Šaltibarščiai, a delightful Cold Beetroot Soup, stands as a true testament to the heart and soul of Lithuanian cuisine. With roots deeply embedded in the country's rich cultural heritage, this vibrant pink-hued soup has journeyed through generations, captivating taste buds and hearts alike. Embodying the essence of summertime refreshment, Saltibarsciai boasts a wonderful blend of flavors and textures, harmonizing the earthy sweetness of beetroots with the cool tangy kefir and the crisp freshness of cucumbers and dill. As a cherished dish that reflects the resilience and traditions of Lithuania, Saltibarsciai beckons culinary enthusiasts on a flavorful adventure, inviting them to experience the unique and time-honored taste of this treasured Eastern European classic.
Jump to:
The Great Lithuanian Soup: Saltibarsciai
Saltibarsciai, affectionately known as Pink Soup outside of Lithuania, holds a significant place in the heart of Lithuanian cuisine, representing a cherished part of the country's culinary heritage. Its history dates back centuries, with roots deeply embedded in traditional Lithuanian farming culture.
Lithuanian word Šaltibarščiai, literally translates into Cold Borsch or Chilled Borsch, perfectly describing the dish.
Originally a humble peasant dish, this cold beetroot soup has evolved into a beloved national delicacy that reflects the essence of Lithuania's agricultural abundance. The soup's vibrant pink hue, derived from the earthy and versatile beetroot, symbolizes the resilience and indomitable spirit of the Lithuanian people.
Traditionally, Lithuanians prepare this soup during the warm summer months, offering a refreshing respite from the heat and a delightful blend of flavors from the beets, kefir, cucumbers, and dill.
Not a fan of beets? Try another chilled soup with cucumber and radishes - Lithuanian Kefir Soup!
Why You Should Try This Cold Beetroot Soup
There are plenty of reasons to love this Cold Beetroot Soup, besides it being incredibly delicious:
- Saltibarsciai is the most refreshing hot summer day's lunch.
- It's easy to make a large batch and feed a crowd.
- It is extremely visually appealing with its bright pink colour.
- Cold Beet Soup is very nutritious: kefir is an amazing fermented ingredient that benefits the digestive system.
- It will only take 30 minutes (if that) from start to finish, and you won't need any special kitchen equipment.
Ingredient Notes
- cucumber: fresh and crunchy cucumbers will add great texture and refreshing summer flavour to this soup. You will need approximately 1 long English cucumber or 3 short garden cucumbers to feed 4 people.
- grated canned beetroot: you can typically find them in Eastern European food shops or Polish food aisles in the larger supermarkets. They are typically called Marinated Beetroot or Grated Beetroot and come in 500g jars. If you are shopping in Eastern European shops, look out for Lithuanian "Marinuoti Burokeliai" or "Konservuoti Burokeliai", as well as Polish "Buraczki Wiorki". You can also make your own by following our Canned Shredded Beetroot recipe.
- eggs: hard-boiled.
- fresh dill: replace fresh dill with dried dill or frozen dill. Dill will feature in the soup itself as well as a garnish for potatoes.
- green onions: also known as spring onions or scallions. Half will go into the soup itself and the remaining will be used for garnish.
- salt & pepper: to taste.
- kefir: we highly recommend getting Polish Kefir or Lithuanian Kefyras. The British brands that we tested did not taste the same.
- potatoes: traditionally, potatoes are peeled, chopped into chunks and boiled. But you can also use unpeeled New Potatoes. The thin skins add another layer of texture to this summer soup.
- butter: mainly acts as an adhesive to enable fresh dill to stick to the potatoes.
Where Can I Buy Kefir and Grated Beetroot?
For those in the UK, a convenient option is to explore large supermarkets' international aisles. We found jars of Dawtona Grated Beetroot in Sainsbury's and Tesco. Additionally, if you prefer to explore other sources, you can check out most Eastern European shops.
You can typically find Lithuanian or Polish Kefir in the fridge aisle with the rest of the International Cuisine ingredients. In the UK, we found kefir in Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco.
Alternatively, you can shop for the ingredients online.
Step-By-Step Method
- Start by boiling your potatoes in a large pot of salted water.
- Hard-boil the eggs (it should take about 12 minutes in boiling water). Cool the eggs under cold running water. Peel them and then cut them into 4 wedges.
- Tip the grated beetroot (and all of the liquid) out of the jar into a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumber, dill and half of the green onions.
- Pour the kefir into the bowl and season everything with salt and black pepper. Stir everything together until the kefir turns pink.
- Divide the cold beetroot soup between bowls. Top with the eggs and remaining green onions.
- When your potatoes are cooked, drain them, add butter and fresh dill and shake the pot gently to coat the potatoes.
- Serve hot potatoes alongside the cold beet soup.
How To Serve Saltibarsciai?
Lithuanian Cold Beetroot Soup, also known as Saltibarsciai, is at its best when served freshly made. This is because if the soup is left for an extended period, the beetroot will impart its color to the vegetables and the egg, resulting in a less visually appealing presentation (though still undeniably delicious).
To maintain the soup's refreshing taste, serve it chilled. If you happen to prepare it before your potatoes are cooked, ensure to refrigerate it to keep it cold.
Serve hot boiled potatoes with dill. There are two ways to enjoy this delightful combination. Some prefer to savor the potatoes separately from the soup, while others (like me!) like to add the potatoes one by one directly into the soup. This method gently warms up the soup (which is frowned upon amongst many Lithuanians). But for me, it creates a delightful contrast between the warmth of the potatoes and the coolness of the soup in a single mouthful.
Other Lithuanian Soup Recipes
- Lithuanian Sauerkraut Soup (recipe coming soon)
- Sorrel Soup (recipe coming soon)
- Lithuanian Beetroot Soup (Borscht With Bacon)
Šaltibarščiai (Cold Beetroot Soup)
Ingredients
- 300 g cucumber approx 1 English cucumber or 3 short cucumbers
- 500 g boiled grated beetroot see details above
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
- 2 spring onions thinly sliced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 l kefir
- 500 g potatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tbso fresh dill finely chopped
Instructions
- Start by boiling your potatoes in a large pot of salted water.
- Hard-boil the eggs (it should take about 12 minutes in boiling water). Cool the eggs under cold running water. Peel them, the cut into 4 wedges.
- Tip the grated beetroot (and all of the liquid) out of the jar into a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumber, dill and half of the green onions.
- Pour the kefir into the bowl and season everything with salt and black pepper. Stir everythin together until the kefir turns pink.
- Divide the cold beetroot soup between bowl. Top with the eggs and remaining green onions.
- When your potatoes are cooked, drain them, add butter and fresh dill and shake the pot gently to coat the potatoes.
- Serve hot potatoes alongside the cold beet soup.
Video
Notes
Luis Fernandes says
I really enjoyed it. Next time I might be tempted to peel the cucumber as the little bits of skin after grating it (I assume grating it is correct?) can be annoying. I used Mlekovita Kefir Yogurt Style Drink from my local supermarket and it worked well. I finely grated half the beetroot and did the other half coarse.
Ieva says
That's brilliant! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
I grew up with šaltibarščiai made with coarsely grated beetroot and diced or sliced cucumber, but you're not wrong to grate the cucumber — many families in Lithuania do so! As is the case with many traditional recipes, each family has its own tweaks!