Vegetable Cold Soup Recipe from Russian Cuisine

Recipe of a Light and Refreshing Soup for Summer or Spring

Apr 22, 2009 Alla Kondrat

In Russian cuisine this cold vegetable soup is called okroshka. The soup recipe is very simple, but the result - delicious and refreshing.

This cold soup is very popular in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and other Slavic countries. The seasons when it is usually cooked are spring and summer – when all of the fresh vegetables are available either from own kitchen gardens, or from any store, for low prices.

Unlike most traditional soups, okroshka is cold, and, that's why, really refreshing. What can be better for a hot sunny day than fresh vegetables? The soup is healthy, bright, and original. In addition, it is very easy and rather cheap to prepare such a cold soup. It does not contain any unusual ingredients, and can be made from what everyone usually has in the fridge.

The offered cold soup consists of chopped vegetables, chopped ham, and a dressing.

Ingredients for the Cold Soup from Russian Cuisine

200g of ham
300g of radish
3 large potatoes
4 eggs
3 middle-size cucumbers
2 bunches of spring onion
1 bunch of dill and parsley
100g of sour cream or mayonnaise
Salt to taste

A Dressing for the Cold Vegetable Soup

The dressing for this cold soup may vary depending on the cook’s tastes. So, here are some options to choose from:

1 liter of boiled water + a juice of 1lemon
1 liter of malt beer
1 liter of buttermilk
1 liter of whey

Directions for Cooking Okroshka

Hard-boil the eggs, remove the shells, and chop.
Boil the unpeeled potatoes, wait till they get colder, peel, and chop.
Finely chop ham and vegetables - radishes, cucumbers, spring onion, dill, parsley.
Add sour cream or mayonnaise, and salt to taste.
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Keep the dish in a fridge for at least a half an hour, for it to get cold.
For serving, put some into a bowl, and pour with the dressing of your choice. Decorate it with some green onions, or dill and parsley.

There are many variations for this cold soup. Some people, for example, prefer to use fish instead of ham. Others like it will cheese, or mushrooms added. Another option is adding boiled and chopped carrots. So, the given recipe is not only simple, but also leaves much space for fantasy and personal preferences.

The freshness and brightness of this cold vegetable soup is sure to please both the family, and the guests. In addition to consisting of simple, healthy, and cheap ingredients, it is easy to cook, healthy, and original. Freshness and healthiness of salad, combined with a sore taste of the dressing, make this cold soup an ideal meal for any hot day.

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