Chef-tested recipe
Khaladnik, also written kholodnik or chaladnik, is a bright pink cold beetroot soup eaten in Belarus and neighbouring countries during warm weather. Cool kefir, cooked beetroot, cucumber, herbs and boiled egg are traditi
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Cuisine
- Belarusian
- Cooking Method
- Boiling, mixing and chilling
- Best Served With
- Warm boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and extra fresh dill.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 550 g raw beetroot, scrubbed, or 450 g ready-cooked plain beetroot
- 850 ml plain unsweetened kefir
- 250 g cucumber, finely diced
- 80 g spring onion, thinly sliced
- 25 g fresh dill, chopped
- 4 medium eggs (approximately 200 g without shells)
- 500 g small potatoes, peeled
- 25 ml lemon juice, more to taste
- 4 g salt, more to taste paid link
- 2 g black pepper
- 5 g sugar, optional paid link
- 150 ml cold drinking water, as needed to thin the soup
Method
Cook the beetroot. If using raw beetroot, simmer whole in water for 35–50 minutes until tender. Drain, cool promptly and peel. Ready-cooked plain beetroot can be used directly.
Prepare accompaniments. Hard-boil the eggs for approximately 9–10 minutes, cool promptly, peel and halve. Boil potatoes separately until tender and keep them hot for service.
Build the cold soup. Grate beetroot coarsely and combine with kefir, cucumber, spring onion and dill in a chilled bowl.
Balance and thin. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper and optional sugar. Add up to 150 ml cold water if the mixture needs thinning to a pourable soup.
Chill safely. Cover and refrigerate at 4°C or below for at least 1 hour. Taste again just before serving and adjust the acidity.
Serve. Ladle into cold bowls, top each with one hard-boiled egg, and serve with the warm boiled potatoes separately.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Kefir delivers the traditional tang; use unsweetened products only.
- A cold soup tastes different from a warm one, so final seasoning should be checked after chilling.
- Do not leave cooked eggs or dairy-based soup at room temperature during service.
Substitutions
- Unsweetened buttermilk can stand in for kefir, although the flavour is milder.
- Ready-cooked vacuum-packed beetroot without vinegar or added sugar saves preparation time.
- Radishes can be added for crunch.
Storage and Food Safety
Keep refrigerated continuously at 4°C or below. Prepare only enough for up to 2 days; store boiled eggs separately and do not freeze the kefir soup.
Serving Ideas
- Warm boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and extra fresh dill.
Allergen Notes
Milk from kefir and eggs. Check purchased dairy products for label warnings.
