Skip to Content

Okroshka Recipe (Cold Soup to Enjoy in the Summer Sun)

Sharing is caring!

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Learn more

Look no further than our refreshing and filling okroshka recipe for an easy-to-make lunch to enjoy out on the patio in the summer sun when it’s too warm to spend hours in the kitchen.

Okroshka in a bowl (overhead picture).

Okroshka Recipe

Okroshka is such a good way to consume a hearty and filling dish, packed with protein and nutrients, without having to spend hours melding a soup, stew, or spread over continuous heat in the kitchen.

Each mouthful is moist, refreshing, and earthy, while the inclusion of ham or sausage helps add smokiness and tenderness to the soup. Serve up a batch of okroshka for family and friends on a warm summer afternoon, and you have the perfect lunch or dinner to enjoy together in the sunshine.

Okroshka in a bowl (overhead picture).

What is Okroshka?

Okroshka is a cold soup, traditional to Russian cuisine and in Eastern Europe, which is commonly prepared in the summer. Consisting of several chopped vegetables, such as cucumbers and radishes, boiled potatoes, eggs, and some type of diced meat, such as ham or sausage, the soup is brought together traditionally in a broth of kvass, which in later variations of the recipe was substituted for the likes of whey or kefir.

As the soup is served cold and isn’t cooked together, the only cooking required is the preparation of some of the ingredients, such as the boiled potatoes and eggs.

Nourishing and refreshing, while a staple of Russian cuisine, variations of okroshka also feature in Ukrainian cuisine and other Eastern European cuisines.

Ingredients

To make our okroshka recipe, you’ll first need the following ingredients.

Okroshka recipe ingredients on a wooden board.

This recipe serves 4:

  • Eggs – 3
  • Potatoes – 3 medium potatoes
  • Cucumber – 3 small cucumbers or 1 English cucumber
  • Radishes – 8 radishes (∼ 100 grams or 3.5 oz)
  • Sausage* – 2.5 cups cubed (∼ 300 grams or 10.5 oz)
  • Kefir – 3 cups (∼700 ml)
  • Sour Cream – 3 tbsp
  • Dill – a handful (∼ 20 grams or 0.7 oz)
  • Spring Onions – 3 large spring onions
  • Salt – 1/2 tbsp
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 tbsp
  • Ice-Cold Water – 2 cups

Note: We used two types of lightly smoked sausage in our recipe. You can use any ready-to-eat ham, sausage, and even roast or grilled chicken breast.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Boil the potatoes, peel them, and then chop them into small cubes.

First, put the potatoes in a medium pot, add a sprinkle of salt, and cover them with cold water (enough to cover them by 1 inch or 2 cm).

Put a lid on the pot, bring to a boil on high heat, and then turn the heat down to medium, enough for a rapid simmer. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Once they’re ready, set the potatoes aside to cool down.

Once cool, peel the potatoes and chop them into small cubes.

Okroshka recipe step-by-step (step 1 - boiling, peeling and chopping the potatoes).

Step 2 – While the potatoes are boiling, boil the eggs as well. Put the eggs in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil, and boil for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water. Wait for them to cool for about 10 minutes, and then peel them and chop them

Okroshka recipe step-by-step (step 2 - boiling, peeling and chopping the eggs).

Step 3 – Chop the radishes, cucumber, sausage, and add them to a medium pot or large bowl. Add the chopped eggs and potatoes.

Okroshka recipe step-by-step (step 3 - chopping the veggies and adding them to a medium pot).

Step 4 – Finely chop the dill and spring onions, and add them to the pot/bowl.

Okroshka recipe step-by-step (step 4 - adding the dill and spring onions).

Step 5 – In a smaller bowl, add the kefir, sour cream, salt, and vinegar.

Okroshka recipe step-by-step (step 5 - mixing the kefir, vinegar, salt, and sour cream).

Then, mix the ingredients together using a whisk or a fork.

Okroshka recipe step-by-step (step 5 - the kefir mixture).

Step 6 – Add the kefir mixture to the pot/bowl of chopped ingredients and then lightly mix.

Okroshka recipe step-by-step (step 6 - adding the kefir mixture to the veggies, herbs, and eggs).
Okroshka recipe step-by-step (step 6 - adding the kefir mixture to the veggies, herbs, and eggs).

Step 7 – Once you’ve given everything a light mix to combine, it’s time to create the consistency of soup by adding ice-cold water. We added 2 cups of ice-cold water to our recipe.

Okroshka recipe step-by-step (step 7 - the soup after adding the ice-cold water).

Step 8 – Okroshka is best when you refrigerate it for at least 30-60 minutes. If you’re really in a hurry, and want to serve it faster, consider adding ice cubes along with the ice-cold water in the previous step to cool it down faster.

Once ready to serve it, spoon or ladle a generous amount of this nourishing and textural soup into a bowl.

Okroshka in a bowl.

Okroshka perfectly combines the lightness of a salad and the refreshing nature of a cold beverage into one simple dish. From the smokiness of the meat to the earthy crunch of the vegetables, all the delightful notes and undertones of aroma and flavor are beautifully preserved in a creamy, cold combination of sour cream and kefir. Keep yourself cool, nourished, and satisfied this summer, and give this Russian favorite a try!

Okroshka in a bowl.

Okroshka Recipe Card

Yield: 4

Okroshka

Okroshka

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 3 small cucumbers or 1 English cucumber
  • 8 radishes
  • 2.5 cups of cubed smoked sausage (∼ 300 grams or 10.5 oz)
  • 3 cups (∼700 ml) of kefir
  • 3 tbsp of sour cream
  • a handful of dill (∼ 20 grams or 0.7 oz)
  • 3 large spring onions
  • 1/2 tbsp of salt
  • 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups of ice-cold water

Instructions

  1. Boil the potatoes, peel them, and then chop them into small cubes.

    First, put the potatoes in a medium pot, add a sprinkle of salt, and cover them with cold water (enough to cover them by 1 inch or 2 cm).

    Put a lid on the pot, bring to a boil on high heat, and then turn the heat down to medium, enough for a rapid simmer. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

    Once they’re ready, set the potatoes aside to cool down. Once cool, peel the potatoes and chop them into small cubes.
  2. While the potatoes are boiling, boil the eggs as well. Put the eggs in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil, and boil for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water. Wait for them to cool for about 10 minutes, and then peel them and chop them
  3. Chop the radishes, cucumber, and sausage, and add them to a medium pot or large bowl. Add the chopped eggs and potatoes.
  4. Finely chop the dill and spring onions, and add them to the pot/bowl.
  5. In a smaller bowl, add the kefir, sour cream, salt, and vinegar. Then, mix the ingredients together using a whisk or a fork.
  6. Add the kefir mixture to the pot/bowl of chopped ingredients and then lightly mix.
  7. Once you’ve given everything a light mix to combine, it’s time to create the consistency of soup by adding ice-cold water. We added 2 cups of ice-cold water to our recipe.
  8. Okroshka is best when you refrigerate it for at least 30-60 minutes. If you’re really in a hurry and want to serve it faster, consider adding ice cubes along with the ice-cold water in the previous step to cool it down faster.
  9. Once ready to serve it, spoon or ladle a generous amount of this nourishing and textural soup into a bowl.

Notes

  1. We used two types of lightly smoked sausage in our recipe. You can use any ready-to-eat ham, sausage, and even roast or grilled chicken breast.

You Might Also Like to Read

Contributor: Efimia is a retired Moldovan teacher and passionate foodie, who has been whipping up a huge array of Eastern European dishes for family, friends, and loved ones from her humble home kitchen for over forty years and counting.

Skip to Recipe