Beet kvass gives this chilled soup its tang, its color, and most of its personality. If you have never made kvass before, it just takes beets, water, salt, and about five days on the counter, and the payoff is a soup that tastes bright and slightly sour in a way plain roasted beets never quite manage. If chilled soups are your thing, our kefir cucumber gazpacho is another good hot-weather option, and doenjang vegetable soup takes the fermented-broth idea in a warmer direction. For more nettle-and-potato comfort, see our nettle and potato soup.
Ingredients
- 4 cups beet kvass (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 medium beets, roasted and diced small
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1/2 cup plain kefir or buttermilk
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the beet kvass, kefir, and lemon juice.
- Stir in the diced roasted beets and cucumber.
- Season with salt and pepper, then cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or until very cold.
- Ladle into bowls and top each with chopped egg, sliced radish, and a generous scattering of dill.
- Serve cold, with crusty bread on the side if you like.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| Calories | 135 |
| Total fat | 4g |
| Total carbohydrates | 17g |
| Dietary fiber | 3g |
| Protein | 7g |
| Sodium | 410mg |
Why This Is Good for Your Gut
Beet kvass ferments via lactic acid bacteria naturally present on the beet skin, chiefly Lactobacillus plantarum, which thrives in the salt brine and produces lactic acid as it works. Beets themselves supply betalains and nitrates that support blood flow to the gut lining, while the kefir stirred in at the end adds a second, distinct set of live cultures, including yeast strains not found in yogurt.
Cold soup sounds strange until the first spoonful changes your mind.
This recipe is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
