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Okroshka with Whey and Sour Cream
Instructions
There are many ways to prepare okroshka, and therefore each hostess makes it to suit the tastes of their family and loved ones. The main thing is that all the ingredients should be finely chopped, hence the name of the dish – okroshka (to chop), and poured with cold dressing. Besides vegetables and eggs, okroshka includes a meat product, which can be chicken, beef, beef tongue, pork or simply boiled sausage. We will be cooking with chicken. The breast will be too dry, so we'll take two thighs. In the pot with the chicken, add a little carrot, a small onion, roots of parsley and parsnip to make the meat tasty. Pour everything with clean water, salt and cook until the meat is ready; it will take about fifteen to twenty minutes total. After the meat is cooked, let it cool in the broth, this way the meat will be juicier.
Boil the potatoes and eggs until ready and let them cool, but not in the water. It's genuinely best to boil the potatoes, eggs, and meat in advance.
Soak cucumbers, radish, and herbs in cold water for five to ten minutes total and wash them well. Set aside on a towel to dry.
In okroshka, all ingredients should be finely chopped. Cut the cucumbers into small even cubes.
Dice the radish finely as well. Many prefer to slice the radish into circles, if it's small, that's fine too.
Remove the cooled meat from the broth. Remove the skin and separate the flesh from the bone. Finely chop the meat or break it into pieces using two forks.
Finely chop the previously dried parsley and dill.
Finely chop the green onions.
Peel the cooled potatoes and cut them into small even cubes.
Boil the eggs; you can cut them all into cubes, but it's better to only use the whites and separate the yolks.
In a deep bowl, mash the yolks using a fork.
Add a couple of spoons of sour cream to the yolks from the total amount.
Mix the sour cream and yolks until properly smooth.
The dressing for okroshka can be kvass, whey, kefir, the broth in which the meat was cooked, or even mineral water. We will use whey and sour cream.
Pour part of the whey into a deep bowl, add all the sour cream to it. In a small amount of whey, the sour cream will mix well and won't clump. To the mixture of whey and sour cream, add the prepared mixture of yolks and sour cream; this yolk will add a nice yellowish tint to the dish. Mix the mass until properly smooth.
Transfer all prepared ingredients into the pot and mix. Add the whey with sour cream and yolks, pour in the remaining whey. If desired, you can add the broth in which the meat was cooked, but first, strain the broth; the onion and root vegetables are not needed in the okroshka. Mix everything well and season the dish to taste. For this, you will need salt, peppers, and lemon juice. You can use citric acid, but natural juice is genuinely better.
The okroshka with whey and sour cream is now properly ready, now it's best to send it to the refrigerator to infuse. In a few hours, all the ingredients will absorb the dressing and acquire a unified flavour. For a more piquant taste, you can add a little prepared mustard, approximately ½ teaspoon, along with the spices in the okroshka. We pour the okroshka into a beautiful dish and serve it on the table.Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Cook the chicken thighs (rather than breast), since the dark meat properly retains moisture and produces noticeably more tender finished texture in the cold soup. The brief patience for proper meat selection genuinely matters for the most beautifully juicy finished okroshka every single time at home. Cool the chicken in its broth for the moistest finished result.
- 2
Finely chop ALL the ingredients to roughly equal small cubes, since uniform sizing is the proper traditional Russian-style technique that defines the iconic finished okroshka appearance. To pair this beautifully classic Soviet-era cold soup with another properly traditional homemade summer preparation, try our beautifully refreshing beetroot cold soup (beetroot okroshka) with ayran as a contrasting beetroot-based alternative.
- 3
Mash the egg yolks with sour cream first before adding to the soup, since this brief preparation step produces a properly smooth golden-tinted finished dressing rather than disappointing yolk lumps in the bowl. The brief patience for proper yolk preparation genuinely matters for the most beautifully presented finished okroshka every single time.
- 4
Let the assembled okroshka chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours before serving (overnight is best), since the brief infusion time properly develops the iconic balanced finished flavour. For another properly classic homemade Russian-cuisine summer recipe to add variety to your weekly menu, try our beautifully classic rassolnik with barley and pickled cucumbers classic recipe as a contrasting hot soup alternative.
FAQ
What dressing is best for okroshka? +
Traditional okroshka dressings include kvass (most authentic), whey (used in this recipe), kefir, mineral water, or the broth in which the meat was cooked. Kvass produces the most properly traditional Russian-style finished result with a slightly fermented bread-like character. Whey gives a milder slightly tangy finished flavour. Kefir produces a creamier finished result. Try different dressings to find your personal preference. Adding a tablespoon of sour cream to any liquid dressing improves the finished texture significantly.
Can I make this without meat? +
Absolutely. Skip the chicken entirely for a properly vegetarian version that is even better for diet-conscious eaters. The cold soup tastes beautifully delicious without any meat thanks to the proper combination of vegetables, eggs, herbs, and tangy dressing. Add extra boiled eggs or a small handful of cubed firm tofu for added protein in the meatless version. The vegetarian version is also genuinely traditional in many Slavic households during religious fasting periods or simply for lighter summer eating at the table.
How long does okroshka keep? +
Store the assembled okroshka covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to two days for best results. The flavours actually improve significantly during the first 24 hours as all the ingredients properly meld with the dressing. After two days, the cucumbers and radish begin to lose their fresh crisp texture. Store the chopped ingredients separately from the dressing if you need to make this further in advance, then combine just before serving for the most beautifully fresh finished result.
Can I serve okroshka warm? +
Genuinely no — okroshka is properly traditional as a cold summer soup served straight from the refrigerator. The dish is specifically designed for hot weather refreshment, and warming it would compromise the iconic refreshing quality that defines this classic Russian summer dish. If you want a warm soup with similar ingredients, consider making a hot vegetable soup or chicken soup instead. The cold serving is genuinely essential to the proper traditional okroshka experience at the table.
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