Okroshka With Sausage Recipe

Prepare vegetables and eggs

Peel the boiled potatoes and cut them into small dice (about 1 cm). Peel the hard-boiled eggs and quarter them or dice to a similar size as the potatoes. Peel the cucumbers if the skin is thick; dice into 1 cm cubes. Thinly slice the radishes into quarters or small matchsticks. Slice the white and light-green parts of the spring onions thinly; reserve some green tops for garnish. Finely chop dill and parsley.

Prepare sausage

Slice the boiled smoked sausage into small half-moon pieces about 3–5 mm thick, then dice them roughly to match the size of the vegetables. If the sausage is very fatty, you can briefly heat it in a skillet to render a little fat and cool before adding—this concentrates flavor but is optional.

Combine all prepared solid ingredients (potatoes, eggs, cucumber, radishes, spring onions, chopped herbs and sausage) in a large bowl. Toss gently so pieces are evenly distributed. Season the solids lightly with 0.5 tsp of the salt and a pinch of the pepper to build base seasoning.

In a separate pitcher, whisk together the kefir (or thin yogurt/buttermilk) and cold water until smooth. If using a thinner kefir/yogurt, use less water—adjust to reach a drinkable, soup-like consistency about 1.3–1.5 liters total liquid.

Add lemon juice (or vinegar), Dijon mustard (if using), sugar, remaining 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. If you want a mild kvass note, stir in the optional dry kvass or light beer (100 ml). Whisk until sugar and salt dissolve and the dressing is uniform. Taste and adjust acidity or salt: okroshka should be bright and slightly tangy.

If you prefer a creamier finish, whisk in the sour cream until fully incorporated. Chill the liquid in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes, or add a few ice cubes to cool quickly before assembling (see finish step).

Place the bowl of chopped solids into the refrigerator for 10 minutes to cool, or add ice cubes to the solids if you need to assemble immediately.

When ready to serve, pour the chilled liquid over the solids in the large bowl until ingredients are just submerged and you reach desired soup consistency (typically 1 to 1.3 liters of liquid over the solids). Stir gently to combine. Taste and correct seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon if needed.

Ladle okroshka into individual bowls. Garnish each bowl with a sprig of dill and reserved spring onion tops. Serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside so diners may add extra acidity. Keep any leftover dressing separate and add to portions as you serve to preserve crunch in the vegetables.