Recipe for: Beetroot Chilled Soup with Cottage Cheese - photo 1
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Recipe for: Beetroot Chilled Soup with Cottage Cheese

Spicy European cuisine Regional Cuisine of Poland Main dishes 45 min Easy 0 views ~17.73 PLN * - (0)
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Description

Beetroot cold soup with cottage cheese is a refreshing, summer cold soup originating from Polish tradition, served here in a Greater Poland style — a simple, fresh taste of beet greens combined with creamy cottage cheese and fresh vegetables. Beet greens (leaves and young beets) give the soup a delicate, slightly earthy aroma and an intense pink-red color. The addition of kefir and sour cream gives the cold soup a velvety acidity, while cucumber, radish, dill, and chives introduce crunchiness and the scent of summer. The cold soup is served chilled with portions of cottage cheese and an optional hard-boiled egg — perfect for hot days, with grilled dishes, or as a light lunch. The dish is visually appealing: the contrast of the red of the greens and the white of the cottage cheese along with the green herbs creates an appetizing composition.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (15)

Servings:
4
  • Beetroot 600 g
  • Beets (raw) 300 g
  • Kefir 500 g
  • Cottage cheese 250 g
  • Cucumber 1 pcs (~300 g)
  • Radish 100 g
  • Garlic 2 clove (~10 g)
  • Lemon 0.4 pcs (~30 g)
  • Water 500 ml
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Dill 1.5 bunch (~30 g)
  • Chives 0.3 bunch (~30 g)
  • Salt 0.1 pinch (~3 g)
  • Black pepper 4 pinch (~2 g)
  • ✨ Optional
  • Chicken egg 2 pcs (~120 g)
  • Sour cream 50 g
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~17.73 PLN (4.43 PLN/serving)
* Prices missing for some ingredients

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Preparing the beet greens

1

Wash the beet greens thoroughly under running water, separating the leaves from the young beet bulbs. If the leaves are large, chop them into 2–3 cm pieces. Cut the bulbs into quarters if they are larger. Place the bulbs and stems in a large pot.

Ingredients: beetroot
Use a large pot with a capacity of at least 3–4 l and a cutting board. Thoroughly washing the leaves prevents sand in the soup.
2

Pour the tubers and stems with 500 ml of cold water so that the tubers are covered. Add 1 pinch of salt (about 1 g). Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and cook for 20–30 minutes until the beets are tender (insert a knife – it should go in easily).

Ingredients: Water, Salt
Use a lid to bring the water to a boil faster. If you have a kitchen thermometer, beets cook until tender at around 90°C. Do not overcook — the bulbs should remain firm.
3

When the beets are soft, remove the bulbs with a slotted spoon onto a plate and set aside to cool. In the pot, add the chopped leaves and thinly sliced stems of the young beets. Cook the leaves for 3–4 minutes — they should soften and change to a vibrant green/darker color, but not fall apart.

Ingredients: beetroot
Use a slotted spoon or a sieve. Keep an eye on the time: cooking the leaves for more than 4 minutes will cause them to lose their vibrant color and become soft.

Base of the cold soup

4

Pour 250 ml of kefir into the pot with the leaves and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Season with 1 pinch of salt and 1 pinch of pepper. Cook for another 1 minute, just to combine the ingredients, then remove from heat and let it cool completely to room temperature.

Ingredients: Kefir, Salt, Black pepper, Lemon
Use a wooden spoon. Do not heat the kefir too much — a brief contact with heat is enough. If you want a more intense flavor, add the juice of 1/2 lemon (about 15 g) — adjust at the end.

Cooling the base

5

Transfer the contents of the pot to a large bowl or pitcher. If you want a clearer consistency, strain through a sieve, keeping both the liquid and the finely chopped leaves. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour until well chilled.

Ingredients: Kefir, beetroot
Use a wide bowl or pitcher to cool the liquid faster. The cold soup tastes best after at least 60 minutes in the fridge.

Preparing the vegetables

6

Peel the cucumber thinly and grate it on a coarse grater or cut it into small cubes of 5×5 mm. Wash the radishes and slice them thinly. Finely chop the dill and chives (only the green part). Chop or press 2 cloves of garlic (10 g) through a press and mix with a small amount of salt to mellow the sharpness.

Ingredients: Cucumber, Radish, Dill, Chives, Garlic
Use a grater for the cucumber or a sharp knife and cutting board. Small, even pieces of vegetables give the soup a pleasant texture.

Cottage Cheese

7

In a bowl, crumble the cheese with a fork until smooth. If you want a creamy cheese spread, optionally add 50 g of sour cream and mix until you achieve a creamy consistency. Add half of the chopped dill and half of the chives, 1 small clove of garlic (5 g) pressed, 1/2 pinch of salt, and a bit of freshly ground pepper. Mix to combine the flavors and chill in the refrigerator.

Ingredients: Cottage cheese, Sour cream, Dill, Chives, Garlic, Salt, Black pepper
Use a fork or a whisk. If you don't have cream, substitute with a spoonful of kefir. Do not blend for too long — the cottage cheese should retain its texture.

Final assembly

8

Take the base of the cold soup out of the fridge. Add grated or chopped cucumber, sliced radishes, and lemon juice (about 15–30 g to taste). Gently mix with a spoon. If the soup is too thick, add 50–100 ml of cold water or kefir until you reach the desired consistency (it should be slightly liquid but not watery). Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Ingredients: Cucumber, Radish, Lemon, Water, Kefir, Salt, Black pepper
Use a large spoon or spatula. Season gradually — acidity and saltiness are easier to add than to take away.

Serving

9

Pour the cold soup into deep plates or bowls. In the center of each serving, place 60–70 g of cottage cheese (shape it into a ball or use a spoon to portion it out). If using an egg, cut it in half and place it on the plate next to the cottage cheese. Sprinkle each plate with the remaining dill and chives, and gently drizzle with a teaspoon of canola oil (optional). Serve immediately well chilled.

Ingredients: Cottage cheese, Dill, Chives
Use an ice cream scoop or 2 tablespoons to form portions of the cottage cheese. The plate should be well chilled so that the soup stays cold longer.

Final tips

10

Before serving, check the taste once more: the cold soup should be slightly sour, slightly salty, and fresh. If you plan to serve the cold soup later, keep the cottage cheese separate and add it just before serving to maintain its freshness and consistency.

Ingredients: Cottage cheese, Kefir
Avoid long storage of the chilled soup with mixed cottage cheese — the dairy may change in texture and taste. Keep the chilled soup in a tightly sealed container.

Fun Fact

💡

Beetroot and young beet greens cold soups have a long tradition in Poland — cold versions were popular in the summer because they can be made with early vegetables and served immediately after chilling. Young beet greens were a typical ingredient in cold soups among Wielkopolska hosts.

Best for

Letni obiad Grill Piknik

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve very chilled. You can shape the cottage cheese with an ice cream scoop for an aesthetic effect. Add a slice of whole grain bread with butter or grilled onions to the plate. If serving with grilled food, the cold soup refreshes fatty meats well.

🥡 Storage

Store the cold soup and cottage cheese separately in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours in airtight containers. Mix the cold soup before serving. Keep the cottage cheese in an airtight container, do not expose it to heat.

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