A must try Russian Cold Holodnik Soup recipe on a hot summer day. Wild looking, but gorgeous! Holodnik is a a little like cold borscht, but tangier.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

My stress levels are higher since I started working (naturally I guess), and my funny bone is suffering because of it. I’ll try a joke. Ahem. Two beets walk into a bar…… nope, it’s just not flowing. 🙁

Anyway, about this Holodnik – Russian Cold Soup recipe. It really is this color; a vibrant violet. It’s all in the beets. Gorgeous isn’t it? Wild looking, but gorgeous! Holodnik is a a little like cold borscht, but tangier. I guess its more like Okroshka so if you enjoyed that, you’ll like this too. Oh and the egg is nice. Don’t skip it.

Ingredients for Holodnik:

3 large red beets or 5 small beets
2 quarts water
1 quart buttermilk
1 medium onion or 3 green onions
4 cucumbers
Sea salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 bunch dill
4-6 boiled eggs (optional)

Large Cooking pot

Ingredients on the table for holodnik, a Russian cold soup

How to Make Russian Cold Holodnik Soup:

1. Boil beets, drain, and let them cool. I boiled mine for 35 min and added 1 Tbsp of sugar for extra sweetness. These were fresh beets. Older beets may take up to an hour.

3 cooked and peeled beets on a plate

2. Boil 2 quarts of water and let it cool. Mix cooled water with 1 quart of buttermilk in a large pot.

Buttermilk and water mixture in a pot

3. Shred beets and add them to the pot with water/buttermilk mixture.

Three photos of shredded beets being added into a pot with a buttermilk and water mixture

4. Add salt and sugar. I recommend starting with 1 Tbsp salt and adding more to taste, you may like it sweeter or saltier.

Two photos of holodnik, Russian cold soup, in a pot being seasoned

5. Next add sliced green onions, dill and diced cucumbers  (Vidalia Chop Wizard worked great for that) to the pot with the rest of the mixture.

Four photos of diced green onions, cucumbers and dill being added to holodnik, Russian cold soup in a pot

6. Place completed soup in the fridge to let it cool completely.

A pot with holodnik, a Russian cold soup

Enjoy it with half of a boiled egg. You can also serve it with a dollop of sour cream.


A bowl of holodnik, Russian cold soup, garnished with half an egg

holodnik soup in bowl
4.95 from 18 votes

Holodnik - a Cold Summer Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Holodnik is an Eastern European Cold Soup recipe. It really is this color; a vibrant violet. It's all in the beets.

Ingredients 

Servings: 10
  • 3 large cooked red beets or 5 small cooked beets
  • 2 quarts boiled cooled water
  • 1 quart buttermilk
  • 1 medium onion or 3 green onions
  • 4 cucumbers
  • 1 Tbsp sea salt, or add to taste*
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 bunch dill
  • 4-6 boiled eggs, optional

Large Cooking pot

Instructions

  • Boil beets, drain, and let them cool.
  • Boil 2 quarts of water and let it cool. Mix cooled water with 1 quart of buttermilk in a large pot.
  • Shred beets and add them to the pot with water/buttermilk mixture.
  • Add salt and sugar. *I recommend starting with 1 Tbsp salt and adding more to taste, you may like it sweeter or saltier. 
  • Next add sliced green onions, dill and diced cucumbers.
  • Place completed soup in the fridge to let it cool completely.
  • Enjoy it with half of a boiled egg. You can also serve it with a dollop of sour cream.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Holodnik, Russian Cold Soup
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $

Final Final Picmonkey Hashtag banner

Who says you can’t enjoy soup in summer?