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Polish Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik) is a variation of red borscht that’s served cold during hot summer months. Its sweet/sour flavor is refreshing and its rich pink color makes it as pretty as it is delicious.
“Here you go.” The waitress set down huge bowls of cold borscht and hurried off. It was the prettiest shade of fuchsia with flecks of fresh green dill peeking through, and quartered hard-boiled egg adorned the top of each bowl.
Mike and I were in Poland about to tuck into our first meal And I have to say, it was a doozy. I’ve always been a fan of beets, but this soup took the humble root vegetable to whole new heights for me. (And we might have also had a big platter of house-made pierogis, served steaming hot drizzled with butter and sprinkled with caramelized onion…bliss.)
As we walked around Warsaw’s Old Town after enjoying our meal, I couldn’t help but think about making my own version of this soup once we got back home. Scroll down a bit for photos from our trip!
What is Chłodnik?
Chłodnik is a cold Polish beet soup, and a variation of red borscht (check out my recipe for the hot version of borscht here). Not to be confused with white borscht, which is a classic Easter dish that usually includes egg, sausage, and potato.
The flavor of this cold borscht came as a complete surprise to me. I’m not sure if I was expecting something bland or overly sweet, but it was a pleasant sweet and tangy mix, mitigated slightly by the rich, creamy mouthfeel of the chilled broth.
The flavor of Chłodnik is enhanced by a touch of garlic and brightened by fresh herbs, the main one I tasted being dill. At the end of my first taste, a slightly peppery twang hit the back of my palette and I thought of radishes, only to find out later that this soup does usually contain radish! It was so refreshing, and such a beautiful marriage of flavors.
Inspiration for this Polish Beet Soup Recipe
My version of this dish was inspired by my trip to Poland, and adapted (a little from here and a little from there) from the following sources. In the end I think it tastes pretty dang similar to the version I had in Warsaw:
Chłodnik Recipe (Polish Cold Beet Soup)
Notable Things
Just a couple things to note about my recipe.
As is traditional, my recipe calls for kefir which is gaining popularity these days, so many of you are probably familiar with it. (I bought it at my regular grocery store – shout out to Wegmans! I heart you.) However, if you can’t find kefir at your local grocery, you can substitute 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt thinned out with 1/2 cup water or milk.
Another thing, the original version of this soup uses smetana, an Eastern European dairy product similar to sour cream here in the U.S., but with a higher fat content. To compensate for our sour cream having a lower fat content (and therefore a different flavor and mouthfeel), I added a little whipped heavy cream.
And one other thing I want to mention. I know the addition of sauerkraut or kosher dill pickle juice sounds weird, but just go with it. It perks up the other flavors like nothing else and IMHO, maybe even makes the soup. (Side Note: You might also want to try Polish Dill Pickle Soup!)
This one is definitely a must-try before the weather turns cooler! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Ingredients in Cold Beet Soup
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas. For the full recipe (including ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Beets (aka beetroot) – use organic if possible; trim off both ends, scrub and peel them, grate on a box grater, and then you’re ready to cook the shredded beet in chicken stock until tender
- Chicken stock – to cook the beets; you can use vegetable stock to keep this dish vegetarian, but I like the richness that chicken stock gives here
- Radishes – this is a classic ingredient in Chłodnik, and adds a fresh, peppery bite to balance the beet’s earthy sweetness
- Scallion – for mild onion flavor
- Garlic – for savory aroma and depth of flavor
- Cucumber – look for cucumber with a thin skin and few seeds, such as English cucumber or Persian cucumber
- Fresh dill – for fresh, bright flavor
- Heavy whipping cream – whip this to soft peaks and then mix it in with the sour cream to simulate Eastern European smetana, which is a little richer than American sour cream
- Sour cream – for richness, creamy texture, and a slightly tangy flavor
- Kefir – this is a fermented milk drink with a flavor similar to yogurt, and a consistency similar to pourable yogurt
- Sauerkraut juice or dill pickle juice – the tangy salty flavor is the perfect balance to the sweet beets, savory herbs, and creaminess
- Fresh lemon juice – adds a touch of tart flavor for balance; you can use apple cider vinegar instead if you prefer
- Salt and black pepper – to season the soup
- Hard-boiled eggs – to bump up the protein and add flavor (plus they’re so pretty resting on top of a gorgeous pink bowl of Chłodnik!)
Instructions
- Add the beet and stock to a medium saucepan (the liquid should barely cover the beet). Cover the pan, bring up to a boil, and then turn the heat down and simmer until the beet is tender, about 15 minutes. (You can add a splash of water if necessary.) Cool completely.
- Combine the cooled beet, radish, scallion, garlic, cucumber, and dill in a large bowl.
- Fold the whipped heavy cream into the sour cream, and then whisk in the kefir, sauerkraut or pickle juice, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the kefir mixture into the beet mixture and stir to combine (it will turn a pretty shade of pink).
- Taste and add additional salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice if desired.
- Cover and chill 2 hours (or up to 3 days) before serving.
- Serve the soup with hardboiled egg and fresh dill on top.
Storage
Store Polish beet soup in a glass bowl in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve chilled.
Photos From Warsaw, Poland in August 2016
Photography Note: I shot all travel photos in this post with an iPhone 6. I would have loved to tote around my DSLR to get better quality shots, but it’s heavy and it just wasn’t feasible.
You are welcome to use any photos from this post for educational purposes if you credit me (Faith Gorsky/An Edible Mosaic), with a link back to this page as the source.
More Eastern European Soup Recipes to Try
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Polish Cold Beet Soup Recipe (Chłodnik)
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beets beetroot, trimmed, scrubbed, peeled, and grated on a box grater (about 4 medium beets)
- 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 4 radishes trimmed, scrubbed, and grated on a box grater
- 4 scallions green and white parts, thinly sliced
- 2 large cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 English cucumber peeled and grated on a box grater
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream whipped to soft peaks
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 cups plain kefir
- 1/2 cup strained sauerkraut juice or kosher dill pickle juice (from sauerkraut or pickles in the refrigerated section, not canned)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or 2 tablespoons organic raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Serving:
- 4 hardboiled eggs peeled and halved or quartered, for topping (1 egg per serving)
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill for garnish
Instructions
- Add the beet and stock to a medium saucepan (the liquid should barely cover the beet). Cover the pan, bring up to a boil, and then turn the heat down and simmer until the beet is tender, about 15 minutes. (You can add a splash of water if necessary.) Cool completely.
- Combine the cooled beet, radish, scallion, garlic, cucumber, and dill in a large bowl.
- Fold the whipped heavy cream into the sour cream, and then whisk in the kefir, sauerkraut or pickle juice, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the kefir mixture into the beet mixture and stir to combine (it will turn a pretty shade of pink).
- Taste and add additional salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice if desired.
- Cover and chill 2 hours (or up to 3 days) before serving.
- Serve the soup with hardboiled egg and fresh dill on top.
Notes
- Storage: Store this soup in a glass bowl in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve chilled.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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We just arrived back from Warsaw today and I wanted to recreate the soup I had in OldTown. I have always hated beets and after ten days traveling around Poland I decided on the last day to try it. Wonderful is all I can say. We ate outside in a restaurant called restauracja U Barssa. I wanted to get the recipe but the waiter did not understand. The picture on your site looks exactly the same so I am going to try it. I thought I tasted celery but maybe not.
Gorgeous photos of Poland! That soup looks incredible. Absolutely love the color.
My fav summer soup. What’s interesting here in Poland we called it Lithuanian chlodnik. The taste varies from one region of the country to another. Some people use buttermilk instead of kefir and some add a little bit of bone broth to it too.
A lovely soup! Beetroot is so delicious.
Great clicks and beautiful town.
Cheers,
Rosa