Chlodnik (Polish Cold Beet Soup)

Chlodnik (Polish Cold Beet Soup)

Beets, cucumbers, and yogurt combine to create Chlodnik, a surprisingly refreshing Polish Cold Beet Soup. 

Ingredients

• ½ lb beets, peeled and grated
• 1 c vegetable broth (we prefer low sodium)
• 1 c buttermilk or kefir
• ¾ c plain non-fat yogurt or low-fat sour cream
• ¼ c lemon juice
• 1 small cucumber diced
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill or 2 tsp dry
• 1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped, or 1 tsp dry
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp sugar optional, depending upon how sweet your beets are
• 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

Instructions

• Place grated beets in a 2 quart saucepan. Fill the pot with water until the beets are covered by about 1 inch. Heat, uncovered, over medium-low for 45 minutes. (You want the mixture to steam, but never reach a boil. Boiling will create a bit of a bitter flavor in the final soup.) After 45 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and refrigerate until cool. (This can be done ahead of time, and you can leave your beets chilling up to 48 hours in the fridge.)
• When you are ready to make the soup, add vegetable broth, buttermilk, yogurt, lemon juice, diced cucumbers, dill, chives, and salt to the chilled beet and water mixture.
• Taste and add sugar if necessary.
• Serve cold, topped with hard boiled eggs and additional dill or chives, if desired.