• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Wholly Tasteful
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Low carb
    • Paleo
    • Vegetarian
  • About
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Vegetarian

    Polish Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik)

    July 11, 2021 by Agnieszka 19 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Polish Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik) is a super healthy and refreshing summer meal that’s light but satisfying. It is made with cooked beets, probiotic-rich yogurt and kefir, crunchy cucumber and radishes, and a ton of fresh herbs. Serve it on its own or with a hard boiled egg for an extra protein boost.

    This cold soup is one of my very favorite meals to eat on a hot, hot day. It is perfect in every way: wonderfully cooling, super flavorful, creamy (thanks to the kefir and yogurt), crunchy (thanks to fresh cucumber, radishes and herbs) and the color is just stunning!

    “Chłodnik” is a staple summer dish in Poland and Lithuania. Traditionally, it is served chilled with a quartered hard boiled egg or sometimes with warm young boiled potatoes with sautéed bacon bits. Its beautiful fuchsia color comes from boiled grated beets mellowed down by creamy yogurt, kefir or sometimes buttermilk.

    WHAT YOU WILL NEED

    Beets: you will only need the root part of beets for this soup. From my experience, beetroot is cheaper than beets with leaves, so look for the “leafless” kind at your grocery store.

    Vegetable Broth: used for cooking the beets. You can also swap it for chicken broth or plain water.

    English Cucumber: most commonly used in Polish cuisine. Small Persian cucumbers or regular cucumber can also be used.

    Radishes: to add crunchiness and spice to the soup. If you don’t have or like the flavor of radishes, you can omit them.

    Plain Kefir: available in most grocery stores these days. See my note below on health benefits of kefir.

    Plain Yogurt: use good quality full-fat or low-fat plain yogurt. Regular plain yogurt will work better than much thicker Greek yogurt or Skyr (Icelandic yogurt).

    FreshHerbs: fresh dill, chives and/or parsley will all work in this soup. If you love fresh herbs, add more than what the recipe calls for.

    Lemon Juice: typically used in beet soups, to balance out the sweetness of beets.

    Apple Cider Vinegar (optional): for even more acidity in the soup. You can skip it if you want, but a bit of vinegar really takes chłodnik to the next level of flavor.

    Salt & Pepper: for seasoning.

    WHAT IS MILK KEFIR?

    Kefir is essentially a fermented milk drink, similar to yogurt but thinner, more sour and lightly carbonated. It is more potent than yogurt and packs in more nutritional value, especially probiotics. Kefir originates from Eastern Europe where it is still widely popular and it is now available in most grocery stores in the US.

    HOW TO MAKE COLD BEET SOUP

    STEP 1: Cook & cool the beets. Peel and grate raw beets (use rubber gloves for this step to avoid red stains on your hands). Cook the grated beets in some vegetable broth (or water) until soft and let cool completely. I usually put the pot with beets in a sink with a couple inches of icy cold water to speed up the cooling process.

    STEP 2: Prep veggies & herbs. Grate the cucumber (no need to peel it) and grate or chop up the radishes. Chop up dill and chives and set aside.

    STEP 3: Assemble. Add the cooled beets (with liquid), kefir, yogurt, prepped cucumber, radishes and herbs in a large pot and stir well. Season with salt and pepper and add lemon juice and apple cider vinegar (if using).

    STEP 4: Chill. Cover the pot and chill the soup in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

    STEP 5: Serve in soup bowls topped with a quartered warm or cold hard boiled egg on top.

    STORAGE & MEAL PREP TIPS

    This soup is great for meal prep, as long as you have access to a refrigerator as it needs to be kept cold at all times. You can make a big pot of the soup, stick it in the fridge and enjoy throughout the week or divide it between to-go airtight containers and serve with a hard-boiled eggs on top.

    It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days (or longer). Because the soup is made with kefir and yogurt, it cannot be frozen.

    MORE HEALTHY SUMMER DINNERS TO TRY:

    • Greek Chickpea Salad
    • Strawberry, Spinach & Feta Salad
    • Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
    • Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls
    • Salmon, Kale & Barley Salad Bowl
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

    Polish Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik)


    ★★★★★

    5 from 19 reviews

    • Author: Agnieszka
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Polish Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik) is a super healthy and refreshing summer meal that’s light but satisfying. It is made with cooked beets, probiotic-rich yogurt and kefir, crunchy cucumber and radishes, and a ton of fresh herbs. Serve it on its own or with a hard boiled egg for an extra protein boost.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    2 beets (leaves and stems removed)
    2 cups plain yogurt
    2 cups plain kefir
    1 English cucumber
    6-8 radishes
    ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
    2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
    1.5 cups vegetable broth or plain water
    juice from ½ lemon
    2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (optional)
    Salt & pepper to taste


    Instructions

    1. Peel and grate raw beets (see note below on using gloves). Cook the grated beets in a large pot or Dutch oven in some vegetable broth (or water) until soft (about 10 minutes) and let cool completely. I usually put the pot with beets in a sink with a couple inches of icy cold water to speed up the cooling process.
    2. Grate the cucumber using a box grater (no need to peel it) and grate or chop up the radishes. Chop the herbs and set aside.
    3. To the pot with cooled beets (with liquid) add kefir, yogurt, prepped cucumber, radishes and herbs and stir well. Season with salt and pepper and add lemon juice and apple cider vinegar (if using).
    4. Cover the pot and chill the soup in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
    5. Serve in soup bowls topped with a quartered warm or cold hard boiled egg on top.

     

    Notes

    Fresh beets will stain your hands so I recommend using nitrile or latex gloves for peeling and grating raw beets.

    When you mix together all the ingredients, the soup will be reddish pink, not the deep fuchsia color as in my pictures. Once it sits for a couple hours in the fridge, it will become more purple/dark pink.

    The amount of yogurt and kefir can be adjusted according to your preferences. You can use more or less yogurt or kefir if you’d like, as long as the overall amount of liquid is 4 cups.

    I used dill and chives for this recipe but fresh parsley also works very well in this soup.

    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes (plus 3 hours of chilling)
    • Category: soups
    • Cuisine: Polish, Lithuanian

    Keywords: cold beet soup, Polish cold beet soup, chlodnik

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag me on Instagram @whollytasteful — I can't wait to see what you've made!

    « Air Fryer Eggplant Parm
    Vanilla Coconut Smoothie Bowl (Vegan & Gluten-free) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jerika

      February 28, 2022 at 9:06 am

      Wow! this looks so delish!:) YUM!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Pam Greer

      February 28, 2022 at 9:23 am

      Perfect for the hot days of summer!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Leslie

      February 28, 2022 at 9:33 am

      Great way to eat beets!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Emily Flint

      February 28, 2022 at 10:04 am

      A cold soup is so good and this one did not disappoint.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Kayla DiMaggio

      February 28, 2022 at 10:04 am

      This polish soup was so delicious! I loved how easy it was to make and it was such a fun new recipe to try!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Luke Ratford

      February 28, 2022 at 11:17 am

      A great soup recipe, perfect for the summer evenings 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Stine Mari

      March 01, 2022 at 5:40 am

      So delicious and I absolutely love this color!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Toni

      March 01, 2022 at 7:40 am

      This was huge hit at my house!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Jen

      March 01, 2022 at 7:47 am

      I loved it! So good!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. Natalie

      March 01, 2022 at 1:43 pm

      Lovely soup. Flavors sound amazing. I will definitely make this soup.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Andrea

      May 25, 2022 at 11:04 pm

      such a delicious and nutritious soup! love it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Natalie

      May 26, 2022 at 3:58 am

      My kids usually don`t love soups, but loved this one, must be the color. I can`t thank you enough!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    13. Nora

      May 26, 2022 at 8:35 am

      What an amazing soup! Love the color!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    14. Kayla DiMaggio

      May 26, 2022 at 9:56 am

      This cold beet soup was so refreshing! I loved how easy it was to make and perfect for this hot day!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. Keri

      May 26, 2022 at 10:08 am

      I'm always looking for new borscht recipes, and this one didn't disappoint! Thank you for the great recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    16. Genevieve

      May 26, 2022 at 3:25 pm

      What a gorgeous looking soup and perfect for these hot summer temps we are having in California!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    17. Andrea

      May 26, 2022 at 3:30 pm

      So pretty! I love how colorful it is. Thanks for the recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    18. Nancy

      May 26, 2022 at 9:38 pm

      Wow what a wonderful recipe. We made it for dinner and everyone loved it!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    19. Alexandra

      May 27, 2022 at 3:55 am

      Such a gorgeous colour, and beautiful use of fresh ingredients. I love it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    About me

    Hello and welcome to Wholly Tasteful, a healthy food and lifestyle blog! My name is Agnieszka and I am a busy mom of 3 living in and renovating a 1852 farmhouse in Maine. My recipes use ingredients that are healthy, whole and family friendly. More about me

    Healthy Baking

    Biscoff Baked Oats

    One-Bowl Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins {with almond flour}

    Healthy Banana Nutella Oatmeal Cookies

    Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins

    Never miss a recipe

    Sign up to receive free healthy recipes right to your inbox.

    Cozy Soups

    Vegan Creamy Tomato Bean Soup

    Polish Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik)

    Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham and Pancetta

    Loaded Potato Cauliflower Soup (Instant Pot & Stovetop)

    Footer

    whollytasteful

    Oreo Overnight Oats 👉 RECIPE link below If you Oreo Overnight Oats 👉 RECIPE link below
If you love cookies and cream flavored ice-cream, you MUST try these oats for breakfast or snack. They are creamy, nutritious and satisfying. Made with yogurt, plant milk, @Oreo cookies (or chocolate wafers) and vanilla. 

Recipe link in my bio @whollytasteful or at https://www.whollytasteful.com/oreo-overnight-oats/

#overnightoats #oats #oreo #healthybreakfast #healthysnack #owsianka #oatmeal #healthylifestyle #foodie #breakfast #cookiesandcream #yummyfood
    💙Blue Chia Pudding💙. If you need something b 💙Blue Chia Pudding💙. If you need something blue and delicious in your life, make this pudding this weekend. It’s creamy, dreamy, healthy, delicious and fun. 

Recipe in link in my bio @whollytasteful or at https://www.whollytasteful.com/blue-chia-pudding/

#bluechiapudding #blue #chiapudding #bluedessert #bluespirulina #chia #chiaseeds #keto #lowcarb #paleo #healthyfood #foodblogger #foodie #foodpics #breakfast #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #healthysnacks #healthysnackideas #zdrowydeser
    Nutella Smoothie Bowl ❤️🍫 Here’s a real Nutella Smoothie Bowl ❤️🍫 
Here’s a real treat for healthy food conscious Nutella lovers out there! The bowl is made with bananas, avocado and toasted hazelnuts. 

DM me for a recipe or head over to my website (link in bio @whollytasteful)

#nutella #nutellasmoothiebowl #smoothiebowl #smoothie #yum #healthyfood #healthyrecipes #healthylifestyle #healthyfoods #healthyfoodporn #healthyfoodblogger #vegan #plantbased #chocolatelovers #nutellalovers #nutellalove #smoothiebowls
    Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board is my favorite bru Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board is my favorite brunch as of late, especially when you have guests. Serve it with mini bagels for Easter or Mother’s Day this year! 

Full instructions on my blog (link in my bio @whollytasteful).

#charcuterieboard #salmon #smokedsalmon #smokedsalmonbagel #brunch #recipeideas #easter #mothersdaybrunch #easterbrunch #healthyfood #healthylifestyle #healthyrecipes #foodblogger #grazingboard #food52 #food52grams #onmyplate #todayfood #recipe #recipeoftheday #przepis #przepisyfit
    Biscoff Overnight Oats are my new favorite way to Biscoff Overnight Oats are my new favorite way to enjoy @lotusbiscoffus flavors! Super easy to make and a great, satisfying and nutritious breakfast.

Find recipe on my blog @whollytasteful or https://www.whollytasteful.com/biscoff-overnight-oats/

#biscoff #biscoffspread #biscofflotus #overnightoats #overnightoatsrecipe #oats #biscoffoats #healthybreakfast #oatmeal #healthyfood #healthyrecipes #healthyeating #healthylifestyle
    ☘️ Happy St. Patrick's Day, Everyone! ☘️ I ☘️ Happy St. Patrick's Day, Everyone! ☘️
If you have corned beef in your fridge, check out how to make the perfect Corned Beef and Cabbage (boiled Irish dinner) so that your meat is super tender and the veggies don't turn into mush. Creamy horseradish mustard sauce is optional but if you make it, it will bring this dish to a whole new level!

Recipe: https://www.whollytasteful.com/easy-corned-beef-cabbage/

#cornedbeef #cornedbeefandcabbage #boiledirishdinner #irish #irishfood #stpatricksday #stpattysday #stpattysdayfood #stpatricksdayfood #instantpot #crockpot #healthyfood #boileddinner #healthylifestyle #balanceddiet
    Load More... Follow on Instagram
    • About
    • Disclaimer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme