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Kharcho soup with potatoes and rice

Kharcho Soup with Potatoes and Rice

Classic, rich, simple, and made with beef. Kharcho is a Georgian meat-based soup with rice, seasonings, spices, and herbs. For extra heartiness, potatoes are added to kharcho, even though historically they aren't part of the recipe — modern cooks tend to take a relaxed view of such tweaks.

Pirko Rita

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Beef

500

Rice (not parboiled)

Potatoes

Water

2.5

Tomatoes

400

Onion

Olive oil

Garlic

Cilantro

Allspice

Basil

Bay leaf

Khmeli-suneli

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 33 % 3 g

Fats 22 % 2 g

Carbohydrates 44 % 4 g

46 kcal

GI: 60 / 40 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you cook kharcho with potatoes? Gather all the ingredients you'll need for this dish.
Step 2:

Wash and dry the beef, then cut it into 1-inch (2–3 cm) cubes. This soup can be made with any meat: beef, lamb, pork, or chicken. Either way, it'll turn out delicious.
Step 3:

Put the cubed meat in a pot, cover with water, and set it over heat. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and keep cooking the meat for 1.5 hours. Skim the foam off the surface of the broth from time to time with a slotted spoon so it stays clear.
Step 4:

While the meat cooks, prepare the other ingredients. Soak the rice in warm water. Wash the potatoes, peel them with a vegetable peeler, and cut them into small cubes, about 1/2 inch (1–2 cm).
Step 5:

Peel the garlic and onion. Chop the onion finely, or grate it on a fine grater if you prefer. Mince the garlic too, either by chopping it finely or pressing it through a garlic press.
Step 6:

Now move on to the tomatoes. If you like, you can replace them with 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes for just 1 minute, then drop them into cold water, peel off the skins, and cut them into cubes the same size as the potatoes.
Step 7:

Sauté the chopped onion in a skillet with a little olive oil for 2–3 minutes, until lightly golden. Then add half of the chopped tomatoes to the onion. Stirring occasionally, simmer the vegetables for 5–7 minutes.
Step 8:

Once the beef is cooked and tender, add the rice, potatoes, and remaining tomato cubes to the pot. Keep cooking the soup until the potatoes and rice are done, about 15–20 minutes.
Step 9:

Now add the sautéed onion-and-tomato mixture, the spices, and salt to the soup. Simmer everything for another 5–10 minutes, then turn off the heat and add the garlic. Let the soup rest for another 5–7 minutes.
Step 10:

Sprinkle the soup with cilantro or any other herbs — dill or parsley work well.

You can use more or less water than the recipe states, depending on whether you'd like a thicker or thinner soup.
You can swap the beef for any other meat you prefer. Just keep in mind that the cooking time, as well as the flavor and calorie count of the dish, will change. Pork and lamb are usually fattier than beef, while chicken breast or turkey are leaner. The cooking time depends not only on the type of meat but also on which cut is used and how old or young the meat is.