Recommendations from the Kyiv Independent: Recipes from Donetsk  (Patreon)

Hi,

I’m Asya, the Kyiv Independent's junior community manager. Many of you probably know me as the person who answers your emails, adds you to Discord, and helps solve any issues you might have with your membership. 

Our recommendations typically feature books and films, but after we ran our community survey, we saw there was a lot of interest in Ukrainian culture — including traditional Ukrainian cuisine.

Today, I’d like to share a bit more about myself and give you a taste — literally — of my home region in Ukraine through some family recipes.

I was born and raised in Donetsk, the industrial heart of Ukraine, a city now sadly known for occupation and war. But growing up there, we had some truly memorable dishes that I remember from my childhood. These recipes were passed down to me from my grandmother. They are relatively easy to recreate even in the U.S. or Europe. So, grab your ingredients, turn on the stove, and let’s cook something delicious!

Avdiivska kasha

They served us a similar dish in my kindergarten — it was always a special treat.

Ingredients

Serves: 4–6 people

1 cup rice

1/3 cup whole milk

Pinch of salt

2–3 tablespoons sugar (plus more for beating with eggs)

100–150 grams butter

10 eggs

Extra melted butter for serving

Canned cherries for topping (Optional)

Instructions

Step 1:

Bring water to a boil and cook the rice for 1–2 minutes only. Drain immediately, rinse with cold water, and spread the rice out on a clean towel to dry.

Step 2:

In a pot, bring the milk to a boil. Add a pinch of salt, the sugar, butter, and the partially cooked rice. Simmer gently for up to 5 minutes.

Step 3:

In a bowl, beat the eggs with 1–2 tablespoons of sugar until the mixture is smooth and pale. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the rice, stirring constantly to prevent curdling.

Step 4:

Bring the mixture back to a gentle boil. The rice should remain al dente — slightly undercooked — at this stage.

Step 6:

Remove the pot from the heat. Wrap it well with a thick towel and let it steam for 2–2.5 hours.

When unwrapped, the kasha should be light, airy, and full of translucent grains.

To serve:

Spoon into bowls and top with melted butter. Some families like to add canned cherries for extra sweetness.

Okroshka

I’m not the biggest fan of this cold soup myself, but my mom and brother loved it in the summer. Once temperatures hit above 19°C (66°F), a pot of okroshka always had a proud place in our fridge — though only for a short time, of course.

While it isn't summer right now, okroshka is a good idea any time of the year! In eastern Ukraine, there are countless variations of this dish, but I'd describe it as a finely chopped vegetable salad with a generous amount of liquid added to turn it into a refreshing soup.

Every family has its own version, each one shaped by the ingredients they prefer. Along with the classic vegetables like cucumbers, radishes, potatoes, and onions, many people add chicken, smoked meats, or sausage. 

Ingredients (can be adjusted to taste)

Makes: One pot of soup

Cooked meats or sausage (boiled beef, ham, bologna, etc.)

Fresh cucumbers

Radishes

Boiled potatoes

Hard-boiled eggs

Fresh herbs (dill, green onion, parsley)

Kvass, kefir, or mineral water — the liquid base of the soup

The preparation is simple. Chop all the ingredients, mix them like a salad, and pour in your liquid base — my favorite is kefir. Use a one-to-one ratio: one cup of liquid for every cup of chopped ingredients. That’s it — fresh, flavorful, and ready to enjoy!

Goulash, Donbas-style

While goulash is not traditionally Ukrainian, it was a staple in my home. Our version is richer and heartier than typical European recipes — less like a soup and more like a flavorful main dish.

But don’t forget the perfect side to this dish: creamy mashed potatoes made with butter and milk. They soak up the rich sauce beautifully, completing the dish.

Ingredients

Serves: 3–4 people

500 grams beef or veal, cut into large, even cubes

1 large onion (or 2 small onions), finely diced

2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2–3 tablespoons tomato paste

Water (equal parts to tomato paste)

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon flour

Mashed potatoes (for serving), made with butter and milk

Instructions

Step 1:

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has turned golden brown, 5–8 minutes. 

Step 2:

Add the meat to the onions and cover, letting it simmer gently for 10 minutes. 

Step 3:

While the meat is cooking, prepare the tomato paste-water mixture by mixing tomato paste with water in a roughly 1:1 ratio. Season with salt to taste. 

Step 4:

Add the tomato paste-water mixture to the meat, stirring gently to combine. Cover and cook on low heat until the meat becomes tender, about 30–40 minutes.

Step 5:

Once the meat is tender, sift in one tablespoon of flour, mix well, bring to a gentle boil, and then remove from heat.

I hope you enjoy these recipes! I tried to describe them as they were made in my family, straight from memory.

If anyone attempts cooking any of the dishes, and you want to share a photo or review in Discord, please do! I’d love to know how it turned out.

Happy cooking!

Asya