This beautiful pink soup is a staple in Lithuanian summers — light, refreshing, and full of flavor. It’s made with beets, kefir (or a yogurt-buttermilk mix), and plenty of fresh herbs. Paired with warm boiled potatoes on the side, it’s incredibly satisfying yet cooling on a hot day.
Here’s how I make it:
🛒 What You’ll Need (Serves 6)
For the soup:
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About 200g of cooked, cooled beetroot (roughly 2 medium beets)
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100g cucumber — you can use fresh or pickled (whichever you like)
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6 spring onions or a small bunch of green onion tops
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2 hard-boiled eggs
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1.5 liters of kefir
(or use 500ml thick natural yogurt + 1 liter buttermilk if kefir isn’t available) -
A small bunch of fresh dill
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Juice of half a lemon (optional, for brightness)
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Salt, to taste
For the side:
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200g of potatoes, peeled and chopped
👩🍳 How to Make It:
1. Boil the Potatoes First
Peel and dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Toss them into a saucepan of salted boiling water and cook until soft—you’ll know they’re done when a knife easily glides in. Drain and set aside.
2. While Potatoes Boil, Prep the Soup
Start with your cooked beets — peel them if needed, and slice them into thin strips or matchsticks. Do the same with your cucumbers (or gherkins if using those).
Chop the hard-boiled eggs into small cubes.
Next, slice up the spring onions (about 1 cm pieces), and finely chop the fresh dill. Save a little dill for garnishing at the end.
3. Mix It All Together
In a big bowl or pot, pour in your kefir (or the yogurt + buttermilk mix). Add the chopped beets, cucumbers, eggs, onions, and most of the dill. Squeeze in a bit of lemon juice for extra freshness if you like, and season with salt to taste.
4. Chill or Serve Immediately
You can serve the soup straight once or refrigerate it for about an hour to intensify the flavors. Ladle it into dishes and garnish with the remaining chopped dill for a fresh touch.
5. Serve with Warm Potatoes on the Side
Instead of putting the potatoes into the soup (which would warm it up), serve them separately on a small plate. Dip them or eat them alongside — totally up to you.
💡 A Few Tips:
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This soup tastes even better the second day as the flavors combine.
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If you don’t have kefir or buttermilk, Greek yogurt thinned with water can work in a pinch.
