Classic Recipe for Kvass Okroshka

For classic kvass-based cold soup, peel and boil young potatoes in salted water until cooked (make sure not to overcook them), then cool them. Cut into small cubes. Boil chicken eggs hard-boiled and also cut them into similar cubes.

Wash and thinly slice the radishes. Wash and chop the fresh cucumber into cubes. If desired, you can remove the seeds and rough skin from the cucumber.

Cut the sausage or ham (whichever you prefer) into evenly sized cubes, finely chop the dill. You can add a few stalks of green onion to the dill if you like its taste in okroshka.

Mix all the chopped ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt to taste. It is preferable to pour the kvass into a container and let it stand for a while to release the bubbles before using it.

There are several ways to dress the okroshka with kvass according to the traditional recipe. You can portion the chopped ingredients onto plates, add 1-2 tablespoons of sour cream, and pour kvass until desired consistency. Mix the okroshka directly in the plate. Alternatively, you can first mix sour cream with kvass, salt, and spices in a separate container and let it sit. Pour this mixture over the portioned ingredients placed on plates. It is particularly delicious to add mashed boiled egg yolks to the kvass dressing according to the traditional recipe, ideally they should be bright in color. Another option is to add a teaspoon of ready-made mustard for an extra kick.