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Brief Overview
Okroshka is the kind of dish that surprises you the first time you try it. A cold soup with fresh vegetables, herbs, and usually a splash of something fizzy, it feels more like a refreshing drink than a traditional meal. But once it clicks, it becomes a warm weather essential.
Light, zesty, and oddly energising, Okroshka is popular across Russia during the hotter months. It stands out not just for its temperature, but for its flavour and texture. It is crisp, tangy, and full of life, offering relief from the heat with every spoonful.
It’s the sort of soup that invites curiosity. Made with a mix of cooked and raw ingredients, it straddles the line between salad and soup. Served ice cold, often straight from the fridge, it’s a dish built for long summer days.
What Is Okroshka?
Okroshka is a traditional Russian cold soup made by combining diced vegetables, boiled potatoes, eggs, and cooked meat or sausage with a tangy liquid base. That base is usually made from kvass, kefir, or sometimes even diluted sour cream.
The name comes from the Russian word “kroshit”, meaning to crumble or chop finely, which captures the heart of the dish. Everything in Okroshka is diced small, so each spoonful offers a full mix of textures and flavours.
It’s typically served cold, almost chilled to the point of icy. Rather than warming you up, it cools you down. That makes it a favourite in July or August, especially when heavy meals feel out of place.
Ingredients and Taste
Common ingredients include boiled potatoes, cucumbers, radishes, spring onions, and hard-boiled eggs. Most versions add a protein, usually bologna style sausage or cooked chicken, chopped into small cubes.
The liquid base defines the taste. Kvass brings a yeasty sweetness with a touch of tang. Kefir or sour cream offers more of a creamy, tart profile. Some families blend both for balance, adjusting the acidity and thickness to taste.
The result is sharp and light. You get crunch from radish and cucumber, creaminess from egg and potato, and brightness from the tangy base. Dill is often added last, bringing that unmistakable herbal freshness.
A Taste of History
Okroshka has deep roots in rural Russian life, where preservation and practicality often shaped the kitchen. Cold dishes made sense during the summer, when stoves were avoided and fresh produce was available in abundance.
The use of kvass as a soup base is centuries old. A low alcohol drink made from fermented bread, kvass was cheap, accessible, and part of everyday life. Mixing it with leftover vegetables and meat made for an easy, no-waste meal.
Over time, as ingredients diversified, so did Okroshka. Urban households began using kefir or diluted yoghurt for a smoother version. Still, the soul of the dish remained the same — a cool, nourishing meal that brought people together around the table.
Today, Okroshka remains a seasonal staple in Russian homes. Its versatility means everyone has their own version, passed down or adapted. Whether made with kvass, kefir, or something in between, it continues to offer relief, refreshment, and a taste of heritage.
How to make Okroshka
Okroshka is a refreshing cold soup cherished during the Russian summer. Rooted in peasant cooking, it combines raw vegetables, boiled potatoes, eggs and cooked meat or sausage with a tangy base of kvass or kefir. The texture is chunky yet drinkable, with a lively balance of creaminess and acidity. Chill your base well and chop ingredients finely for the most enjoyable experience. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the soup base
- 500 ml cold kvass (or kefir as a substitute)
- 200 ml cold water
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice (optional, for added tang)
- Salt to taste
For the filling
- 300 g cooked beef, veal, or smoked sausage (like Doktorskaya), finely diced
- 3 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled, diced
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced or diced
- 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped
- Fresh parsley (optional), chopped
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables
To begin, wash and finely dice cucumber, radish, and spring onions. Aim for uniform size for balanced texture in each spoonful. Move to handling the cooked elements.
Step 2: Cook and chop the potatoes
Boil the potatoes in their skins until fork tender. Cool slightly, peel, and dice evenly. Set aside to cool fully before mixing to avoid warming the soup base. Proceed to prepare the eggs.
Step 3: Hard-boil and chop the eggs
Boil the eggs for about 9 minutes until fully set. Cool under cold water, peel, and chop roughly. Transition to chopping the meat.
Step 4: Prepare the meat
Dice the cooked beef or smoked sausage into small even cubes. If using leftover roast or ham, trim excess fat for a cleaner broth. Combine with other fillings next.
Step 5: Mix the solids
In a large bowl, combine diced potatoes, eggs, cucumber, radish, spring onion, meat, and herbs. Gently mix to distribute evenly. Prepare the liquid base separately.
Step 6: Blend the liquid base
In a jug, whisk together kvass or kefir, cold water, sour cream, and vinegar or lemon juice if using. Add salt to taste. Chill if not already cold. Move to final assembly.
Step 7: Combine base and filling
Pour the cold liquid base over the mixed solids. Stir gently to combine, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated and suspended in the broth. Adjust seasoning if needed. Chill before serving.
Step 8: Chill the soup
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This resting period allows the flavours to meld and the soup to chill thoroughly. Prepare garnishes in the meantime.
Final step: Serve cold
Ladle the cold okroshka into bowls. Garnish with fresh dill or a dollop of sour cream. Serve with dark rye bread on the side for an authentic Russian touch. For added brightness, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice just before eating.
Variations and substitutions
- Swap kvass for kefir or diluted yoghurt for a creamier, tangier version.
- Replace sausage with cooked chicken or omit meat entirely for a vegetarian option.
- Add finely diced apples or pickles for subtle sweetness or acidity.
- Use sparkling water in place of still for a fizzy texture (popular in modern versions).
Cooking Tips for Perfect Okroshka
- Always chill your base and ingredients for a crisp, refreshing result.
- Finely dice everything to create a uniform bite and easy spooning.
- Use homemade kvass if possible for an authentic depth of flavour.
- Don’t skip the fresh dill, it’s essential to the classic okroshka aroma.
- Taste and adjust salt just before serving, as chilled soups can taste blander.
Russian Okroshka (Cold Soup)
Ingredients
For the soup base
- 500 ml cold kvass or kefir as a substitute
- 200 ml cold water
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice optional, for added tang
- Salt to taste
For the filling
- 300 g cooked beef veal, or smoked sausage (like Doktorskaya), finely diced
- 3 medium potatoes boiled and peeled, diced
- 3 hard-boiled eggs chopped
- 4 radishes thinly sliced or diced
- 1 cucumber peeled and diced
- 2 spring onions finely chopped
- 1 small bunch fresh dill chopped
- Fresh parsley optional, chopped
Instructions
- To begin, wash and finely dice cucumber, radish, and spring onions. Aim for uniform size for balanced texture in each spoonful. Move to handling the cooked elements.
- Boil the potatoes in their skins until fork tender. Cool slightly, peel, and dice evenly. Set aside to cool fully before mixing to avoid warming the soup base. Proceed to prepare the eggs.
- Boil the eggs for about 9 minutes until fully set. Cool under cold water, peel, and chop roughly. Transition to chopping the meat.
- Dice the cooked beef or smoked sausage into small even cubes. If using leftover roast or ham, trim excess fat for a cleaner broth. Combine with other fillings next.
- In a large bowl, combine diced potatoes, eggs, cucumber, radish, spring onion, meat, and herbs. Gently mix to distribute evenly. Prepare the liquid base separately.
- In a jug, whisk together kvass or kefir, cold water, sour cream, and vinegar or lemon juice if using. Add salt to taste. Chill if not already cold. Move to final assembly.
- Pour the cold liquid base over the mixed solids. Stir gently to combine, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated and suspended in the broth. Adjust seasoning if needed. Chill before serving.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This resting period allows the flavours to meld and the soup to chill thoroughly. Prepare garnishes in the meantime.
- Ladle the cold okroshka into bowls. Garnish with fresh dill or a dollop of sour cream. Serve with dark rye bread on the side for an authentic Russian touch. For added brightness, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice just before eating.
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