Kharcho Soup in a Cauldron over a Fire
This rich Georgian-style soup is cooked outdoors in a cauldron with beef, rice, tomatoes, walnuts, garlic and plenty of aromatic spices. Cooking it over a fire gives the finished dish an extra smoky character.
Updated : 16 October, 2026
Easy
About 45 min.
Ingredients
1 kilograms
Beef
1 cup
Rice
50 milliliters
Vegetable oil
2
Onion
1
Carrot
1
Bell pepper
4
Tomato
7
Garlic
100 grams
Tomato paste
200 grams
Tomato sauce
1 tablespoon
Khmeli-suneli
1 tablespoon
Paprika
7
Walnut
to taste
Salt
to taste
Cilantro
to taste
Greens
3
Laurel leaf
to taste
Ground black pepper
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare all the ingredients. For a richer broth, use a combination of bone-in beef and boneless beef if possible.
Step 2
Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Cut the boneless beef into medium serving-size pieces.
Step 3
Peel the carrots and onions. Halve the bell pepper and remove the seeds. Rinse the vegetables and cut them into small cubes.
Step 4
Set the cauldron over the fire and heat it well. Pour in the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the vegetables and cook, stirring, until the onions and carrots begin to brown. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a separate plate, leaving the flavored oil in the cauldron.
Step 5
Add the meat to the cauldron and sear briefly, stirring constantly.
Step 6
Pour in the water. The amount depends on how thick you want the soup; the original recipe uses 3.5–4 liters, or about 15–17 cups. Partially cover the cauldron and simmer over a moderate fire for 1½–2 hours, until the beef is tender. Add more water from time to time as it evaporates.
Step 7
While the broth cooks, prepare the remaining ingredients. Peel the tomatoes if desired, then cut them into cubes. Peel the garlic and finely chop it with a knife.
Step 8
Crush the shelled walnuts in a mortar.
Step 9
Add the crushed walnuts to the tomatoes and garlic, then mix in the spices.
Step 10
Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Finely chop the cilantro or parsley and add it to the mixture.
Step 11
Mix everything thoroughly, cover and leave in a cool shaded place while the meat finishes cooking.
Step 12
Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear. When the beef is tender, add the rice to the cauldron and season with salt. Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the rice is partially cooked.
Step 13
Add the sautéed vegetables, bay leaf and tomato-walnut mixture to the cauldron.
Step 14
Stir thoroughly and simmer uncovered over the fire for another 10 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked. Taste and adjust the salt. Add lemon juice if desired, then stir in chopped fresh herbs. Cook for another 1–2 minutes and remove the cauldron from the fire.
Author note
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