After several requests for my borscht recipe, here it is. Ukrainian Borscht…everyone knows what it is and many people around the world have fallen in love with this iconic beet soup.
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I love the deep ruby color of this borsch! It’s sohealthy andnutritious; packed with beans (protein), beets (iron), carrots (carotene), potatoes (vitC, potassium, VitB6), oftentimes cabbage is added (vitK, vit C, fiber, etc…). It feels so good serving this to my family.
Our Family’s Borscht Recipe (Beet Soup)
This is our family’s version of classic borsch and it’s one of the two soups my children absolutely love (Mom’s Meatball Soup being the second). Borscht is definitely on the regular rotation at our house!
This version keeps better because it is a meatless version but doesn’t lack in flavor because it uses good quality chicken broth.
Ingredients for Classic Ukrainian Borsch:
It’s best to have all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go which makes this soup super easy and care free. Start by peeling, grating, chopping, slicing and dicing all of the vegetables for borscht.
Once your potatoes are peeled and sliced, transfer them to a bowl of cold water to keep them from discoloring until ready for use.
Note on Using Cabbage:
We used to add cabbage but our children prefer it without so for years now we’ve been making it just like this without cabbage. If you prefer cabbage, add 1/4 to 1/2 small head of cabbage, thinly shredded, adding it when the potatoes are halfway cooked.
How to Peel and Cut Beets:
- Use gloves when handling beets or your fingertips will stain red for a couple of days.
- To peel beets, use a simple potato peeler like this one.
- You can slice the beets into matchsticks but it is way way easier to grate and children don’t mind the texture of grated beets. We love our food processor for this task as it grates more coarsely than on a hand grater so the beets still have some texture. It also keeps the counter and your hands clean (beat juice can be a pain to get out of clothing and porous surfaces).
How to Remove Beet Stains:
When you eat borscht often, you learn quickly to pace a napkin in your lap and bibs on children. If you do get beet juice on your clothes, address the stain right away.
- Use a paper-towel to blot off any excess juice.
- Run cold water over the opposite/under side of the fabric to push the stain out.
- If the stain persists, apply a stain removing agent (I have found that dish soap works well in a pinch) and launder clothing as usual.
Watch Natasha Make Classic Borscht:
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Classic Borscht Recipe (Beet Soup)
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Our family's go-to recipe for Borscht (Red Beet Soup). It's best to have all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go which makes this soon super easy and care free. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or real mayo.
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Prep Time: 30 minutes mins
Cook Time: 40 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Ingredients
Servings: 10
For Borscht:
- 3 medium beets, peeled and grated
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 8 cups chicken broth , +2 cups water
- 3 medium yukon potatoes, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
For Zazharka (Mirepoix):
- 2 celery ribs, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped, optional
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 Tbsp ketchup or 3 Tbsp tomato sauce
Additional Flavorings:
- 1 can white cannelini beans with their juice
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, or to taste
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 large garlic clove, pressed
- 3 Tbsp chopped dill
Instructions
Peel, grate and/or slice all vegetables (keeping sliced potatoes in cold water to prevent browning until ready to use then drain).
Heat a large soup pot (5 1/2 Qt or larger) over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add grated beets and sauté 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beets are softened.
Add 8 cups broth and 2 cups water. Add sliced potatoes and sliced carrots then cook for 10-15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
While potatoes are cooking, place a large skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper. Saute stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden (7-8 minutes). Add 4 Tbsp Ketchup and stir fry 30 seconds then transfer to the soup pot to continue cooking with the potatoes.
When potatoes and carrots reach desired softness, add 1 can of beans with their juice, 2 bay leaves, 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 pressed garlic clove, and 3 Tbsp chopped dill. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes and add more salt and vinegar to taste.
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Borsch, Borscht
Skill Level: Medium
Cost to Make: $
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
So, which camp are you in? Do you love that dollop of sour cream at the end or the flavor that real mayo adds to borscht?
Natasha Kravchuk
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.
Read more posts by Natasha
FAQs
Cooking Time and Temperature: Beets can lose their vibrant red color if they are overcooked or cooked at high temperatures for too long. If you cooked the beets for an extended period or at a high temperature, it could cause them to lose some of their color intensity, resulting in a more orange appearance.
What's the difference between beet soup and borscht? ›
Hence, my beet soup is called just that, soup, not borscht, even though it shares certain ingredients - potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beef stock and vinegar - with the traditional soup. But there's no cabbage and no caraway seed, two ingredients I consider essential in a borscht.
Why did my borscht turn brown? ›
Martseniuk says the key to good borscht is acidity: “Either lemon juice or white vinegar is important to help keep the color.” Without it, your soup can turn slightly muddy and brown, a far cry from the brilliant characteristic hue you're going for.
Why does my borscht taste sweet? ›
Its sweetness comes from the beets, onions, and cabbage, and its tartness from tomatoes and vinegar. Some meat can be added for richness. For a better borscht experience, many people enjoy adding sour cream, yogurt, or fresh herbs.
What is the difference between Russian and Ukrainian borscht? ›
It's standard for Ukrainian cooks to use pork in their Borscht and top it off with sour cream, whereas Russian cooks are more likely to use beef. Furthermore, Ukrainians will offer buns with their bortsch, and Russians will offer a native bread known as “black bread.”
What is the difference between red and green borscht? ›
Red borscht is the most popular borscht in Ukraine, it is prepared from cabbage, potatoes (from the second half of the 19th century), carrots, onions, parsley, dill, and beets. Green borscht is a sorrel or spring borscht. It is cooked in the spring, with young greens.
How healthy is borscht? ›
How healthy is borscht? This healthy borscht soup is packed with nutrients from the potatoes and beets. Potatoes are a good source of fiber, protein, and vitamin C, while beets are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, like folate and potassium.
What is a good side dish for borscht? ›
You can serve borscht with sides like Pumpernickel or rye bread, garlic toast, meat, salads, dairy, pickled foods, pierogi, grains, potato pancakes, mashed potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, deviled eggs seasoned with paprika or dill, gluten-free options, and accompany it with fermented Slavic beverages and Santa Carolina ...
Should I peel beets for soup? ›
Sometimes beets are peeled before cooking. They may also be scrubbed and cooked until tender with their skins on; the skins slip off fairly easily after cooling. (Some people are happy to leave the skins on; they are fine to eat.)
Does borscht taste better the next day? ›
Serve the borscht with plenty of chopped dill, some sour cream on the side, and some good-quality bread for dipping. The soup will taste even better the next day.
Store leftover borscht in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
How many days does borscht last in the fridge? ›
Cooled borscht can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To freeze, pack into containers leaving 1-inch (2.5 cm) headspace. For the best results and to save energy, let frozen soup thaw in the refrigerator compartment on the day you plan to use it.
Who normally eats borscht? ›
Its popularity has spread throughout Eastern Europe and – by way of migration away from the Russian Empire – to other continents. In North America, borscht is often linked with either Jews or Mennonites, the groups who first brought it there from Europe.
What does Ukrainian borscht taste like? ›
Red Borscht is a classic soup that originated in Ukraine. It is made with beets, which give it a vibrant red color and a sweet and earthy flavor. The soup also contains other vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and onions, and sometimes meat, such as pork sausage or beef.
How to make borscht less sour? ›
Mix 1 tsp (4.8 g) of baking soda into a bowl or cup of soup. Stir the baking soda completely into your soup. Don't worry if the soup bubbles or fizzes—this is completely normal, and means that the baking soda is mixing into the rest of the stew.
Are beets always purple? ›
Beets come in a range of colors and sizes—from red and yellow to stunning candy cane-striped Chioggia beets.
Why do beets lose their color? ›
Betanins are actually quite unstable molecules. Once they're broken down, the red beetroots will lose their red/purple colors, instead turning brown. Heating betanins for extended periods of time, and exposing them to oxygen (aka air), causes betanins to break down.
Why are my pickled beets pale? ›
Beets might look pale red, washed out, yellow or pink after canning. The taste, safety and quality of the beets isl not affected. This can be due to the variety of the beets. Detroit Dark Red and Ruby Queen are two dark pigmented varieties that should retain color.
What Colour is borscht? ›
In English, the word borscht is most often associated with the soup's variant of Ukrainian origin, made with red beetroots as one of the main ingredients, which give the dish its distinctive red color.
