Russian Cold Soup (Okroshka recipe)
This classic cold Summer soup recipe is made with fresh vegetables, boiled eggs, and a protein like ham or sausage, all mixed with a cold liquid base. The result is the prettiest soup you'll ever make, bright, crunchy, tangy and served well chilled.
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced cucumber from 1 large cucumber
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped radishes about ½ pound
- 2 cups diced boiled potatoes about 2 medium
- 6 hard-boiled eggs diced
- 2 ¼ cups diced ham, cooked chicken or pork sausage about 1 pound
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon kefir or natural yogurt
- cold water to thin the kefir or yogurt
Instructions
- Place 1 cup diced cucumber, 1 ½ cups finely chopped radishes, and 2 cups diced boiled potatoes in a large bowl or pot. Make sure the vegetables are diced evenly and fresh, to ensure a crisp and refreshing soup base.
- Add 6 hard-boiled eggs, 2 ¼ cups diced ham, cooked chicken or pork sausage, and ¼ cup chopped fresh dill to the bowl. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir all ingredients thoroughly to combine. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning. This base should be balanced and savory before adding liquid.
- For serving, you can place 5–6 tablespoons of the prepared okroshka mixture into a deep soup bowl and then pour the liquid. Or prepare it all in a large bowl first (my choice).
- Add ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon kefir or natural yogurt (start with the smaller amount) and cold water to thin the kefir or yogurt, gradually in small amounts, stirring until the soup reaches your preferred consistency. Start small and build on it; some prefer it thicker, others more diluted. Some people like to make it thicker and add ice cubes before serving so it's ice-cold.
- Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper if desired. You can add more lemon juice for brightness or pass wedges so each person adds more.
- Serve well-chilled and garnish with extra chopped dill, cucumbers, radishes or green onions.
Notes
For a well-balanced okroshka, dice ingredients small and uniformly, use the freshest produce you can, and chill everything separately if prepping ahead. Start with less liquid, then adjust. Taste and season gradually, as salt and acidity vary by base.
Sour cream or buttermilk can also work instead of kefir or yogurt. If using the second option, don't add much water as it's already thinned and watery.
