Kharcho Soup is a Georgian beef and rice soup made with tender beef, fragrant spices, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. A hearty, flavorful, and nourishing meal that comes together in one pot.
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Check out vegetable soup, fish head soup, and shurpa soup.
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💡Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes to prep and 2 hrs to cook
- Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Paleo, Ancestral diet, Gluten-free
- Tools Needed: Large stockpot or Dutch oven
- Skill Level: Moderate
What is an ancestral diet? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Reasons to Love this Kharcho Soup
Kharcho is a Georgian beef and rice soup that’s all about bold, familiar flavors. And honestly, my husband had to give his seal of approval for this one. He grew up in that part of the world, so he knows what these flavors are supposed to taste like.
Traditionally, Kharcho is made with khmeli-suneli, a fragrant Georgian spice blend, but I swapped in spices you can actually find at most grocery stores, so it’s easy to make at home.
I use beef shanks (or another meaty/bone-in cut) for maximum nutrient density, simmered until the meat is tender and the broth is rich and flavorful. Kharcho always has some type of tomato - fresh, crushed, or paste - combined with fragrant spices like coriander and fenugreek and a little kick from hot pepper (I used my fermented jalapenos because they're the best).
The rice adds body, the broth is practically drinkable, and the slow simmer lets everything meld perfectly. Make it ahead, let it work its magic, and suddenly dinner feels impressive. Serve with fresh milled flour bread and you're set for dinner.
Ingredients for Kharcho Soup
- Beef short ribs, chuck, or shank – I prefer to use bone-in beef cuts when making broth because it creates a very rich, flavorful, nutrient-dense broth. In this recipe, I'm using beef shanks.
- Sea salt and bay leaves – Just basic seasoning staples to add flavor to broth.
- Tallow or ghee – These traditional fats are used to saute the vegetables and build flavor.
- Onion, garlic, hot chili pepper – I like using a yellow onion for this recipe but if you have white onion - that'll work too. If you have a serrano pepper or any other hot pepper, throw that in (Kharcho is supposed to be spicy), but I didn't have any on hand, so I used my lacto-fermented jalapenos instead.
- Seasonings – Traditionally, Kharcho is made using hmeli-suneli, a bold spice blend popular in Georgia. Since most kitchens don't have that on hand, we'll recreate a simple blend using ground coriander, paprika, dried fenugreek, and red pepper flakes. I like to finish with a splash of red wine vinegar to brighten the soup.
- Tomatoes – Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste also gives that authentic Kharcho flavor and texture. Feel free to use whatever tomato products you have on hand. Even fresh tomatoes work.
- Long-grain rice – This is the only starch in this soup and a little goes a long way. If you wanted more chewier or heartier texture, feel free to use brown rice just give a little more time during cooking.
- Fresh herbs – Chopped cilantro and parsley stirred in at the end. It makes a nice garnish but also, no Kharcho soup is authentic without cilantro.
Make it Ancestral
For a truly ancestral, nutrient-dense Kharcho, use bone-in cuts of meat and cook them low and slow. It takes a little extra effort and time, but this method makes the meat tender and allows the bones to release collagen, resulting in a very gelatinous broth. However, if you prefer not to use bone-in cuts, you can make meat stock in 45 minutes (plus, it's a little gentler on the gut but still very nourishing).
How to Make Kharcho
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Simmer
Place the meat in a large pot and cover it with water. Add salt and bay leaves and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the meat is tender, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
Step 2. Trim
Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside. For a clearer broth, strain it. Trim the meat off the bones and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3. Sauté
Heat the fat in large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, and seasonings, and cook just until fragrant.
Step 4. Combine
Pour in the beef broth and stir in the rice. Let it simmer on medium heat until the rice is tender, then return the beef pieces to the pot, allowing them to warm through and absorb the flavors. Stir in fresh herbs.
Helpful Tips
- Make ahead base: Cook the beef and broth ahead of time, then refrigerate or freeze. When ready, just add aromatics, rice, and herbs for a quick meal.
- Skim foam regularly: Keeps the broth clear, clean-tasting, and free of impurities.
- Adjust spice level: Start with half the chili and red pepper if you prefer it mild — you can always add more later.
- Wash the rice well: Rinsing removes excess starch for a cleaner soup texture.
- Fresh herbs at the end: Add cilantro and parsley just before serving to keep their flavor bright.
Serving Suggestions
Kharcho is a hearty soup that's a meal on it's own. Serve it with fresh milled flour bread to soak up all those flavors and you're good.
To mellow out the spiciness, you could serve it with homemade sour cream and wash it down with this refreshing yogurt drink.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover kharcho soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days. These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers. But I love using wide-mouth mason jars for leftover soup. To reheat, transfer the kharcho to a small saucepan and warm over medium-high heat, stirring often.
Yes! Freeze for up to 3 months. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, leaving plenty of room for expansion. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently, adding broth if needed.
Kharcho benefits from low and slow cooking. Tough meat usually means it wasn’t simmered long enough. If your soup is already made, you may want to consider pulling out the meat and cutting it into smaller pieces so it's more manageable but in the future, make sure to simmer it low and slow.
Looking for more related recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this kharcho? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Kharcho Soup (Georgian Beef and Rice Soup)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs, chuck, or shank
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 cups water
- 2 tablespoons tallow or ghee
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 hot chili pepper
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup long-grain rice washed
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place 2 lbs bone-in beef in a large pot and cover it with 10 cups water. Add 2 tablespoons sea salt and 2 bay leaves. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 1.5-2 hours, occasionally skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, until the meat is tender.
- Remove the beef from the pot, set it aside, and if you like, strain the broth. Trim the meat off the bones and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat the oil or butter in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the chopped 1 large onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced 3 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes letting it cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the sautéed onion mixture to the simmering beef broth, then stir in the washed ½ cup long-grain rice. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender, then return the beef pieces to the pot, allowing them to warm through and absorb the flavors.
- Stir in ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro and ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley. Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes so all the flavors meld together.
Notes
- Make ahead base - the beef and stock can be cooked ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer; when ready, simply add the sauteed veggies and aromatics, rice, and herbs for a quick soup.
- Skim foam regularly - to keep the broth clear and clean-tasting, free from impurities.
- Adjust heat level - start with half the peppers if you prefer a milder soup; you can always add more at the end.
- Wash the rice well - remove excess starch from rice by rinsing it very well.
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