This authentic Ukrainian Borscht Soup Recipe is simple, yet, incredibly flavorful and packed with delicious vegetables and meat! You can't have just one bowl. It pairs great with fluffy buckwheat bread rolls!
This recipe was inspired by all the borscht variations I've eaten growing up in a Ukrainian/Russian home. For more delicious Ukrainian flavors, be sure to check out these gluten-free pelmeni and gluten-free pierogi recipes for lunch and the gluten-free Paska recipe for Easter!
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🥘Ingredient for Ukrainian Borscht Soup
Ingredient notes:
- Bone-in meat - while optional, it adds heartiness to the soup and the bones create a deeply flavorful, rich broth. I used pork trotters, but any cut of beef, chicken, or pork will work! If you roast garlic butter chicken, you can use the bone for broth and the meat for borscht.
- Vinegar - adds the signature tang to the borscht soup. You can use apple cider or white vinegar.
- Oil - is used for frying carrots, beets, and the onion. Sunflower or olive oil will work best!
- Tomato sauce - use 2 tablespoon of tomato paste for a subtle hint of tomato flavor or tomato sauce for a richer tomato taste. If you enjoy tomatoes in soup, you will love this old-fashioned tomato cream soup!
🍜Variations & substitutes
Vegetarian borscht - skip the meat, use vegetable stock, and add cooked beans at the end for protein and substance.
Vegan borscht - skip the meat and use vegetable stock instead of broth. Add cooked beans and/or more potatoes for extra substance and protein. If you like vegan soups, you will enjoy this vegan broccoli cheddar soup, too!
How to Make Ukrainian Borscht Soup
Step 1. You can either use store-bought broth or homemade, but for authentic Ukrainian borscht, I prefer making my broth from scratch.
Place the bone-in meat (pork, beef, or chicken) into a large Dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pot, and add enough water to fully submerge it. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1-2 hours or until the meat is tender and cooked through.
I'm using pork trotters, so I simmered them for two hours to enhance the richness of the broth.
Step 2. While the broth simmers, you can prepare the vegetables - peel them, chop the cabbage, finely dice the onion, cut the beets into thick sticks, and slice the carrots into circles.
Once the broth is ready, remove the meat and add 2 teaspoon of salt and bay leaves. Then place the chopped cabbage into the pot with the broth and simmer for 20 minutes.
Note: use more or less broth depending on how thick you want the borscht soup to be. I normally place the meat in a 6-quart Dutch oven and fill it up with water almost full. Then I use the entire broth for the recipe.
Step 3. Preheat a frying pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes, then add the oil. Add the chopped onion, beets, and carrots to the frying pan and saute over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoon of salt, along with the tomato sauce/paste and vinegar.
Fry for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, peel and chop potatoes into medium-sized cubes peel and mince the garlic, and slice the cooked meat into bite-size pieces.
Step 4. 20 minutes after adding the cabbage, stir in the sauteed beets, carrots, and onion, along with the peeled and chopped potatoes, minced garlic, and cooked chopped meat. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork. Do a taste test and add more salt if needed. Turn off the heat and serve! Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use a regular Y-shaped peeler to speed up the peeling process!
- Wear disposable gloves and an apron when dealing with beets to avoid stains. You can use lemon juice and a paper towel to remove the stains as they appear!
- Make homemade broth by boiling bone-in meat for a richer and heartier authentic Ukrainian borscht. You can make healing chicken bone broth, too!
- For an authentic experience serve this traditional Ukrainian borscht with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, fresh dill, and garlic rolls or buckwheat sourdough bread (naturally gluten-free).
- Serve the soup hot or cold depending on the season and mood!
- Let the borscht soup "mature" in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. This will create a more blended, richer flavor just like in traditional authentic Ukrainian borscht.
Common Questions
Borscht (bortsch, borsh, or борщ) originated in Ukraine and then traveled to other countries. Ukrainian borscht is more sour, featuring pork, extra potatoes, and tomatoes while Russian borscht is sweeter, typically made with beef and a greater amount of cabbage.
Vinegar is responsible for the authentic tang that traditional Ukrainian borscht is famous for!
Traditionally you only need to add bay leaves, pepper, and salt. Ukrainian borscht is traditionally served with sour cream, fresh dill, and some extra fresh garlic sprinkled on top!
There are many variations of borscht, some made with chicken, while others with beef or pork. Authentic Ukrainian borscht is typically made with a pork cut for a rich and hearty flavor!
👩🏻🍳Storage
- The soup will keep for up to 5 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
- Freeze borscht soup in a freezer bag or an air-tight container for up to 3 months (keep in mind that containers are easier to defrost than freezer bags!).
- To reheat simply place a bowl of borscht soup into a microwave for a couple of minutes or reheat on the stove. Serve with hearty buckwheat bread!
More Delicious Recipes You Will Love!
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Authentic Ukrainian Borscht Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-2 kg bone-in meat of choice (I used 4.5lb of pork trotters) bones are for broth, omit if using premade broth
- 350 grams cabbage
- 1 medium-large onion
- 3 medium carrots
- 2-3 medium beets
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 3 medium potatoes
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp tablespoon white vinegar or 4 tablespoon of ACV
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste or 16oz tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon salt, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoon sunflower or olive oil for frying
SAVE THIS RECIPE!💌
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Instructions
- You can either use store-bought broth or homemade, but for authentic Ukrainian borscht, I prefer making my broth from scratch.Place the bone-in meat (pork, beef, or chicken) into a large Dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pot, and add enough water to fully submerge it. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1-2 hours or until the meat is tender and cooked through.I'm using pork trotters, so I simmered them for two hours to enhance the richness of the broth.1-2 kg bone-in meat of choice (I used 4.5lb of pork trotters)
- While the broth simmers, you can prepare the vegetables - peel them, chop the cabbage, finely dice the onion, cut the beets into thick sticks, and slice the carrots into circles.350 grams cabbage, 1 medium-large onion, 3 medium carrots, 2-3 medium beets
- Once the broth is ready, remove the meat and add 2 teaspoon of salt and bay leaves. Then place the chopped cabbage into the pot with the broth and simmer for 20 minutes.Note: use more or less broth depending on how thick you want the borscht soup to be. I normally place the meat in a 6-quart Dutch oven and fill it up with water almost full. Then I use the entire broth for the recipe.2-3 bay leaves
- Preheat a frying pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes, then add the oil. Add the chopped onion, beets, and carrots to the frying pan and saute over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoon of salt, along with the tomato sauce/paste and vinegar. Fry for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.2 tablespoon tbsp white vinegar, 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- In the meantime, peel and chop potatoes into medium-sized cubes peel and mince the garlic, and slice the cooked meat into bite-size pieces.3 medium potatoes, 3-4 cloves garlic
- 20 minutes after adding the cabbage, stir in the sauteed beets, carrots, and onion, along with the peeled and chopped potatoes, minced garlic, and cooked chopped meat. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork. Do a taste test and add more salt if needed. Turn off the heat and serve! Enjoy!1 tablespoon salt,
Notes
-
- Use a regular Y-shaped peeler to speed up the peeling process!
- Wear disposable gloves and an apron when dealing with beets to avoid stains. You can use lemon juice and a paper towel to remove the stains as they appear!
- Make homemade broth by boiling bone-in meat for a richer and heartier authentic Ukrainian borscht. You can make healing chicken bone broth, too!
- For an authentic experience serve this traditional Ukrainian borscht with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, fresh dill, and garlic rolls or buckwheat sourdough bread (naturally gluten-free).
- Serve the soup hot or cold depending on the season and mood!
- Let the borscht soup "mature" in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. This will create a more blended, richer flavor just like in traditional authentic Ukrainian borscht.
- If the borscht tastes bland, add more vinegar.
-
- The soup will keep for up to 5 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
-
- Freeze borscht soup in a freezer bag or an air-tight container for up to 3 months (keep in mind that containers are easier to defrost than freezer bags!).
-
- To reheat simply place a bowl of borscht soup into a microwave for a couple of minutes or reheat on the stove.
Michelle Foose says
I think what you are calling parsley root is most like what we call here a parsnip. Parsley here does not have a big root but parsnips do and they look like a big white carrot!
Natasha Levai says
Thank you!! Yes, you are right, it might be that. I live in Europe so it is sometimes confusing what is what! 🙂
Michelle Foose says
Yes, I understand! In Europe, I couldn’t find “ bubble wrap” because I didn’t know what to call it! And plants are even trickier.
Natasha says
This hearty borscht is a favorite at our house!
Kate says
what is parsley root?
Natashashome says
Parsley root is basically the root of the parsley plant! It is edible and very fragrant. The taste of the boiled parsley root is a bit bitter but the flavor it passes onto the broth is wonderful! I am not sure if it is sold everywhere, but it is sold here in Hungary. It looks like a white carrot!
Judy says
Borscht is Ukrainian, NOT RUSSIAN! Pl correct
Natashashome says
Thank you so much for your comment! I do mention in the post that borscht originated in Ukraine and then traveled over to other countries, so wherever people make borscht, it is Ukrainian, even though some might believe that it is their own.