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Home » Recipes » Soups & Stews
5 from 4 ratings

Cold Borscht – Chilled and the Best for Summer!

August 12, 2017 by Christy Gurin (updated May 2, 2025) | 6 Comments

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Cold borscht is a Russian/ Ukrainian beet soup served chilled for those hot summer days where you want something refreshing and light but full of flavor.  

Two bowls of cold borscht soup from with toppings on top like sour cream, sliced hard boiled egg, cucumber and radish and sprinkle of chives and dill with cubed beets poking out of the soup. This is on on a wood table with a plate of more toppings and tea towels next to the soup bowls.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m married to a Russian. Another fact that isn’t widely known is that Russian food is absolutely delicious! If you are already in the know about this, you’re probably nodding your head, but the rest of you, well, you might be skeptical. I swear though, when done well, its the best!

When you think of Russian food, borscht is probably what comes to mind, if not first, pretty close to it. This pink beet soup is an Eastern European classic. I was surprised how much I loved it when I tried the hot version since I wasn’t a huge beet fan at the time (surprising I know since I put beets in everything now, even beet red velvet cupcakes and beet hummus).

I tried cold borscht for the first time on a hot summer day at my husband’s grandmother’s apartment in central Moscow, about a block away from Red Square. About as Russian as it gets.

After touristing around the city all morning, dripping sweat while nursing mind splitting hangovers, we were exhausted and in need of something refreshing. Yes, it actually gets hot in Moscow and no, don’t try to keep up with a Russian when drinking vodka.

Two bowls of cold borscht Ukrainian beet soup from overhead with toppings on top like sour cream, sliced hard boiled egg, cucumber and radish and sprinkle of chives and dill on a wood table.

Moscow gets that sticky kind of summer humidity that makes you dart into random stores for just a few minutes of air conditioning and crave anything and everything that will lower your temperature, even just by two degrees for two minutes.

Summer borscht to the rescue! I have always been a topping fiend so, in addition to the delicious savory taste, I adore the process of dolling it up with egg, sour cream, veggies, and herbs. It makes this soup a fun lunch experience. Its not just your standard dump into  a bowl kind of chowder or stew. Its a whole process. Not a complicated one, but a personalized, individual process that can be tweaked to your tastebuds’ unique preferences.

You can definitely make cold borscht vegetarian by using veggie broth, and vegan by leaving out the sour cream and egg… but those are some of the best parts! The sour cream is what gives it that creamy tang so you’ll have to replace it with some kind of vegan substitute to get the full affect. And the egg provides more protein so vegans will have to slip some beans in or serve with a side to make it filling enough. 

Close up of cold borscht up close with sliced hard boiled egg, radish and cucumber slices, and dill and chives and sour cream on top.

So, if you’re not familiar with borscht, you might be wondering what this tastes like. It does have a bit of a beet-like flavor, but, as I mentioned earlier, even beet haters love it. It take all of the best characteristics from beets (sweetness, color, etc.) and leaves the earthiness that most people hate behind. There’s a hint of dill and a tangy richness from the sour cream that is just so satisfying.

This happens to be a great first recipe to try cold borscht too. Its simple, doesn’t require boiling or baking the beets separately or simmering for hours. Plus, it got the stamp of approval from two legitimate Russians now. My mother-in-law was openly skeptical when I told her I was making cold borscht for lunch, but actually ended up thinking it turned out great.

My husband thinks its the best and has been asking me to make it again ever since. I think the key is getting the salt level right. If it tastes inexplicably bland, add more salt, just a few pinches at a time, until it tastes robust and balanced.  So much of cooking just depends on balancing the salt and sweet aspects of a recipe. Get the acidity right on top of that and you’ve got that killer combo that makes a dish truly excellent.

Knowing this was a summer recipe, I tried to reduce cook time as much as possible. Most cold borscht recipes roast or boil the beets separately and then add them to the soup later on. While this makes the soup lighter in color, it also makes it take a loooong time. Who wants to be hovering over a pot of steamy liquid on a summer day? Not I, so, I minimized that.

I really don’t think it affected the flavor one bit. I love getting away with short cuts like this. Makes me feel like a legitimate kitchen prowess, irregardless of how simple the switch out is.

2 bowls of cold borscht Russian beet soup with veggies, sliced hard boiled egg, dill and chives on top along with a dollop of sour cream on a wood backdrop with tea towels.

 Oh, and not to brag or anything, buttt, those radishes came from our garden. As did the dill. And I milked the cow that created that sour cream. Okay, jk on that last one… but seriously, our garden is killing it this year!

As these summer days fly by and my belly gets bigger and bigger, I get more and more excited about welcoming our baby girl into this world. I still have nerves and doubts of course. The whole transition brings out the most intense feelings of elation that can easily flip flop into fear, but most days, I feel at peace about it all and just can’t wait to meet her. The more time goes by, the happier I am that this is happening when it is. The timing isn’t perfect, but what ever is in life?

This last picture is a messy one, but food isn’t always poised and perfect. The mess is part of the beauty of it all. Stay cool out there and have a fabulous weekend!

Light pink cold borscht in a white bowl from close up with a sliced hard boiled egg on top, sprigs of dill and cucumber too.

 

Recipe
A bowl of chilled beet soup garnished with sliced boiled eggs, radishes, cucumbers, and dill, served on a wooden table with a spoon and a striped cloth napkin.
Recipe
5 from 4 ratings
click the stars to rate!

Cold Borscht

Created by: Christy Gurin
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
6
Cold borscht is a Russian/ Ukrainian beet soup served chilled for those hot summer days where you want something refreshing and light but full of flavor.  
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Ingredients
 

Soup

  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 lbs. beets about 5 small beets or 3 large, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
  • 3 tsp. coconut sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp. salt adjust amount if needed based on saltiness of salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped dill

Garnishes

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
  • 1 cup thinly sliced radishes
  • 6 hard boiled eggs, sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped dill
  • 1/4 cup chopped chives

Instructions

  • Bring chicken stock to a boil over high heat. 
  • Add chopped beats, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add remaining ingredients, except dill, and let simmer for another 10 minutes until beets are softened.
  • Remove from heat and add dill.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. 
  • Let cool and chill in fridge until cold (at least 2-3 hours, preferably overnight). 
  • Serve cold with garnishes. 

Notes

Make vegan by replacing sour cream with a non-dairy substitute and omitting egg.

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 207mg | Sodium: 1049mg | Potassium: 1084mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1490IU | Vitamin C: 25.8mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 3.3mg

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posted in: 30-Minute Meals, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Lunches, Meal Prep, Paleo, Quick and Easy, Recipes, Soups & Stews, Stovetop, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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    5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Mary says

    July 4, 2024

    5 stars
    We do things just a tad bit different, but this is one of my babcia’s recipes that we eat every summer all summer long 🙂 It is fantastic!

    Reply
  2. Willa Kahn says

    July 28, 2023

    5 stars
    I made this last night with my CSA beets and dill. I omitted the sugar and it is absolutely delicious and refreshing on this very hot day. Very simple; brings me back to my Eastern European roots.

    Reply
    • Christy Gurin says

      July 31, 2023

      Thank you for letting me know you liked it! My husband is Eastern European and I make it for him a few times every summer. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Michiko Cecilia Dube says

    August 13, 2021

    5 stars
    What an amazing recipe for what is probably the most delicious soup on Earth ! I remember ordering the cold beet soup in New York City many years ago at a restaurant called Elephant and Castle. The soup was fabulous and because my beloved mother treated me to a bowl of it the experience was very very special to me. Thank you for sharing the recipe. Again, thank you.

    Reply
    • Christy says

      August 16, 2021

      I love that you love it too! My husband is Russian and I had it years ago at his grandmother’s house in Moscow and was bewitched by the flavors! I make it a few times every summer now. 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Christy

I started cooking, baking, and helping in the kitchen when I was old enough to reach the counter. I am a food lover with a focus on quick and easy dinners using wholesome ingredients that are approachable for the home chef. If you crave flavor but always find yourself short on time, you’re in the right place.

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