Gaby
If you order this national dish in Lithuanian restaurants and cafes, you’ll often get a pleasant surprise: a side of hot boiled potatoes with dill is traditionally served with the local cold sour-milk soup. This combination creates a balanced flavor typical of Lithuanian cuisine. The star ingredient, beets, offers multiple health benefits: they support cardiovascular and hormonal health, boost metabolism, and help prevent iron deficiency and anemia. The folic acid in this vibrant root helps rejuvenate tissues, while the lipotropic compound betaine aids liver detoxification. Manganese also supports bone and brain health. Overall, each ingredient in summer Lithuanian borscht is nutritious. This light, flavorful soup is a great way to nourish your body in hot weather.
Ingredients (for 4 servings): 500 g of young beets (you can include the greens), 500 ml of boiled water, 750 ml of kefir or sour milk, 100 g of sour cream, 2 eggs, 50 g of cucumbers, 20 g of green onions, 10 g of dill.
Wash the young beets (if one beet weighs about 250 g, you’ll need two). Trim the greens and set them aside, since they have a different cooking time. Place the beets in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about an hour until tender. Add the greens near the end if you like. Let the beets cool.
Hard-boil the eggs — cook them for 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil. Drain the hot water and rinse the eggs with cold water to cool them.
Peel the cooked beets and slice them into thin strips. Chop the cooked greens, the rinsed green onion tops, and the dill. Cut the washed cucumbers into rounds and slice the boiled eggs into wedges.
Whisk together the kefir or sour milk. Add the sour cream and the boiled water, mixing well. Stir in the beet strips, greens, cucumbers, green onions, and dill, reserving one sliced egg for garnish. Chill the soup for an hour, then decorate with the egg wedges. Serve the Lithuanian cold borscht with hot boiled potatoes.
Life Hack
Make the soup faster by using pre-cooked or roasted beets. Store cooked beets in the refrigerator for up to four days without losing flavor.
