Borscht (Beetroot Soup)
May 31st, 2009 in Hot Soups, Soups by Julia Volhina
Total cooking time: 3h
There is more than one recipe for borsch on this website, if you are looking for some other recipe, try here: all borscht recipes.
Borscht (borsch, borshch) or beet root soup is very popular in a Eastern and Central Europe countries. Who of you didn’t hear about russian or ukrainian borscht? It is one of 3 common things which usually come to people minds when they are asked about Russia or Ukraine. Well, other 2 would be: good looking girls and vodka, of course.
As you’ve probably noticed, this blog is about cooking (not about dating or drinking), so I will show you how to make Borscht (Beetroot Soup) in this post, please use Google to find more info on slavic brides or famous russian alcoholic beverages if you feel like this.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of beef for soup (e.g beef bone in chuck, short rib, or any other type beef)
- 1 beet root
- 1 parsley root
- 1 potato
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 1/2 cup of dry beans of any kind
- 1 tomato or 1 tsp of tomato paste
- 1/2 of small cabbage
- Salt, sunflower oil
How to make, step-by-step:
- Prepare vegetables: Prepare meat broth in 6 quart cooking pot using all beef (follow steps #1 to #4 described in post “How to Make Meat Broth”).
- Put beans into a bowl, pour cold water into it and let beans to soak at room temperature for several hours before you start making borscht:
- Drain water from the beans and add them to the boiling broth:
- Dice skinned onion, slice skinned parsley root. Add ½ of onion and all sliced parsley root to the boiling cooking pot:
- Warm up a frying pan with 1 tbs of sunflower oil, fry the other ½ of onion on low heat:
- Skin carrot and crate it on big slots, add to the onion on frying pan. Add diced tomato or 1 tsp of tomato paste with water and fry everything for 10 mins stirring from time to time:
- Pour everything from frying pan to the boiling cooking pot:
- Skin and dice potato, add it to the boiling cooking pot:
- Skin a beet root, grate it on big slots or slice into stripes whatever you prefer:
- You may need to decrease heat to make sure the soup in cooking pot is not boiling that much, after add grated beet root to it.
- Let borscht to boil till the moment when potato starts softening, during that time slice cabbage:
- Add sliced cabbage to the cooking pot, and let it boil for 10 mins (till cabbage become soft):
- Salt by taste, season with chopped green parsley:
- The Borscht (beetroot soup) is ready! Serve it hot: You can also add a spoon of sour cream and/or a bit of chopped garlic to your bowl of borscht.
I really think this is a good soup
what about the beet greens? Can they be chopped up and thrown into the pot?
Yes they can, if they are nice and fresh, especially from young beets. I would add them later to not overcook.
I also just made a borscht. I think as many borscht recipes exist as are Russians and Ukrainians! Everyone has a different variation. I make a vegetarian version that has about one hundred calories for a big bowl! So when I diet, I always make borscht, and I don’t feel guilty about putting in a big spoonful of sour cream! Your recipe is very similar to mine, but I don’t fry the veg first. Also, no beans in mine — but I will try it your way soon!
Hi Julia,
I’m just wondering- why do you recommend frying carrot, tomato, and onion separately instead of putting it into the pot directly? I’m new to cooking so just wanted to know… Thanks : )
Boiled vegetables taste different than fried vegetables.
Julia! I love it! Great recipe and instructions, as always! I made it last night and it was out of this world. Thank you!
Thank you for trying it 🙂
Hi!
I just wanted to say that I recently downloaded at least 10 recipes off your site and am incredibly eager to go buy basketfulls of fresh ingredients tomorrow and try some out.
I have had to speak in placating and soothing tones to my stomach which has been rumbling onerously throughout.
Thank you and bless you for your generous spirit.
Thank you, I hope you will like the results 🙂