Though often associated with Russian cuisine, this red beet soup is originally from Ukraine. Recipes vary from region to region and family to family, but in addition to beets, potatoes, cabbage, carrots and onion are standard. A dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of dill add extra flavor and visual appeal.
| Total: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 main course servings |
Ingredients
- 4 fresh beets (about 1 1/2 pounds, without stems and greens), un-peeled
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more for passing at the table
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 leeks (white part only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1/4 head Savoy cabbage (about 8 ounces), cored, cut into 1-inch wedges, and shredded
- 3 parsley sprigs
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- One 16-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid), roughly chopped
- 9 cups beef broth
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, cover the beets with cold water by l inch. Stir in 1/4 cup of the vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, cool, and peel the beets. Dice the beets and set aside.
- Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery, leeks, garlic, and caraway seeds and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot with the beets, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes to bring the flavors together.
- Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Season with pepper to taste. To serve divide among warm soup bowls, top with dollops of the sour cream and sprinkle with the dill. Serve with additional vinegar at the table.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 199 |
| Total Fat | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 21 mg |
| Sodium | 1425 mg |
Reviews
For those who find this complicated. Use bottled jar off beet salad which usually contains vinegar,onions, carrots etc. Depending on the brand. Usually the jars come from Poland and in the pickle section of grocery store.
I don’t see what is so complicated as some reviewers claim…it’s pretty much chop, dump in pot and cook. I watched my mother in laws caregiver make this (her recipe very similar and the end results were delicious. As Olga kept saying, “Eets eezy!” :-
I used this recipe the first time i ever made borscht and rated myself B plus. I did not think it was too complicated. Some ingredients and steps can be left out if you are knowledgable about cooking, and I found it easy to adapt and add other ingredients like pork meat added with beef.
This is extremely complicated. There really should be an easier way to make this on here! My mother is Russian (as am I), and this takes her 20 minutes to make borsht, at most. No need for extra ingredients, it tastes fine without meat and peppers and a lot of cabbage. Just a regular, simple, borsht is fine!
THIS RECIPE IS MUCH TOO INVOLVED. THERE MUST BE AN EASIER WAY TO MAKE IT.
Sometimes you get the superbargain of beets at the market.
Excellent way to use them in combination with other vegetables.
This recipe was easy to follow – the only thing missing is some sort of meat – perhaps a nice smoked pork or something.