Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped fennel bulb
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 large (2 1/2-to 3-inch-diameter) beets, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 cup unflavored kefir
• Additional unflavored kefir
• Fennel fronds (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, chopped fennel, and fennel seeds. Sauté until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add cubed beets and stir to coat. Add chicken broth and bring to boil. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until beets are tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Puree soup in batches in blender. Return to same saucepan. Whisk in 1 cup unflavored kefir and season soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rewarm soup.
2. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with additional unflavored kefir; garnish with fennel fronds.