This traditional borscht is a hearty and comforting soup made with fresh beets, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and dill, simmered in a flavorful chicken broth with a touch of vinegar and sugar for balance. It’s perfect for any time of the year, served hot with a dollop of sour cream.
Borscht the way my babushka made it
Growing up, borscht was always on the table. This is my Babushka Lydia’s recipe, the exact one she used to make for us all the time. Now I make it too, and every time I peel and grate the beets (yes, with gloves!), it brings back memories of her kitchen.
My favorite part is adding a big spoonful of smetana to my bowl and gently mixing it in. The soup is sweet and sour, and the smetana makes it creamy and cool in the most comforting way.
And if you’ve never had borscht with a slice of toasted rye bread, here’s how we do it: take a raw clove of garlic, slice it in half, dip it in salt, and rub it all over the warm bread. A bite of that garlicky toast with a spoonful of borscht? There’s nothing better.
Borscht Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Beets: Fresh beets (never canned!) are the key to a vibrantly red and delicious borscht. Carefully, so that you don’t stain every surface in your kitchen, wash, peel, and grate the beets. I like to wear gloves, and grate the beets into a large bowl to avoid any staining.
- More Veggies: Onion, carrot, and cabbage pair perfectly with the beets and are traditional in my version of this classic Russian soup.
- Potatoes: Diced potatoes add a hearty, creamy bite to the soup. I like to use regular white potatoes for this recipe. Russet potatoes can be a bit too starchy.
- Tomato Paste: A little bit goes a long way to adding depth of flavor. If you’re using canned tomato paste, save the rest of the can by freezing it in 1-tablespoon servings, wrapped in plastic wrap.
- Chicken Stock: For the best soups, use homemade chicken stock, or a good quality store-bought chicken stock or bone broth. If you’d like this recipe to be vegetarian, use vegetable stock instead.
- Herbs: Dried bay leaves and fresh dill add bright, earthy flavor to the soup.
- Garlic and White Vinegar: Borsch is different than many other soups, in that instead of being sauteed at the beginning, the garlic is added at the very end of cooking, along with a bit of vinegar to brighten the flavors. If you don’t have white vinegar, apple cider vinegar can also be used.
- Sour Cream: In Eastern Europe, this is called “smetana”, and it’s a must-have finishing touch here! Add a dollop to each bowl as you’re serving it. Instead of sour cream, plain Greek yogurt can also be used.
Tip!
Chop and prep all of your veggies ahead of time! The beets and carrots can be shredded using a box grater or with your food processor. Slice the cabbage into similar sized pieces, and dice the onion and potatoes.
Recipe Tips
- After the veggies have cooked down, you may need to add a bit more stock to the pot to get the right consistency.
- The sweetness of the soup may vary depending on the beets used. Adjust the sugar and vinegar to taste.
- Adjust the seasonings to your preference. You may need more or less salt, depending on how salty your chicken stock is, or if you add any extra liquid to the soup at the end.
- My mom likes to add a diced bell pepper along with the onion for extra depth of flavor. Her best friend Alyona, who is Ukrainian, always stirs in a can of cannellini beans at the end for protein and heartiness. Feel free to add your own special touches to this recipe!
- Garnish each bowl of soup with a dollop of smetana (sour cream) and chopped fresh herbs such as dill or parsley.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Classic Borscht Recipe (Beet Soup)
Equipment
- Large soup pot
- Cutting board and knife
- Box grater
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden Spoon or spatula
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium (100 g) yellow onion chopped
- 2 medium (150 g) carrots peeled and grated
- 3 medium (380 g) beets peeled and grated
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
- 10 cups (2.4 liters) chicken stock
- 3 medium (450 g) potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 cups (150 g) shredded green cabbage
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 medium cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill plus more for serving
- Smetana sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the grated carrots and beets. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Then pour in the chicken stock.
- Add the diced potatoes, cabbage, bay leaves, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
- In the final minute of cooking, stir in the minced garlic and vinegar. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh dill.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot, topped with a spoonful of smetana and additional fresh dill and ground black pepper.
Notes:
- Use gloves when working with beets, as they will stain your skin.
- Adjust the amount of liquid in the soup to get the proper consistency.
- You can also adjust the seasonings, adding additional salt, sugar, and/or vinegar to taste. The sweetness of the soup will depend on how sweet your beets are.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The soup tastes even better the next day!
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
More About Borscht and Variations
You might be wondering about this borscht recipe, if it’s authentic, or if it will be the same as you remember eating as a child.
The simple answer is that there are many ways to make this beet-based soup that is popular all across Eastern Europe! My recipe comes from my Russian grandmother, so this version is most similar to what you might find in Russia or Ukraine. I also have a Polish Borscht recipe that you can try!
There are many regional and family variations of borscht, but the common thread is always the beets. Some versions are vegetarian, as this one can be, using veggie stock.
For a rich, meaty borscht, many people begin by making their own stock from scratch by simmering chicken, beef, or pork with water, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns until the meat is tender. The meat is then shredded and added back into the soup. You’ll even find variations of borscht finished with beans or smoked sausage.
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