Cold Borscht (Ukrainian Summer Soup)

sour cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: buttermilk

Greek yogurt adds creaminess with fewer calories.

vegetable broth

🥗Healthier: water with herbs

💰Cheaper: chicken broth

Herbs enhance flavor while keeping it light.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Trim the top and bottom of the beet, scrub it under water to clean it, wrap it in foil, and place it on a baking sheet.

Bake the beet in the oven until tender, about 1 hour for a large beet.

While the beet is cooking, peel and chop the carrots into slices about a quarter of an inch thick.

Dice the yucca gold potatoes, dragging the knife towards you for easier cutting, then switch to push cuts for the final dice.

Put the diced potatoes and chopped carrots into a large pot and add 4 quarts of water.

Add 1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns, a bay leaf, and fistfuls of salt to the pot.

Stir, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat, then uncover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes, checking the potatoes for doneness.

Once the beet is tender, remove it from the oven, let it cool for about an hour, then peel it with your hands and grate it on a box grater.

Add the grated beet to the soup and season with 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and additional salt to taste.

Stir thoroughly for at least 30 seconds to dissolve the salt, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Cool the soup to room temperature and refrigerate it overnight to chill.

Prepare toppings: chop cucumbers, radishes, and scallions, and have hard-boiled eggs, sour cream, and dill ready for serving.

Serve the soup very cold, mixing the toppings into the soup before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens