Kompot is a classic Eastern European homemade beverage. Read on to learn how to make the easy summer fruit drink. (This recipe is part of my From the Motherland series, where I pay homage to my Ukrainian heritage.)
If you grew up in Eastern Europe – or have family traditions from that part of the world – you do not need an explanation of what kompot is. It’s likely the word alone elicits visceral memories for you.
When I was a child in Ukraine, my mom would make giant vats of kompot all summer long, as well as for festive occasions as an alternative to the more scarcely available Pepsi and Fanta. These days, pretty much the only time I drink it anymore is on Brighton Beach, when my friends and I eat at Tatiana on the boardwalk after the beach – or on the rare occasion that we make it to banya (the Russian bathhouse).
Here is my Ukrainian family’s take on the nostalgic recipe, written with counsel from my mom. Kompot is incredibly simple to make and can be made with a wide variety of fruit.
The Recipe at a Glance
Russian/Ukrainian kompot isn’t much of a recipe – it’s more of a technique. In a nutshell, you put some chopped fruits in a pot, cover them with water, and simmer them briefly. Then you stir in sugar and let the mixture stand until cooled. (Note: it’s technically not “juice”.)
What Fruit to Use For Kompot
You can use almost any fruit for kompot, but there are two guidelines. First, use fruit native to Eastern Europe (so that’s a no for mangoes, bananas, or other tropical fruit). Two: include something red – most commonly cherries and/or strawberries. (Yes, it’s true that some kompot is made of just apricots, but not-red kompot is just not “kompot” enough, if you ask me.)
You can use…
- Apples and pears (remove cores before using)
- Apricots, peaches and plums (remove pits before using)
- Raspberries and strawberries (pull off strawberry greens before using)
- Cherries (remove pits before using)
- Cranberries
A Word on Organic Fruit
If you are making kompot in the United States, I highly recommend seeking out organic fruit if possible. When I first tested this recipe with conventional fruit, it had a really odd chemical aftertaste. (Consult the EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” list for the conventional fruit that typically has the most pesticide residue.)
How to Make Kompot
Step 1: Combine Fruit and Water
Wash and chop your fruit, and place it in a pot. Add water, cover tightly with a lid, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add Sugar
Turn the heat off and stir in some sugar. The drink will taste pretty weak at this point.
Step 3: Cool the Kompot
Let the mixture stand until cooled – at least 2 hours. (Alternatively, you can cool it overnight in the fridge.) The drink will infuse during this time and intensify in flavor.
Step 4: Serve the Kompot
Some people like to strain kompot before drinking, while others like to eat the fruit. Kompot can be served warm, at room temp, or cold. (I personally like it cold.) If you’re gonna leave your kompot in the fridge to enjoy over the next few days, leave the fruit inside as the flavor will keep intensifying.
FAQ’s
Totally! Frozen peaches, berries, and cherries are perfect for kompot.
Technically, yes. Although we never used dried fruit in my family, my husband’s Polish aunt makes a “Christmas Eve” version entirely from dried fruit. I do believe the kompot would need to simmer for longer though, to rehydrate the fruit.
The clarity of your kompot will depend on the type of fruit you use, and how much the fruit disintegrates during the cooking and cooling processes. Cloudy or clear, either way it’s delicious!
I haven’t tried it yet, but I think you could purée the boiled fruit and cook it down like apple butter.
More Ukrainian Recipes…
- Vegetarian Borscht
- Buckwheat Kasha with Mushrooms
- Golubtsi (Stuffed Cabbage)
- Ikra (Roasted Eggplant Caviar)
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
PrintKompot (Ukrainian Fruit Drink)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooling Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Ukrainian/Russian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Kompot is a classic Eastern European homemade fruit beverage. You can make it with almost any fruit you have.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds fruit of your choice* (see note below)
- 4 cups filtered water
- 2–4 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash all the fruit. Remove the cores/pits from all fruit and cut up into roughly 1-inch chunks.
- Place all the fruit in a medium pot and add 4 cups filtered water; the fruit should be just barely covered.
- Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and stir in 2 tablespoons sugar. (The kompot will taste pretty weak at this point.) Let the mixture stand until cooled – at least 2 hours. (Alternatively, you can cool it overnight in the fridge.) The drink will infuse during this time and intensify in flavor.
- Taste the kompot before serving and add more sugar if needed. Some people like to strain kompot before drinking, while others like to eat the fruit. Kompot can be served warm, at room temp, or cold. (I prefer it cold.) If you’re gonna leave the drink in the fridge to enjoy over a few days, leave the fruit inside as the flavor will keep intensifying. Consume within 4 days.
Notes
Here I used 1 apple, 2 small pears, and 1 pound fresh strawberries. (You can use any combination of: apples, pears, apricots, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, and/or cherries.) Choose organic, if possible.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 23
- Carbohydrates: 6.3 g
Evan says
How will the drink turn out if I don’t add sugar?
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Evan. It will be quite bland. If you want to avoid refined sugar, I suggest adding about a cup of pitted Medjool dates to the simmering liquid and it should release enough sweetness.
Sydney says
Hello! Should you leave the Kompot covered in the pot as it cools? Or let it just air cool?
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Sydney! I recommend leaving it covered as it cools 🙂
Tami says
Great recipe! Very easy to follow. I used the same fruits as you
Alexandra Shytsman says
Great to hear! Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂