-
Dairy Free
-
Gluten Free
-
Nut Free
Learn to Make this Hearty Beef Soup Kharcho

Kharcho (pronounced Harcho) is a traditional beef and rice soup made with a tomato base. It is an absolute staple in many Russian homes though the recipe varies from family to family. Today, I’d like to share with you my version of Kharcho, which beautifully combines beef, rice, and potatoes in a flavorful base.
What makes this soup so good?
The melt-in-your-mouth tender pieces of beef. This is the hero. You get juicy boneless chunks of beef in every bite smothered in the soup base. Oh my goodness. I think I’ll have to make a big pot of this myself soon.
Perfectly spiced, deliciously garnished. We’re adding onion, garlic, bay leaf, parsley, and salt and pepper to this soup. There’s no such thing as bland here.
It is so fulfilling. This soup isn’t just a dish. Nope. It’s an entire meal. Rice? Potatoes? Beef? All you need is a thick slice of crusty bread for dipping.
Kharcho will make a soup lover out of anyone who wasn’t too crazy about soups before. It is that good.
I’m sure this will become a family favorite in your home, especially on that chilly fall and winter nights. It is definitely a go-to comfort meal for my family.
I’m excited to know how you liked this recipe!
So, here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- beef or lamb
- rice
- potatoes
- tomato paste
- garlic
- onion
- salt and pepper
- parsley
- bay leaf
- unsalted butter
How to make this Hearty Soup

Learn to Make this Hearty Beef Soup Kharcho
Equipment
- knife
- cutting board
- Vegetable peeler
- garlic press
- Soup pot
- ladle
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef, or lamb, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup rice
- 3-4 potatoes, peeled & cut
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 handful parsley, chopped
- 1 bay leaf, optional
- ½ Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Fill a medium size pot with water, add 1 pound of stew sized beef pieces, 1 bay leaf (optional), and 1 Tablespoon of salt. On medium heat, cook for 30 minutes.
- While the beef is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Peel and cut 3-4 potatoes.
- Chop 1 handful of parsley and set aside.
- Mince 1 clove of garlic and add to the parsley.
- Chop 1 onion
- After beef has boiled, strain the water to a different pot or into a bowl and wash the pot and put water from the beef back into the pot and add in the cut potato. Start boiling the potato and 1/2 cup of rice.
- In a frying pan melt 1/2 Tablespoon of unsalted butter.
- Add chopped onion and cooked beef pieces then sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After potato and rice have boiled, add beef and onion into the pot.
- Add 1 Tablespoon of tomato paste and boil for 1 minute then add parsley and garlic.
- Salt and pepper to taste. All done, enjoy!