Kharcho is one of the most iconic dishes of Georgian cuisine. This rich and flavorful beef soup is known for its hearty texture, spicy-sour notes, and the unique combination of rice, walnuts, and garlic. Traditionally made with beef brisket and seasoned with khmeli-suneli and tkemali (a sour plum sauce), kharcho soup is the perfect comfort food for cold days.

The word kharcho comes from the Mingrelian language, meaning simply “meat soup.” Over the centuries, it has become a staple in Georgian homes, with each region and family having its own variation. Some use lamb instead of beef, others skip the walnuts or replace the tkemali with tomato paste. But one thing remains the same – kharcho soup must be bold, tangy, and deeply aromatic.

In this recipe, we’ll show you how to make an authentic kharcho with beef, rice, and a generous helping of walnuts. Whether you’re discovering Georgian cuisine for the first time or revisiting a favorite classic, this dish will leave a lasting impression — just like a hearty shurpa or piti.

Kharcho

Kharcho – Traditional Georgian Beef Soup with Rice and Walnuts

A rich and hearty Georgian beef soup with rice, walnuts, and aromatic spices. This traditional kharcho recipe is perfect for cozy dinners and cold-weather meals.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Caucasian, Georgian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 1 Large saucepan For cooking broth and soup
  • 1 Cutting board For prepping meat and vegetables
  • 1 Sharp knife For slicing meat, onion, herbs
  • 1 Frying pan For sautéing onions and tomato
  • 1 Grater or blender For grinding walnuts
  • 1 Strainer Optional, for clarifying broth

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 kg Beef (ribs and lean meat) Cut into chunks
  • 200 g Rice Rinsed thoroughly
  • 4 pcs Fresh plums Pitted and chopped
  • 150 g Canned peeled tomatoes (in juice) Crushed or chopped
  • 2 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 300 g Onion Finely chopped
  • 1 pc Carrot Grated or finely diced
  • 1 pc Bell pepper Diced
  • 2 pcs Chili peppers Fresh, chopped (adjust to taste)
  • 3-4 cloves Garlic Minced or crushed
  • 50 g Crushed walnuts Finely ground
  • 50 ml Sunflower oil For frying
  • 1-2 pcs Bay leaves
  • to taste Khmeli-suneli
  • to taste Dried basil
  • to taste Black pepper
  • to taste Salt
  • to taste Fresh herbs Basil, parsley, dill, cilantro, celery, green onion

Instructions
 

  • Pour the sunflower oil into a large pot and heat it over medium heat.
    Sunflower oil being poured into a pot on a stovetop.
  • Add the beef ribs to the heated oil and lightly sear them on all sides until they begin to brown. This enhances the flavor of the broth.
    Beef ribs being seared in a pot with hot sunflower oil.
  • Pour cold water into the pot to fully cover the beef.
  • Add the remaining lean beef pieces to the pot
    Lean beef piece being added to a pot
  • While the meat is boiling, place the peeled bell pepper, onion, and carrot onto a dry pan (no oil) and start roasting.
    Peeled bell pepper slices, onion halves, and a carrot in a dry frying pan before roasting.
  • After a few minutes, turn the vegetables over — they should be slightly charred.
  • After a few more minutes, add the charred vegetables into the broth (it hasn’t boiled yet).
  • Take 6 to 8 fresh plums and score each one on two sides, then add them to the broth.
    Hands holding and scoring fresh plums with a knife before adding them to the soup
  • Add a few cloves of garlic and salt to the broth.
    Spoon skimming off foam from the surface of simmering broth in a large pot.
  • As soon as the broth starts to boil and foam appears, carefully skim it off with a spoon.
    Spoon skimming off foam from the surface of simmering broth in a large pot.
  • Take the peeled onion and dice it into small cubes.
  • Place the chopped onion into a pan, drizzle with oil, and start frying while stirring immediately.
    Chopped onion in a pan being drizzled with oil before frying.
  • Take a few tablespoons of tomato paste and place it on a plate.
  • Finely chop the garlic cloves.
  • Sprinkle the chopped garlic and fresh herbs on top of the tomato paste to make a kind of adjika. (Use a mix of basil, parsley, dill, cilantro, celery, and green onion from the ingredient list.)
  • Add 3-4 (or more) tablespoons of hot broth from the pot to the tomato paste mixture and stir well.
    A plate with tomato paste, herbs, and garlic being mixed with hot broth from the soup.
  • Add the peeled canned tomatoes to the slightly sautéed onions and stir gently.
  • Stir the tomatoes together with the onions in the pan until combined.
    Frying pan with tomato and onion mixture evenly blended, simmering on a stovetop.
  • Finely chop the walnuts using a knife or food processor.
    Chopped walnuts on a white cutting board being minced with a large kitchen knife.
  • Add the chopped walnuts to the pan with the onion and tomatoes, then stir well to combine.
  • Add two tablespoons of the adjika mixture (from step 16) to the skillet with tomatoes and onions.
    A spoonful of red adjika with chopped herbs is added to a pan of simmering tomatoes and onions.
  • Mix everything thoroughly in the skillet to combine the adjika with the tomato and onion mixture.
  • Remove all vegetables from the broth using a slotted spoon.
    A ladle lifts roasted vegetables out of a large pot with simmering broth and chunks of beef.
  • Finely chop additional fresh herbs.
    A pile of freshly chopped green herbs (such as parsley, cilantro, or dill) on a white cutting board.
  • Combine all chopped herbs (including celery) in one bowl.
  • After 1.5 hours of simmering, remove the meat from the broth.
  • Add rice to the broth (about 2 tablespoons per liter or 150 g for this large pot) and cook until tender.
  • Add whole unseeded chili peppers to the broth.
    Red and green chili peppers floating in a pot of hot broth.
  • Cut the meat into pieces, removing the rib bones and leaving only the meat.
    Chopped boiled beef without bones on a blue plate, ready to be added back to the soup.
  • Add a couple of bay leaves to the broth.
  • Once the rice is cooked (after about 10 minutes), add the sautéed mixture from the pan into the broth and stir well.
    A hand adding a thick red sautéed mixture with onions and tomatoes from a frying pan into a pot of broth.
  • Add about half a tablespoon of khmeli suneli spice mix to the pot.
  • Add dried basil to the pot.
    Sprinkle in a generous pinch of dried basil to enhance the aroma and deepen the flavor of the broth.
  • Now add the previously chopped garlic and herbs. Be sure to reserve a small portion of the herbs for garnish when serving.
  • Chop the green onions.
  • Pour the broth into a bowl and place the meat pieces on top.
  • Add a bit of the fresh herbs we set aside earlier.
    Finish with a sprinkle of the reserved herbs on top for added aroma and color.
  • The soup is ready.

Notes

When adding the rice, make sure to stir it well so it doesn’t stick or burn at the bottom of the pot. For extra flavor, you can also add black pepper and more salt to taste. This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Keyword beef soup, georgian soup, kharcho, kharcho soup, khmeli suneli, soup with walnuts, tkemali soup, traditional georgian recipe

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Bon Appetit!