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Polish Chilled Beet Soup (Chlodnik)

Polish Chilled Beet Soup (Chlodnik)

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour 20 minutes
  • Rating

Chlodnik translates from the Polish as “a little cold something” or “the cooler.” It's a go-to during the muggy summer months in Poland, where the soup is popular in restaurants and homes alike. We start by cooking raw beets and later add pickled beets for a quick and easy hit of sweetness and acidity that adds another layer of flavor. To offset the earthy beet flavor and striking deep-purple hue, we garnished the soup with a mix of shredded radishes and cucumber—which we salted, for firmer texture—as well as pickled beets, dill and lemon juice. Pureed with ice, the soup can be on the table in about an hour, but it also can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a day before serving. The flavor improves as it sits.

Tip

Don't forget to peel the beets before cooking. The skins can have a bitter flavor and muddy the soup's color.

Ingredients
  • 1 ¾

    pounds red beets, peeled and thinly sliced

  • ¼

    cup cider vinegar

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    bunch radishes, shredded on the large holes of a box grater (1½ cups)

  • 1

    small English cucumber, halved, seeded and shredded on the large holes of a box grater (1½ cups)

  • ¾

    cup drained sliced pickled beets, finely chopped, plus ¼ cup pickled beet juice

  • 3

    tablespoons plus ¼ cup fresh dill leaves, chopped

  • 5

    tablespoons lemon juice, divided

  • 2

    cups ice

  • Plain whole-milk yogurt or sour cream, to serve

  • ¼

    cup finely chopped fresh chives

Step 1

In a large pot over medium-high, bring 2 quarts water, the beets, vinegar, 2 tablespoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper to a boil. Cook, adjusting the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the beets are tender, 30 to 60 minutes (timing depends on the thickness of the slices and age of the beets). Remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes.

Step 2

While the beets cook, wrap the radishes and cucumber in a kitchen towel and wring out their moisture. In a medium bowl, stir together the radish-cucumber mixture, the pickled beets, 3 tablespoons dill, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Step 3

Using a slotted spoon, add half of the cooked beets to a blender, along with 1 cup of their cooking liquid, ½ cup of the pickled beet mixture and half of the ice. Puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining cooked beets, 1 cup of the remaining cooking liquid, ½ cup of the remaining pickled-beet mixture and the remaining ice.

Step 4

To the puree, add 1 cup of the remaining beet cooking liquid (discard the rest), the pickled beet juice, the remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine, then taste and season with salt.

Step 5

Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish with a spoonful of yogurt and the remaining pickled beet mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup dill, the chives and pepper.