This hearty, wholesome, and authentic borscht recipe is as delicious as it is nutritious! With so many vibrant vegetables, a rich broth, and fortifying herbs, this traditional Eastern European soup is the perfect warm bowl of comfort. Whether you’re cooking for your family or prepping meals for the week, this borscht is the perfect soup recipe.
This classic borscht soup was first served to me by the inspiration for all my cooking endeavors, my mother-in-law, who has perfected this recipe over the years. At first glance, the borscht looked healthy…almost too healthy, but as soon as I took my first bite I decided that it was one of my favorite soups!
A few years later I requested the recipe, passed down through generations of Russian family members and perfected by my mother-in-law, and to my surprise, the soup was simple and easy to make!
The best part? All the ingredients are fresh and full of nutrients, so you can feel good about serving this healthy borscht recipe to your family. I love eating this meal with few slices of my homemade bread.
This is a must-try borscht recipe that you’ll absolutely love!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love this Borscht Recipe
- Borscht Ingredients
- Instructions to Make Borscht
- Tips and Notes
- Meal Prepping Borscht
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Borscht Recipe
Why You’ll Love this Borscht Recipe
- It’s healthy, without tasting too healthy. This recipe is full of cancer-fighting, anti-inflammatory vegetables and herbs that could be one of the secrets to slavic hardiness, yet it is one of the best tasting soups I’ve tried!
- It’s satisfying and rich. This isn’t one of those soups that will leave you feeling hungry and bloated after. Because it’s packed with roughage and topped with a bit of cream, it really does feel like a comforting meal.
- It’s colorful and unique. If a food were ever a conversation starter, it would be borscht. It’s vibrant red and purple color is eye catching and unique. There’s no other soup like it!
- It’s easy to make your own. When I was searching for the perfect borscht recipe, I got a variety of different recipes from my Eastern European friends, each unique and different from the next. Some had meat included, and others had different amounts of vegetables. This is a recipe that is easy to customize and make your own, depending on your preference.
Cultural Significance of Borscht
Borscht is a staple recipe that’s enjoyed by both Russians and Ukrainians, both regions enjoying many versions of this recipe. With a long history, many members of these communities have enjoyed this recipe for many generations and years, often creating their own version within their families.
When I was searching for recipes for borscht, I asked all my slavic friends. To my surprise, there were so many varieties depending on family, tradition, and preference including: potatoes, beans, beef, tomatoes, bacon, and more. One of my Russian cousins reminded me to test out different versions to discover my own personal preference, because the most important factor is that we love the recipe!
Borscht Recipe Ingredients
To make this flavorful borscht, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Beets: The star of the show, giving the soup its distinct red color.
- Cabbage: Adds texture and a subtle sweetness.
- Potatoes: For heartiness and balance.
- Carrots and Onions: For additional flavor depth.
- Tomato Paste: Enhances the richness of the broth.
- Garlic: Adds a slight pungency that complements the sweetness of the beets.
- Bay Leaves and Dill: Essential for that authentic Eastern European taste.
- Meat (optional): Beef or pork can be added for a more robust flavor.
- Vinegar or Lemon Juice: To balance the sweetness with a bit of acidity.
These borscht ingredients are easy to find and work together to create a delicious, nutritious soup that’s perfect for any occasion.
Instructions to Make Borscht
- Prepare the Vegetables: Start by peeling and grating the beets, chopping the cabbage, and dicing the potatoes, carrots, and onions.
- Cook the Vegetables: In a large pot, sauté the vegetables with some oil until they soften. Add cabbage.
- Add Soup Ingredients: Add the tomato paste and puree, chicken stock, chicken bullion, and bay leaves.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Season: Once the soup is cooked, add salt, pepper, and vinegar or lemon juice to taste. If you’re using meat, add it now and cook until tender.
- Serve: Stir in fresh or dried dill and add a dollop of sour cream before serving.
Tips and Notes
- Customize Your Borscht: Feel free to add beans or meat for extra protein or use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- Beet Stains: Beets can stain, so consider wearing dark clothes when handling them. They will stain your hands, but this should come out with a little soap and water.
- Meat Options: If you prefer a meaty borscht, opt for beef shank or pork shoulder for a richer broth.
Meal Prepping Borscht
As you know, I brand myself as a meal prepping queen, which means that I can turn almost any meal into the perfect meal prep recipe. For this classic borscht, here are my meal prep recommendations and tips:
- Store in 3 mason jars with lids, reheating throughout the week. Each jar will hold 2 servings.
- You can also freeze borscht for up to 3 months. If freezing, hold the potato, as starches don’t freeze well in soups.
Borscht stores well and often tastes better the next day as the flavors meld together. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. My favorite storage containers for longer lasting fresh food are these mason jars & lids. You can also freeze borscht for up to 3 months. You can also freeze borscht for up to 3 months; just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
To reheat, simply warm it on the stove over medium heat until hot.
Borscht Recipe
If you’re ready to try this delicious borscht recipe, gather your ingredients and follow the steps above. Whether you prefer the Ukrainian borscht recipe or the Russian borscht, this dish is sure to delight with its rich flavors and vibrant color.
Borscht Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8-10 cloves garlic chopped or grated
- 1-2 medium white or yellow onions diced
- 4 carrots diced
- 4 celery stalks diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1 russet potato diced
- 3-4 medium beets peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 can tomato purée or stewed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 head green cabbage chopped or shredded
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 tbsp chicken bullion
Garnish:
- lemon
- dill fresh or dried
- sour cream
Instructions
- In a large pot, add olive oil enough to sauté all veggies. Sauté onions and garlic, then add carrots, celery, peppers, beets, and potato, and cook until softened (about 15 minutes).
- Add chopped or shredded cabbage to the pot of sautéed veggies and allow to cook down a bit (5-10 minutes).
- Stir in the tomato puree and paste.
- Add 6 cups of chicken stock, 1 tbsp of chicken bullion, 2-3 bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer all ingredients for at least 20 min. Then let soup stand for at least 10-15 minutes to serve. Borcht gets better with time and is even tastier the next day as flavors develop.
- Once soup is all cooked, squeeze in some fresh lemon and stir, ads a necessary sour note. (If you don’t have a lemon, a dash of vinegar is good too).
- (Optional) Add some fresh crushed garlic into the soup for an added garlicky kick.
- Serve with a fresh dollop of sour cream and some fresh or dried dill.
Notes
- Store soup in glass jars for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer.
- If freezing, make sure to thaw in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours before reheating in a sauce pan.
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Enjoy your cooking, and relish the tradition of this hearty and flavorful borscht recipe!
