Go Back
–+ servings

Okroshka (Kefir Summer Soup)

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Print the recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 medium potatoes About 300 g in total; waxy potatoes hold their shape when diced.
  • 2 eggs
  • 300 g cooked ham Ready-to-eat ham, suitable for dicing.
  • 2 small cucumbers
  • 125 g red radishes Small radishes with red skin and white flesh.
  • 30 g scallions
  • 10 g fresh dill Check herb or specialist produce shops for fresh dill.
  • 1000 ml plain milk kefir Chilled and unsweetened; measure with a jug.
  • 500 ml plain sparkling water Chilled, unsweetened and unflavoured.
  • ½ tsp salt The ham is already salty, so taste the soup before adding salt.

You will need

  • Saucepan
  • Small saucepan
  • Knife and chopping board
  • Large bowl with a lid
  • Mixing spoon
  • Measuring jug
  • Shallow containers

Instructions

  • Wash the potatoes and put them, unpeeled, in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20–25 minutes, until a fork slides in easily.
  • While the potatoes cook, put the eggs in a separate saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, until both whites and yolks are firm, then transfer to cold water to cool.
  • Drain the potatoes and let them cool just enough to handle. Peel and dice the potatoes and cooled eggs, spread them in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly until completely cold. Do not wait for them to cool fully on the counter.
  • Rinse the cucumbers, radishes, scallions and dill under running water and drain well.
  • Trim the radishes and dice them along with the cucumbers. Finely chop the scallions and dill.
  • Cut the ham into small cubes.
  • Combine the completely chilled potatoes and eggs with the ham, cucumbers, radishes, scallions and dill in the large bowl.
  • Mix the cold kefir and sparkling water in a measuring jug.
  • Gently stir the kefir mixture into the chopped ingredients. Taste, then add as much of the measured salt as needed.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes. Taste the cold soup again, add a little more salt if needed, then serve.
    • The chilling time is the final hour after mixing. Allow extra time to chill the cooked potatoes and eggs completely.

Storage and safety

Keep the soup covered at 4°C (40°F) or below and eat within 24 hours of preparation. If any ingredient has an earlier use-by date, follow that date. To prepare ahead, refrigerate the chopped ingredients and kefir mixture in separate covered containers until needed. Discard soup left out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours in total, or 1 hour when the temperature is above 32°C (90°F).