A bowl of borscht with meat garnished with sour cream and dill in a blue bowl

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Finally, a borscht recipe with meat! I’m a borsch lover. To prove it, here’s my first borscht, my second borscht (an easier/quicker version of the first one), my superfood borscht and now this beef borscht for those of you who love a good piece of tender meat in your spoon :).

Borscht is originally Ukrainian but it is made by most Slavic people and is a very common food in Russia. If you didn’t make it to the Olympics in Sochi this year, you’ll still get a taste of Russia when you try this borscht. It will also help you to loosen up those tense shoulders as you watch the Olympics (it makes me so anxious to watch! You?). By the way, Borscht, Borsch, Borshch… potatoes, patawtos). 😉

Ingredients for Borscht with Meat:

(This list looks lengthy but the ingredients are simple) 
1 lb Beef: sirloin, stew meat, or whatever kind of beef you like, really (bone-in or boneless *see note)
14 cups cold water
1 Tbsp salt + more to taste
2 large or 3 medium beets, washed, peeled and grated
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp tomato sauce, or paste (or 3 Tbsp ketchup)
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 carrots, grated
2 large or 3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
1/2 head of small cabbage, sliced
2 tomatoes, peeled and diced (**see note)
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley + more for garnish
2 cloves garlic, pressed

Garnish: Sour cream and fresh sprigs of parsley or dill.

Meat Borsch

How To Make Borscht with Meat:

1. Wash meat in cold water, cut into 1″ pieces and and place in a large soup pot with 14 cups cold water and 1 Tbsp salt. Bring it to a boil and remove the foam as soon as it boils (if you wait, it will be hard to get rid of the foam as it integrates into the broth and you’d have to strain it).

Lower the heat, partially cover and cook at a low boil 45 minutes – 1 hr, periodically skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the foam. Maybe we’re better off??

A small wooden bowl with salt

2. Grate beets on the large grater holes (the food processor works amazingly well). Place them in a large heavy-bottom skillet with 4 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp vinegar and saute for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to med/low and add 1 Tbsp sugar and 2 Tbsp tomato sauce Mix thoroughly and saute until starting to soften, stirring occasionally (about 10 min). Remove from pan and set aside.

Two photos of grated beet being seasoned for borscht

3. In the same skillet (no need to wash it), Saute onion in 1 Tbsp butter for 2 min. Add grated carrot and sautee another 5 min or until softened, adding more oil if it seems too dry.

Three photos of carrots and onions being sautéed

4. Once the meat has been cooking at least 45 min, place sliced potatoes into the soup pot and cook 10 min, then add cabbage, sauteed beets, onion & carrot, and chopped tomatoes. Cook another 10 minutes or until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.

Three photos one of diced potatoes, one of grated cabbage and one of a pot of borscht

5. Add 2 bay leaves, 1/4 tsp pepper, and more salt to taste (I added another 1/2 tsp salt).

Meat Borsch-12

6. Chop parsley and pressed garlic then stir them into the soup pot, immediately cover and remove from heat. Let the pot rest covered for 20 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Meat Borsch-13

Serve hot with fresh sprigs of parsley or dill and a dollop of sour cream if desired. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. 🙂

A must try this Ukrainian borscht recipe with beef for those of you who love a good piece of tender meat in your spoon. Serve with dollop of sour cream.

NOTES:

*P.S. Pork can be used also. And if your meat has a bone in it, place it in the water whole. After it boils for 45 min to 1 hour, remove it from soup, cut away and discard the bone and cut meat into 1″ pieces).
**To peel whole tomatoes, blanch them in boiling hot water for 30-45 seconds, then transfer to cold water and the skin should peel right off. 

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Borscht Recipe with Meat

4.95 from 225 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
A bowl of borscht with meat garnished with sour cream and dill in a blue bowl
Borscht is originally Ukrainian but it is made by most Slavic people and is a very common food in Russia. P.S. The list of ingredients looks lengthy but they are simple. Serve hot with fresh sprigs of parsley or dill and a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 -10
  • 1 lb Beef: sirloin, stew meat, or whatever kind of beef you like, really (bone-in or boneless *see note)
  • 14 cups cold water
  • 1 Tbsp salt + more to taste
  • 2 large or 3 medium beets, washed, peeled and grated
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp tomato sauce, or paste (or 3 Tbsp ketchup)
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 2 large or 3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 head of small cabbage, sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, peeled and diced (**see note)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley + more for garnish
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • Garnish: Sour cream and fresh sprigs of parsley or dill.

Instructions

  • Wash meat in cold water, cut into 1" pieces and place in a large soup pot with 14 cups cold water and 1 Tbsp salt. Bring it to a boil and remove the foam as soon as it boils (if you wait, it will be hard to get rid of foam as it integrates into the broth and you'd have to strain it later). Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer 45 minutes - 1 hr, periodically skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
  • Grate beets on the large grater holes (a food processor works amazingly well). Place them in a large heavy-bottom skillet with 4 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp vinegar and saute for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to med/low and add 1 Tbsp sugar and 2 Tbsp tomato sauce Mix thoroughly and saute until starting to soften, stirring occasionally (about 10 min). Remove from pan and set aside.
  • In the same skillet (no need to wash it), Saute onion in 1 Tbsp butter for 2 min. Add grated carrot and sautee another 5 min or until softened, adding more oil if it seems too dry.
  • Once the meat has been cooking at least 45 min, place sliced potatoes into
  • the soup pot and cook 10 min, then add cabbage, sauteed beets, onion & carrot, and chopped tomatoes. Cook another 10 minutes or until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
  • Add 2 bay leaves, 1/4 tsp pepper, and more salt to taste (I added another 1/2 tsp salt).
  • Chop parsley and pressed garlic then stir them into the soup pot, immediately cover and remove from heat. Let the pot rest covered for 20 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Notes

*Pork can be used also. And if your meat has a bone in it, place it in the water whole. After it boils for 45 min to 1 hour, remove it from soup, cut away and discard the bone and cut meat into 1" pieces).
**To peel whole tomatoes, blanch them in boiling hot water for 30-45 seconds, then transfer to cold water and the skin should peel right off.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Borscht with Meat
Skill Level: Medium
Cost to Make: $$

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Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Comments

  • Sharon
    March 25, 2024

    I’m making it tonight for my russian daughter inlaw. I hope it taste as good as it looks. Smell and looks yummy.
    It was very easy to follow instructions.
    Thank you for this recipe of Russian borscht soup.

    Reply

  • Masha
    March 16, 2024

    My all time favorite recipe!!! I was wondering if I can use the same pan and saute the beets, carrots and onions all together?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 18, 2024

      Hi Masha, I imagine that may work. I hope you love it.

      Reply

  • Oksana Maselko
    January 6, 2024

    The variation of Borscht we made had beef and pork for the meat and it was boiled the last half hour with bay leaves, garlic and an onion cut in half. The rest of your receipe was the same, we also added sliced beet greens the last 15 min. they are so sweet and add a little something to the flavor.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 6, 2024

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Oksana!

      Reply

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