place it in cold water for a few minutes.
Add salt to taste. Pour in the cold kefir (a fermented milk drink, similar to a thin yogurt), which, in my opinion, is better for this cold soup than yogurt or prostokvasha (a traditional fermented milk product, similar to buttermilk). Although, it turns out delicious with almost any fermented dairy product.
Mix the soup well and place it in the refrigerator for half an hour to an hour (optional).
Mix the soup well and place it in the refrigerator for half an hour to an hour (this step is optional). During this time, the beet will color the kefir a beautiful pink shade.
Place half a hard-boiled egg in each bowl.
Ladle the cold soup into bowls. Place half a hard-boiled egg in each bowl. Sprinkle with ground black pepper and fresh parsley. Serve chilled.
And there you have it—a beautiful bowl of Kholodnik, ready to cool you down and delight your taste buds! This soup is not just a meal; it's a taste of a classic Eastern European summer. Feel free to customize it by adding a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of extra dill before serving. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the sausages. We hope you enjoy this wonderfully refreshing and easy-to-make soup. It's the perfect way to celebrate fresh, seasonal ingredients. Enjoy every spoonful!
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