Постное Харчо (Fasting Kharcho Soup)

Georgian Fast With Oil Published April 10, 2026

Traditional kharcho is a beef soup. The fasting version drops the meat and compensates with an abundance of walnuts, which thicken the broth and provide a savory richness that is, honestly, not a compromise at all. The combination of walnuts, sour plum sauce (tkemali), tomatoes, and rice makes this one of the most satisfying soups in the entire Orthodox fasting repertoire.

If you can find tkemali (Georgian sour plum sauce), use it — it is what makes kharcho taste like kharcho. Failing that, a mix of tomato paste and tamarind comes surprisingly close.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil (omit oil for strict days)
SERVINGS: 6
TIME: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil (omit for strict fast)
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3-4 tablespoons tkemali (sour plum sauce) or substitute 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 400g can crushed tomatoes
- 150g walnuts, ground to a fine meal
- 1/2 cup long-grain rice, rinsed
- 7 cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marigold petals
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon Georgian adjika
- 1 large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 8 minutes until soft and golden. For strict days, sweat the onions in 1/4 cup of water.

2. Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add the garlic, coriander, blue fenugreek, marigold, and cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds until very fragrant.

3. Add the crushed tomatoes, tkemali, and water or stock. Bring to a boil.

4. Stir in the ground walnuts and rice. Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the soup has thickened noticeably.

5. Remove from heat. Stir in the cilantro and season generously with salt and pepper. The soup should be tart, savory, and slightly spicy — adjust the tkemali and adjika to taste.

6. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and top with additional cilantro.

NOTES

- The ground walnuts thicken this soup considerably as it cools. When reheating, add water to restore the consistency.
- Tkemali is increasingly available at Eastern European grocery stores and online. It is worth seeking out — a jar lasts months in the fridge and transforms any soup, stew, or roasted vegetable.
- Some cooks add sliced potatoes or substitute rice with broken spaghetti.
- This soup is even better the next day, once the walnuts and spices have fully infused the broth.