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Traditional borscht in a black bowl with a spoon of sour cream on the top against of a wooden surface.

Traditional Ukrainian Borscht (Beet Soup)

Natasha Levai
This is the recipe for the iconic Ukrainian borscht made with beets and other delious vegetables.
4.72 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Soup
Cuisine Polish, Russian, Ukrainian
Servings 1 large pot
Calories 212 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large pot a dutch oven is a great choice
  • 1 Frying pan
  • 1 box grator/food processor
  • knives
  • cutting boards

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams meat of choice beef, pork, chicken, lamb, sausage, ribs
  • 2 medium beets
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 medium-large carrot
  • 300 grams cabbage
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 medium parsnips optional
  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • oil for frying

Instructions
 

Make the broth (optional)

  • To make broth, you will need meat on the bone. If you are making vegetarian borscht, either make vegetable stock or use a premade one.
  • Take a large pot and add the meat on the bone to it. Fill it up with cold or hot water and bring to a boil over high heat.
    Depending on the type of meat, you might need to vary the boiling times! Generally, if you are using beef, it will need a couple hours but if you are using chicken or pork, the meat will get done sooner.
  • Let the broth simmer until the meat is done (check periodically).
    Pro tip: scoop out any dirty foam that comes up during cooking. See this post if making chicken broth.

Saute the onion, carrots, and red beets

  • First, we will saute chopped onion, carrots, garlic, and red beets. They will caramelize and add to the flavor of the soup!
  • To do that, you will need to peel the veggies first. Once peeled, grate the beets and carrots using a large grater. You can also chop them if you prefer but grating allows for more flavor release during frying. Finely chop the onion and garlic using a knife.
  • Add some oil to a preheated pan and place the chopped onion there. Fry for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, then add grated beets, carrots, and garlic. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, and tomato paste and fry for another 10 minutes.
    Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

Prepare the rest of the vegetables

  • Peel potatoes and parsnips (if using). Chop potatoes into small cubes and the parsnips into rounds or moon-shape for larger pieces.
    Chop the cabbage either by hand, a madeleine, or in a food processor. You can chop it into strings or small bits.

Cook the meat, potatoes, parsnips, and cabbage

  • Add the broth, potatoes, parsnips, cabbage, and bay leaves to a large pot and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    If you are using beef, you will need to cook it first, take it out of the pot, then cook the veggies separately because beef takes longer to cook through.
  • If you are using pork or chicken, you can add it to the pot with the veggies and boil them for about 20 minutes until the potatoes and the meat are done.

Add the red beets and carrots

  • Finally, once the potatoes are done and the meat is cooked through, add the fried beets, carrots, and onions to the pot and continue simmering for another 7-10 minutes.
    Borscht is like good wine, it gets better with time, so don't hurry to serve it! While you can enjoy it right away, the flavors will blend and become richer the next day.

Video

Notes

🍽Serving suggestions

Traditionally in Ukraine, borscht is often served with:
  • a dollop of sour cream, yogurt, or mayonnaise;
  • rye bread, pampushky (Ukrainian garlic rolls), or sourdough bread;
  • fresh dill, parsley, and/or fresh garlic;
  • slices of cured pork belly (salo).
You can serve borscht either hot or cold depending on the weather and your mood!

🥕How to peel & chop the veggies for this soup

  • Beets: A regular Y-shaped peeler is the best for peeling any and every vegetable! Some people like to cut the beets into thick sticks, while others prefer grating or using a food processor with slicing discs. I like grating better, because this way more juice gets released!
Pro tip: Use disposable gloves and wear an apron to handle the beets or your hands will have purple stains. Be careful not to get beet stains on your clothes as it's hard to get rid of them! If you notice the stains right away, use some lemon juice and a paper towel to get the stains out (for clothes, cutting boards, and hands!). A stain remover works well, too!
  • Carrots: Use the regular Y-shaped peeler. I prefer grating the carrots while some people like to chop them into circles and half moons, or again, a food processor is your friend if you have one!
  • Onions: Use a knife and your hands to peel off the outer layer. Chop the onion finely with a large knife. Some people will chop the onion larger, like in mirepoix, but I find that smaller pieces are more kid-friendly!
  • Cabbage: I like to remove the top layer of the cabbage before chopping. Then, I prefer to slice it with a knife but some people use a mandoline for this step. Choose what works best for you!
  • 👩🏻‍🍳Storage tips
    • Keep the soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    • Freeze in a freezer bag or in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. A container is better for defrosting as you can simply pop it into the microwave while a freezer bag will need to be peeled off the frozen soup before reheating in a pot on the stove.
    • Borscht is kind of like macarons, it needs to sit in the fridge for 24 hours to develop a better flavor! So, make the recipe with that in mind.
     

Nutrition

Serving: 1medium-sized bowlCalories: 212kcalCarbohydrates: 22.2gProtein: 21.7gFat: 4.1gSaturated Fat: 1.5gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 1245mgPotassium: 813mgFiber: 4.1gSugar: 7.1gCalcium: 39mgIron: 13mg
Keyword Authentic Borscht Recipe, Borscht Recipe, borsh recipe, Traditional borscht recipe, Ukrainian borscht recipe
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