Borscht (Beet & Cabbage Soup)
The weather has turned, and hand in hand with sweater weather, comes soup season. Few soups satisfy my craving like a big, steaming bowl of borscht. Topped with a healthy dollop (or swirl) of yogurt, a sprinkling of fresh dill and served with slices of crusty bread to wipe the bowl clean. Growing up the versions I remember most of this iconic Ukrainian, deep magenta soup, used bone broth and had meat mixed in. This recipe is full of just nutritious vegetables and uses vegetable broth, making it an equally tasty treat for our vegetarian or vegan family, and our carnivore friends alike. I used a food processor to speed up the preparation of this simple soup, but it is certainly not required. Use a knife and or box grater to achieve the same results.
Ingredients
- 4 cups red cabbage thinly sliced (approx. 400 g)
- 4 medium beets peeled and grated (approx. 600 g)
- 10 cups vegetable broth or broth of choice
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium onion finely chopped (approx. 140 g)
- 3-5 carrots peeled and thinly sliced (approx. 200 g)
- 2 celery ribs finely chopped (approx. 120 g)
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped (approx. 164 g)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3-4 medium Yukon potatoes peeled & sliced into bite-sized pieces (approx. 500 g)
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 3 large garlic cloves pressed, 12-15 g
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 3 tablespoons chopped dill plus more for serving
For Serving
- Plain Greek yogurt for serving (or vegan yogurt)
- Crusty loaf of bread we had a French stick
Instructions
- Start the Broth: In a 6- to 8-quart stockpot, add the broth and bay leaves, then bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the cabbage, cover, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Preheat a 12.5” non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is warm, add the onions, carrots, celery, red pepper, tomato paste, salt and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add beets and Seasoning: Add the beets, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Combine with Broth: Transfer the potatoes and the sautéed vegetables into the stockpot. Cover and bring to a boil, then cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
- Finish and Flavourings: Turn off the heat and fish out the bay leaves using tongs. Then add the vinegar, sugar, garlic, and black pepper. Stir and let the borsht sit for 10 minutes to allow flavours to meld. Stir in dill and adjust seasonings to taste. I occasionally add a little more vinegar.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt, more dill, and a crusty loaf of bread. Enjoy! Or as my Baba would say jó étvágyat!
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Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
- When working with beets, wear gloves and wrap your cutting board with plastic wrap to make clean up easier.
- Food styling tip for Borscht- use a squeeze bottle to create a swirl with the yogurt on the soup. No squeeze bottle? Spoon yogurt into a small resealable bag, cut the tip off one corner and squeeze the bag to create the swirl.
- We top our borsht with plain yogurt because it is lighter, but sour cream is also commonly used.
- Serve with a crusty loaf of bread. Ideally, it is with a Ukrainian loaf of bread, but we enjoyed it with a French loaf. Rye bread or a sourdough is also highly recommended.
- This soup stays well in the fridge for up to five days or freeze it in airtight glass containers for up to 3 months.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!