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

  • olga
    April 9, 2014

    could I use canned tomatoes instead?would there be a taste difference?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 9, 2014

      I haven’t tried canned tomatoes but I think that should be fine. I like that idea! Canned tomatoes are usually seasoned so adjust salt as needed 🙂

      Reply

    • olga
      April 9, 2014

      So I made this borsht.. delicious! couple questions in addition to the canned tomato one… what is the purpose of the sugar? I thought the borsht was on the sweeter side. Can I omit it? also, do i saute the tomatoes with the onions/carrots? you have a pic of them in the pan but its not in the instructions to put them there. Thx!!!

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        April 9, 2014

        The chopped tomatoes are in step #4. You add them to the soup pot raw, but you can saute them a little if you want to. It won’t hurt :). The sugar helps the beets to soften and I thought it tasted better with sugar. If you know your beets are very sweet and fresh, you’d probably be ok to omit the sugar.

        Reply

        • olga
          April 11, 2014

          In step #3, 2nd pic down you have what lookes like diced tomatoes in the pan with the carrots… and it doesnt say to sautee them in the instructions so thats why I asked. (Maybe your son threw them in there when you werent looking :). Anyways this is now my go-to recipe for borsht! (minus the sugar) Definately husband approved:) and I tried many borsht recipies……………..
          Thanks mucho

          Reply

          • Natasha
            natashaskitchen
            April 11, 2014

            Oh I see, those are actually onions that take on the reddish color from the beets that were in the pan. That’s funny about my son throwing them in. I imagine that’s probably happened before. I need to let him watch the ratatouille cartoon one of these days 😉 You’re so welcome and I’m happy you loved the soup!

  • Alesya
    April 3, 2014

    So you don’t need to cook the beets before hand? I didn’t see you specify, I’m assuming then you just sautéed them raw? Just clarifying

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 3, 2014

      That’s correct Alesya, use raw beets :), hope it turns out great for you.

      Reply

  • Marina salfet
    March 13, 2014

    This recipe was delicious I made it with chicken drumsticks and it was so delicious . Also to add some spice to it I added Tabasco sauce . Tasted soo good. Just like moms

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 13, 2014

      Oooh I bet it would be delicious with drumsticks and tabasco sauce (I love spicy foods!). Thanks so much for sharing your alterations 🙂

      Reply

  • BillR
    March 7, 2014

    Looks like I will be doing a bit of cooking this weekend. I think a nice compliment to this meal is your no knead Artisan bread. I was thinking of using a cube or 2 of beef bouillon in the water while cooking the meat

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 7, 2014

      I bet that would taste great with the bouillon. 🙂 Yeah, that bread is so good with butter, still warm out of the oven. I wish I had baked a loaf now! 🙂

      Reply

      • BillR
        March 13, 2014

        I made this last yesterday and my wife loved it. I had to pare it down a bit, (size wise) since there are only 2 of us to feed. I made it with 10 cups of water, 2 medium potatoes, 3 medium beets, and I added 1 beef bullion cube (which is enough for 2 cups of broth), 1/3 head of cabbage, 3/4 lb of sirloin strip steak, half an onion, 2 small carrots, 1 1/2 tomatoes, kept the skin on still used 2 cloves or garlic…..and I added a handful of dried sliced mushrooms when the meat had cooked for about 45 minutes. I dry my own mushrooms and always have them on hand. I get them when they are on the mark down shelf, slice them and set up my dehydrator. What a wonderful flavor they add to any soup or tomato sauce. The meal was unbelievable. Thanks for sharing Natasha

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          March 13, 2014

          That’s brilliant to dry your own mushrooms! I love that idea. I always see good mushrooms go on sale and am always rattling my brain about what to do with them. I love using dried mushrooms! I guess this means I need to buy a dehydrator. Can you recommend a good one?

          Reply

          • BillR
            March 14, 2014

            I have an Nesco American Harvest Snackmaster Pro. It comes with 5 trays but is expandable to 12. I have had mine for over 10 years. Makes great beef jerky too. I get an Eye of the round when on sale and make it.
            I did some research for you and found the latest comparable model. It is Nesco Snackmaster Pro FD75A. You can get it from Amazon for $67.00 with free shipping in their “Frustration Free Packaging” or for $76.00 in standard packaging. Frustration free is the way to go. Here is the link
            http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090WOCN0?psc=1

          • Natasha
            natashaskitchen
            March 14, 2014

            Thanks so much for sharing! It sounds like a good quality product if you’ve had yours that long!

          • BillR
            April 25, 2014

            Hi Natasha,
            I thought I answered, but I have had it for well over 10 years. I just got a bunch of mushrooms after Easter and I have built up my supply again. Usually after holiday’s, they show up on the markdown shelf at the supermarket. I got a bunch of the large white stuffing mushrooms and a bunch of large portobello’s as well.

            Bill

          • Natasha
            natashaskitchen
            April 25, 2014

            Nice!! Have you tried the marinated mushrooms recipe? That’s always a great way to use up mushrooms if you have tons of them 🙂

  • Jennifer
    March 2, 2014

    Great recipe, turned out perfect 🙂 I could eat this borscht for days and not get tired of it!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 2, 2014

      That is so great to hear! I’m the same way. The other two that are like that for me are: Mom’s meatball soup (I have it posted), and Sorrel soup (a green borscht, also posted). Thanks for the great review!

      Reply

  • ina
    February 20, 2014

    hi! For the beets, what food processor are you talking about? I actually use a knife to cut into thicker strips.. i like my borstch kind of more chunky. the vegetables.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 20, 2014

      I use the grater attachment on my food processor which grates them pretty large still and leaves a nice texture. If you are cutting by hand, you should definitely consider using a mandolin to make it go faster and easier. 🙂

      Reply

  • Lucy
    February 11, 2014

    Can’t wait to try this recipe! How are your onions so perfectly diced?!

    Reply

  • Nick the Russian
    February 11, 2014

    No pampushkas???

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 11, 2014

      I actually have a great pampushki recipe. Have you tried them? So good!

      Reply

  • Yulia
    February 10, 2014

    Yummm! Looks like I will be cooking some borscht this week. It is my most favorite soup of all! I could live off of that soup for over a week :o). Interesting twist to add tomatoes, I’ll have to try it. I usually add dill and mushrooms to mine. I think I’ll just go cook it now. Awesome recipe as always.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 10, 2014

      My Mom adds mushrooms also. LOVE mushrooms in soup! Thanks Yulia 😉

      Reply

  • Alena
    February 10, 2014

    yep, this is exactly how i make my borch, except i like to do mine with baby back riblets and i pre-boil them before, so that way they fall off the bone, sooo delicisious!! i love it this way!! and i add lemon juice at the end instead of vinegar:) looks very good Natasha:)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 10, 2014

      I like the lemon juice option too! Thanks Alena 🙂

      Reply

  • Sally Korneychuk
    February 10, 2014

    I always use a smoked pork hock or the ham bone from a ham roast. Once in a while I make a meatless but not very often….love borscht…..I think everyone has their own version. Mine seems to be different everytime cause I use what I have in the fridge. Will try this recipe, going to pin it…..thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 10, 2014

      The pork sounds wonderful and that smoky flavor… Yum!!

      Reply

  • Tatiana
    February 9, 2014

    The recipe is similar to mine 🙂 i just use lemon juice instead of vinegar or freshly homemade sour borsh. And add a lill beans and sometimes some barley if there is no meat. I am planing to cook it this week 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 9, 2014

      Do you mean sauerkraut (like kiesla kapusta?) That actually sounds pretty good! Barley is a nice add-in too. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

      • Libertarian
        June 2, 2015

        My Ukranian co-worker says he uses 1/3 fresh refrigerated sauerkraut (like the bagged kraut at Kroger), 2/3 fresh cabbage for his. I’ve yet to try it.

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          June 2, 2015

          I haven’t tried that but I think it would probably work fine and add a little extra zing to the soup.

          Reply

  • lily
    February 9, 2014

    Its so interesting how everyone has a different recipe for borsht. My mother, and I make it more red in color, rather than beet colored. I make a big batch of zazharka (the beet/carrot/onion/tomato mixture) ahead of time, and freeze it in ziploc bags for a few months, and or some in the fridge that lasts up to a week or so. Pull out when making the soup, and put enough to get the desired color and taste. We also add red or yellow bell peppers to the soup. Your recipe looks yummy too! Keep up the amazing work on your blog. And thanks for the food food processor tip, will try next time!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 9, 2014

      Mmm the bell peppers are a great idea! I love how you freeze the zazharka! Brilliant! Yes, the food processor makes it so easy and your hands don’t turn bright red 😉

      Reply

  • natasha
    February 9, 2014

    My son has been asking me for borsch all last week, but with a busy work schedule I wasn’t able to make any until Friday, but boy was he happy when I put a big bowl of borsch in front of him. Definitely a timeless recipe, and can be made so many different ways!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 9, 2014

      That’s so sweet 🙂 P.S. I love your blog. I love it when people leave links to their blogs. It’s awesome that you made a site with your sister Oksana. I just got so distracted too. I’m not following all of your social channels and pinned 4 of your recipes. Funnnnn!!!

      Reply

  • Olga
    February 8, 2014

    Great recipe! Can’t wait to try it, Our family loves borsch! I’ve never added vinegar though, so I’m wondering what taste difference it adds or is it used for something else?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 8, 2014

      It helps the beets to soften quicker. You could probably use lemon juice too (I’ve used it in my previous borscht recipes and it worked really well!)

      Reply

      • Oksana
        February 9, 2014

        This is basically my mom’s recipe for borscht too. I usually add lemon juice to mine, and it works just fine. Like others posted, I do add the beans from a can at the very end (since they don’t have to really cook). We love our borscht loaded, meaning that a spoon can stand alone once inserted ;-), my kids prefer more liquid though (less effort to eat I think, lol)
        Thanks for posting this recipe for others to enjoy. We try to make borscht at least every other week esp in winter time, and the bigger the pot, the better (it just tastes better as the days pass)

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          February 9, 2014

          I love a good hearty borscht too! We always make a large pot; I can’t help it 😉

          Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          February 9, 2014

          I love loaded borscht too! There’s nothing like a hearty borscht 🙂 Although I also love a fair amount of juice also. I think you’re right about the less effort; my son is the same way!

          Reply

      • Sally Korneychuk
        February 10, 2014

        I often use pickle juice (kvas) instead of vinegar…..

        Reply

  • Iryna B.
    February 8, 2014

    Thank you for another version of Borsch! I am a big fan! Even my american daughter loves it better than any other soup I make. But…. I still love my borsch with beans, white butter beans. Mmmm…
    My grandma used to make us, grandkids, капустняк. I remember loving it even better than the real thing! Go figure those kids… 😉

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 8, 2014

      Mmmm I love beans too, they add great protein to the veggie version, but they also go great with a meat version 🙂

      Reply

  • Julia
    February 8, 2014

    This looks like my mom’s borscht as well. 🙂 I should really make it some day, I miss it a lot. My husband is Polish, and their borscht is just completely different.. it’s 100% liquid and they drink it from a cup, so the Russian/Ukrainian version is weird to him! However, I may make it anyway!! How can you not like this? Impossible 😉

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 8, 2014

      I actually would love to try the drinkable version too. If you have a great recipe, do share! 😉 is it like a creamy soup or is it more like a broth?

      Reply

      • Julia
        February 9, 2014

        Yes, it’s more broth-like.. almost like a darn red broth 🙂 They have it on Christmas Eve traditionally. I’ve actually wanted the recipe for years but my mother-in-law only speaks Polish so it’s hard to get, haha! But I do need to get it 🙂

        Reply

        • Julia
          February 9, 2014

          Dark* sorry lol

          Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          February 9, 2014

          Keep me posted 😉 Yeah the language barrier does make it really hard to keep recipes in the family.

          Reply

  • alana
    February 8, 2014

    Looks delish! Need to try asap!!!:) Is that homemade bread in the background? YUM YUM!!!:))

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 8, 2014

      That was actually a Costco loaf but homemade would have been even better!

      Reply

  • Lidiya L
    February 8, 2014

    Yummy!! I’ve always favored my moms borsch over anything else and this looks almost exactly like her recipe.. I can’t wait to try it!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 8, 2014

      I hope you love it just as much as your Mamas 🙂

      Reply

  • Yana V
    February 8, 2014

    Mmm, we just ate all of ours but I want more! We usually add kidney beans as well, and the kids love them too.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 8, 2014

      I usually add them to the vegetarian borsch version for protein. We love them too 🙂

      Reply

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