Holodnik – Russian Cold Soup
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
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.
2. Boil 2 quarts of water and let it cool. Mix cooled water with 1 quart of buttermilk in a large pot.
3. Shred beets and add them to the pot with water/buttermilk 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.
5. Next add sliced green onions, dill and diced cucumbers (Vidalia Chop Wizard
6. 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.
Holodnik - a Cold Summer Soup
Ingredients
- 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.
Who says you can’t enjoy soup in summer?
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
What’s the purpose of boiling/cooling water. Can plain filtered water be used? Also, can we use the liquid beets were boiled in? Thank you! Love this recipe!
HI Natasha, I wouldn’t use the water from the beets because it can taste a little too earthy from the beet skins. Boiled water prevents bacteria growth – that is the main reason for boiling the water. You can also use boiled and cooled water from a kettle.
Oh my, could this be what my grandmother called “Easter soup??”. It was the stuff dreams are made of, except she added kielbasa (she’s Polish) and it was actually served warm.
Delicious! My husband, who is meat and potatoes type of guy, really loved it! I made half a recipe, used plain kefir instead of buttermilk, added thinly sliced, cut up radishes, and used chives instead of green onion (as I had all these ingredients on hand). This recipe is a winner and I will definitely be making it again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Natalie!
Dear Natasha IF the beets are very large can one cut them in half or quarters first, or is it better to leave them whole so as to not spoil the flavor and texture of the beets?
Love your recipes and refer to them frequently thank you
Hi Victoria, if I am boiling beets, I don’t cut them but if you baken them or put them in an instant pot, that would work. Check out our beet salad post for instructions on baking or pressure cooking beets.
Love all your recipes and this also looks fantastic, exactly how we make it 🙂 The only difference is that we mix in the fresh ingredients and kefir daily as we serve it. So question, how long can this last in the refrigerator in the pre-mixed form? Without cucumbers getting soggy and or spoiling? Thank you!
I think it’s best in the refrigerator about 3 days.
Hello,
Don’t you put kefir?even natural yogurt goes well 🙂 thank you for the recipe
Hi! Yes, you can definitely use kefir!
On point! Really quick to make, I kept the water from boiling the beets for the soup water later for a more dramatic effect and less cooking time. I also diced the eggs and tossed them into the soup as well. Worked out fantastic, a genuine old country recipe. Fantastic!
It sure is a classic! Thanks for the great review!
I am confused with the salt proportions, is it really 3Tbsp? Or should it be 3tsp. It turned out way too salty I had to add double the liquid.
Hi Elisabeth, I’m so glad you asked! When we switched to the new recipe card, I think it somehow switched tsp to Tbsp. So sorry about that! I updated the recipe card and with this one, I recommend starting with 1 Tbsp salt and adding more to taste, you may like it sweeter or saltier.
Thank you for your quick response. This soup is delicious! What a great way to remember childhood favorites!
You’re welcome!
My mom and my aunt always boil potatoes in water and let it cool before adding other ingredients. And ALWAYS added варёную колбасу, докторскую (that’s why I loved it when I was a child)
Yum! That sounds good! Thanks for sharing Valentina 😀
You can add some sliced pink radishes
That sounds great and I’m sure it looks pretty as well! 🙂
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,delicious
Mmmmmm,delicious
Thanks Katy! 🙂
привет. я из ирана .я кушала это блюдо в минске.оно самое вкусное блюдо во всем мире )).теперь я хочу приготовить его семьи в иране.спасибо большое что вы так хорошо обяснили как можно приготовить его♥
I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
My absolute favorite!!! So good on a hot summer’s day!
It is a great way to cool down in summer. 🙂
I use natural yogurt instead of butter milk and milk instead of Water. Thicker texture and taste much better 🙂 love this soup on hot summer days 🙂
Oooh good idea! I’ll have to give it a try!
Nice recipe. I made it today!
I want to add cooked potates to my holodnik, will I mess it up? Thanks, for all your recipes, Natasha! When I’m not sure what to cook, I get on your website and am always happy with the outcome! =)
Hmm I haven’t tried that but it works for the other summer soup I have posted so I don’t see why not 😉
We usually eat it alongside a hot potato, barely able to hold it in our hand. Spoonful of cold soup and a bite of hot potato…mmmm.
That’s something I haven’t tried before :). Tatyana, are you referring to potato “в мундире”?
add fried potato – it’ll be really good!!!
hi natasha u are so good quick ? do u eat this holdnik cold or hot
Thank you Tanya. Holodnik should be eaten cold and best during warm weather months :).
I’ve never tried this before and never had cold soup so this was an interesting meal but this was so delicious, everyone loved it. I made it with plain kefir instead of buttermilk and plain Greek yogurt. Thank you for sharing the recipe and for all the time and effort you put into your blog, I have loved every single dish that I’ve made from your blog! Thank You!
Yay!!!! That’s music to my ears 😀
Has anyone who has made the soup with both buttermilk and plain kefir written about which one is better for the soup? I am ready to make it, but would like to know which of the milk products to buy.
In either case, the soup sounds marvelously delicious – but which tastes better??
Gita
Thanks for posting this recipe and for adding such awesome step-by-step photos!! I’m living in Ukraine now and trying to cook with local ingrediants and this meal is perfect! There is a pot of holodnik cooling off in the fridge right now. Your website is going to be a great resource for our future meals : )
Thank you very much Katherine, you made me smile. 😀
Fantastic soup color! I heve never tried something similar in my life!
Its all in the beets 🙂
This soup is the best!!!!!!! W e had always enjoyed it with baked potatoe, its delicious!!!!!!!!!!!
My grandmother made a similar version of this soup. I’d forgotten about it until I saw your post. Thanks!
This soup is very good to eat during such a hot weather 🙂
We always add radishes to our Holodnik 😉
That’s a great idea, I will try it next time 🙂 Tnx for the tip
my mom makes holodnik barely ever but i enjoy it!!!:)
Mmm! i love this soup, so refreshing! i always make it with plain Kefir, instead of buttermilk! But im going to try tis way as well! Funny thing, when i make it, my husband always says ;”here comes liquid salad!”!!! But i love it!
Liquid salad 🙂 ha! Where do you get plain kefir? I’ve only seen the flavored ones.
I get it pretty much at any supermarket near me (i live in NJ), its made by LIFEWAY brand, they make plain and flavored ones.Also ive seen it in a russian specialty stores. I bought buttermilk today, so going to make it your way!!
I’ll be on the lookout for it. Thank you 🙂
Buy Kefir grains on Amazon … I’m in Australia, and we are making our own kefir .
Amazon makes shopping so much more convenient :).
My mother always made this soup in the summer….so refreshing and delish! She did not add water but served with ice cubes…..ah, such memories. Thanks for posting so others can enjoy it.
Ice cubes sound fun. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I just wrote about okroshka… I guess it’s the weather! Someone asked me about hlodnik but I wasn’t sure what it was. Definitely need to try this one.
YAYYYYYY I WAS SOOO HAPPY WHEN I SAW THIS THANK YOU SO MUUUCH SO EXCITED FINNAAAALLLYY WILL TRY IT DIDT TRUST THE OTHER SITES FOR IT.
WHAT EXACTLY IS IT SUPPOSE TO TASTE LIKE? (NEVER MADE IT BEFORE AND REALLY DONT WANT TO TRY IT BUT WILL MAKE IT FOR HUBBY)
THANK YOU!
P.S. I HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER AND STRESS GOES DOWN!:)
Have you had Okroshka before? Its kind of salty and sweet at the same time, best eaten fresh, but can be stored up to a week. Thank you Inna.