Okroshka

Name: Okroshka
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 L plain kefir (3.2% fat), well chilled; 500 ml cold still mineral water (or cold boiled water), chilled; 500 g medium starchy potatoes (4 pieces), boiled in skins then peeled and diced 1 cm; 4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced 1 cm; 400 g cucumbers (3 medium), peeled, large seeds scooped out, diced 0.5 cm; 300 g cooked doktorskaya sausage or boiled ham, diced 0.5 cm; 150 g red radishes, trimmed and diced 0.5 cm; 6 spring onions (whites and greens kept separate), thinly sliced; 30 g fresh dill, finely chopped (plus 1 tbsp to garnish); 1 tbsp Dijon-style mustard (optional but traditional); 1.5 tsp fine salt + 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tsp sugar (balances the kefir tang); 1 tsp lemon juice or white-wine vinegar; Sour cream (smetana) to drizzle when serving; Ice cubes and fresh dark rye bread for serving

Okroshka is the summer cold soup of Russia — a bowl of kefir (or kvass, a fermented bread drink) into which boiled potatoes, eggs, fresh cucumbers, spring onions, dill, and sliced sausages are added, all diced. The result is a refreshing, tangy soup combining the crunch of vegetables with cool dairy liquid. Okroshka is not cooked — it is assembled. It is served immediately after preparation, well chilled. In summer heat waves, okroshka is the daily food of millions of Russians. Fierce debates exist about the correct version: with kefir or kvass, with sausage or boiled meat.

Total time1h 30m

Active time30m

Servings4

DifficultyEasy

Cost$

Add to my meal plan

🌿

Rich in vitamins

Fresh and healthy

❄️

Can be frozen

Great for meal prep

🕐

Slow simmered

Low and slow cooking

🫙

Fermented

Contains fermented ingredients

Ingredients 4 servings

1 L plain kefir (3.2% fat), well chilled
500 ml cold still mineral water (or cold boiled water), chilled
500 g medium starchy potatoes (4 pieces), boiled in skins then peeled and diced 1 cm
4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced 1 cm
400 g cucumbers (3 medium), peeled, large seeds scooped out, diced 0.5 cm
300 g cooked doktorskaya sausage or boiled ham, diced 0.5 cm
150 g red radishes, trimmed and diced 0.5 cm
6 spring onions (whites and greens kept separate), thinly sliced
30 g fresh dill, finely chopped (plus 1 tbsp to garnish)
1 tbsp Dijon-style mustard (optional but traditional)
1.5 tsp fine salt + 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar (balances the kefir tang)
1 tsp lemon juice or white-wine vinegar
Sour cream (smetana) to drizzle when serving
Ice cubes and fresh dark rye bread for serving

How to make it

1BOIL THE POTATOES AND EGGS: in a pot of cold salted water, boil 500 g whole potatoes (skins on, scrubbed) 20–25 min until fork-tender; in a second pot, place 4 eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer 9 min for hard-boiled; drain both, cover potatoes with cold water to peel easily, plunge eggs into ice water 5 min; peel and dice both 1 cm; spread on a tray and chill 30 min in the fridge — everything must be cold before mixing.
2DICE THE CUCUMBERS: peel 400 g cucumbers, halve lengthwise, scoop out any large watery seeds with a spoon, then dice 0.5 cm — the small even cube is essential, larger pieces sink and ruin the soup; pat with paper towel to remove excess water.
3DICE THE PROTEIN: dice 300 g cooked sausage or boiled ham into 0.5 cm cubes — the same size as the cucumbers so each spoonful balances.
4DICE RADISH AND ONIONS: trim and dice 150 g radishes 0.5 cm; slice 6 spring onions (whites and greens kept separate); finely chop 30 g dill, reserve 1 tbsp for garnish; in a small bowl, mash 2 tbsp of the spring-onion whites with a pinch of salt using the back of a spoon — this releases their aroma into the soup.
5THE DRESSING: in a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 L cold kefir + 500 ml cold water + 1 tbsp mustard + 1 tsp lemon juice + 1.5 tsp salt + 0.5 tsp pepper + 1 tsp sugar; whisk 30 seconds until smooth, then taste — the base should be tangy and slightly sweet, generously seasoned because the diced ingredients will dilute it.
6ASSEMBLE: add all diced ingredients (potatoes, eggs, cucumbers, sausage, radish, spring-onion greens and mashed whites, dill) to the kefir base; stir gently with a ladle to distribute evenly without crushing anything.
7CHILL: cover and refrigerate the okroshka 30 minutes minimum (ideally 1 hour) so the flavours mingle and the soup becomes ice-cold; do not chill longer than 3 hours — the cucumbers will start to release water and the soup turns thin.
8SERVE: stir gently before serving; ladle into deep, well-chilled bowls; top each bowl with 1 tablespoon sour cream, a few extra dill fronds, and 2 ice cubes per bowl in summer heat; serve immediately with fresh dark rye bread on the side; mustard on the table for those who like it sharper.