In the ongoing discussion about the traditional base for okroshka, a leading retailer conducted a study to gauge consumer preferences for ingredients. The findings were clear: kefir as the base outperforms kvass in popularity. The retailer reported that kefir accounts for about 64% of okroshka base purchases, signaling a strong regional shift in taste preferences.
There is a geographic split in this trend. Kefir leads in the southern regions, including Kabardino-Balkaria, the Stavropol Territory, Kalmykia, and North Ossetia. In Siberia, kvass remains the easier and more common choice for many shoppers. Researchers note that up to 68% of buyers in the Kemerovo, Tomsk, and Novosibirsk areas, as well as the Altai Territory, opt for kvass.
The explanation lies in the dish’s history. The classic Russian okroshka traditionally uses kvass, a light and tart beverage, while sour milk drinks arrived later from the south in a culinary evolution that reshaped regional preferences.
Historian Vlad Piskunov, a brand chef at Matryoshka, remarked that there is no traditional okroshka based on kefir in Russian cuisine. He described kefir as a modern development in recent decades, rather than part of classical recipes. Yet he emphasized that those who prefer kefir should not be judged; for him, kefir makes a better base than kvass found in stores, which he argues is not ideal for authentic okroshka.
Among regional adaptations, Piskunov highlighted Lipetsk and Voronezh as examples where white kvass is used to complete a meal-style okroshka.
Earlier culinary references from pre-Soviet Russia reveal no kefir-based okroshka. Pelageya Alexandrova-Ignatieva, author of Practical Foundations of Culinary Art (1899), suggested a diverse array of ingredients for okroshka, including sliced boiled or fried beef, roasted veal, fried game, ham or tongue, and small cubes of boiled eggs. Finely chopped greens such as chives, tarragon, and green onions completed the mixture, which was combined in a stone glass with salt, sugar, mustard, horseradish, and sour cream before adding kvass for serving.
Culinary historian Maxim Marusenkov shared an older recipe titled “Ribchiki in sour cream,” dating to the late 18th century, through his Telegram channel. The author Vasily Levshin, a founder of Russian culinary literature, published Russian Cuisine in 1816 and described preparations of various traditional dishes and components for future use.
Levshin’s descriptions included fried meats from both domestic and wild sources, with turkey, black grouse, and piglet highlighted as preferred choices. The mix also called for onions, fresh or pickled cucumbers, and boneless meat pieces, with salted plums added for a tangy bite. The dish could be moistened with brine or vinegar and, when served, diluted with kvass as a flavorful finish.
Where did the idea arise that both kvass and kefir can serve as bases for okroshka? Marusenkov attributes this to a Soviet-era reinterpretation known as the Ashgabat okroshka, which traces its concept to Central Asia. The kefir version is correctly called Ashgabat okroshka, with the earliest known recipe appearing around 1977 in a cookbook on Soviet and foreign cuisines.
In the USSR, by the late 1970s, the Central Asian influence on Russian cuisine was evident. The late 1980s and 1990s saw kefir becoming a matter of personal taste for many cooks, sparking debates about the traditional flavor profile.
Industry voices corroborate this evolution: a chef from a renowned restaurant noted that the key to a delicious okroshka is high-quality kvass, while those who prefer kefir or similar fermented milk drinks can use them as alternatives. Such substitutions, while altering the classic flavor, reflect evolving preferences without erasing the traditional base or its historical context.
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