After several requests for my borscht recipe, here it is. Ukrainian Borscht… everyone knows what it is and many people around the world have fallen in love with this iconic beet soup.
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I love the deep ruby color of this borsch! It’s so healthy and nutritious; packed with beans (protein), beets (iron), carrots (carotene), potatoes (vit C, potassium, Vit B6), oftentimes cabbage is added (vit K, vit C, fiber, etc…). It feels so good serving this to my family.
Our Family’s Borscht Recipe (Beet Soup)
This is our family’s version of classic borsch and it’s one of the two soups my children absolutely love (Mom’s Meatball Soup being the second). Borscht is definitely on the regular rotation at our house!
This version keeps better because it is a meatless version but doesn’t lack in flavor because it uses good quality chicken broth.
Ingredients for Classic Ukrainian Borsch:
It’s best to have all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go which makes this soup super easy and care free. Start by peeling, grating, chopping, slicing and dicing all of the vegetables for borscht.
Once your potatoes are peeled and sliced, transfer them to a bowl of cold water to keep them from discoloring until ready for use.
Note on Using Cabbage:
We used to add cabbage but our children prefer it without so for years now we’ve been making it just like this without cabbage. If you prefer cabbage, add 1/4 to 1/2 small head of cabbage, thinly shredded, adding it when the potatoes are halfway cooked.
How to Peel and Cut Beets:
- Use gloves when handling beets or your fingertips will stain red for a couple of days.
- To peel beets, use a simple potato peeler like this one.
- You can slice the beets into matchsticks but it is way way easier to grate and children don’t mind the texture of grated beets. We love our food processor for this task as it grates more coarsely than on a hand grater so the beets still have some texture. It also keeps the counter and your hands clean (beat juice can be a pain to get out of clothing and porous surfaces).
How to Remove Beet Stains:
When you eat borscht often, you learn quickly to pace a napkin in your lap and bibs on children. If you do get beet juice on your clothes, address the stain right away.
- Use a paper-towel to blot off any excess juice.
- Run cold water over the opposite/under side of the fabric to push the stain out.
- If the stain persists, apply a stain removing agent (I have found that dish soap works well in a pinch) and launder clothing as usual.
Watch Natasha Make Classic Borscht:
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Classic Borscht Recipe (Beet Soup)
Ingredients
For Borscht:
- 3 medium beets, peeled and grated
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 8 cups chicken broth , + 2 cups water
- 3 medium yukon potatoes, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
For Zazharka (Mirepoix):
- 2 celery ribs, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped, optional
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 Tbsp ketchup or 3 Tbsp tomato sauce
Additional Flavorings:
- 1 can white cannelini beans with their juice
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, or to taste
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 large garlic clove, pressed
- 3 Tbsp chopped dill
Instructions
- Peel, grate and/or slice all vegetables (keeping sliced potatoes in cold water to prevent browning until ready to use then drain).
- Heat a large soup pot (5 1/2 Qt or larger) over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add grated beets and sauté 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beets are softened.
- Add 8 cups broth and 2 cups water. Add sliced potatoes and sliced carrots then cook for 10-15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
- While potatoes are cooking, place a large skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper. Saute stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden (7-8 minutes). Add 4 Tbsp Ketchup and stir fry 30 seconds then transfer to the soup pot to continue cooking with the potatoes.
- When potatoes and carrots reach desired softness, add 1 can of beans with their juice, 2 bay leaves, 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 pressed garlic clove, and 3 Tbsp chopped dill. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes and add more salt and vinegar to taste.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
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So, which camp are you in? Do you love that dollop of sour cream at the end or the flavor that real mayo adds to borscht?
Three questions – are the stock & water amounts as per the video or the recipe?
Do you use red or yellow onion?
If cabbage is used do you use Red or Green?
Hi Beverly, I use yellow onion and green cabbage.
Hello, Have always loved my Baba’s borscht but will be trying your recipe because they just won’t give me their recipes!! 🙂
I cook a lot so I know I can add or leave out whatever I want but I just have to ask… Beans? Not something I would ever think to put in borscht! Is this a put it over the top delicious type of ingredient or is it just as yummy without the beans? I’ll probably leave them out the first time because of what my family is used to but if you think it’s a must try I’ll definitely do so when I have the right crowd. Always love your recipes and have a a bunch printed out I’m still super excited to try.
Hi Cynthia, yes, beans are a wonderful and healthy add-in. That’s how our family loves borscht. I hope you love the recipe.
I haven’t had to make borscht because of the amazing Ukrainian borscht makers in my family. It’s intimidating! After perusing the top, classic Ukrainian cookbooks, your recipe was the one I used. 100% a great decision. I substituted canned beets for fresh, lemon juice for vinegar, and of course, added some hryby (porcinis). My elderly Father loved it and his appetite perked up for a 2nd helping. Of course, it’s smetana (sour cream) in our Family! Thanks for sharing your borscht recipe.
Awww, that makes my day. I am so happy to hear that. Thank you!
how many cans of beets? Very few canned beet recipes. Lot for pickled.
Hi Dee, 3 to 4 cans. I use the juice to make up the total liquid amount. I also reconstitute dries mushrooms and use that strained liquor.
PM
Hi. I just tried this recipe. My beets didn’t stay red, they lost their color, is that normal?
Hi Kathleen, some beets will give off more color than others, but yes, I have experienced that also.
I have been trying to eat beets these days and I LOVED this recipe! I didnt have beans or cabbage, and I added some stew beef. It was SO EASY after prepping the veggies ahead of time. My picky, midwestern fiancé even got his own bowl after trying mine! The dollop of sour cream is a must. Thanks for sharing 🙂
We love easy recipes, and I’m so happy you enjoyed them also!
hiiii could you make this recipe just as good in the crockpot? what method would you use to cook this in a crockpot? thanks!
Hi Rebekkah, I’m not sure if this one would work well in a slow cooker since you don’t want to overcook the cabbage or it will become mushy. Sorry that’s not very helpful, I’m just not sure I’d put it in a slow cooker. If you figure out a creative way, do let me know! 🙂
My grandmother would serve borscht with heavy cream with perogies in the bowl. She didn’t add any other vegetables. When we went to Ukraine they had carrots and potatoes with pieces of beef which I loved.
I’m sure that your grandma’s version is delicious too! Let me know how you liked this recipe if you give it a try.
Thanks much for this yummy recipe. I did not read all the comments, but can I also serve it cold? Or are there any recommendations for serving Borsht cold?? I live in a hot summer climate.
You are so welcome, Joy. We prefer serving it warm but it can surely be served cold too!
I know nothing about borscht- I just got addicted to it after having it in a restaurant- but this recipe is delicious and I make it constantly! I will say that I no longer peel my beets anymore because I’m lazy and haven’t noticed any effect on the dish. This is such a good recipe and I make it constantly to freeze and take to work for lunches. I’m in no need to try another recipe because this one is literally perfect!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Britt! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my borscht recipe!
Your video quantities are different from the recipe to print. Should I use 4 cups of broth and 6 cups of water or 8 cups of broth and 2 cups of water?
Hi Kaela, sorry for the confusion. We updated the recipe to add more broth and less water for richer flavor.
Hi love your recipes , and watching you cook is really lovely
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my videos and recipes, Angela! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi, thank you for sharing this recipe! I currently have red/purple cabbage, could I use it in the soup? Or should only green cabbage be used?
Hi JL, we prefer it with regular cabbage, but our readers also reported it works great with red cabbage! I hope you love this recipe!
Love this soup! As for no crying when dicing onions, look for onion goggles on Amazon! They come in cute colors and have saved my eyes many times!
That’s a thing?! That’s awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Can you freeze this dish? It would be great if you add this advice for someone like me who lives on his own and cooks in bulk and freezes individual meals. Saves me cooking every night!
Hi Stuart, yes, borscht freezes very well. I would leave out the garnish (sour cream or mayo) until serving.
This is one way to dice onions with no crying!….Cut off the top end of the onion and peel the onion. Then cut vertically from one side of the root end to the top. Do NOT cut through the root, but cut from the side right next to the root. Then turn the each half on their cut sides. (You will dice one, then dice the other one never cutting into the root). So, after cutting the onion in half and laying each one on their cut sides, slice each half cross wise, then slice each half vertically. If you want a small dice, just cut the “rows” smaller/thinner, and vice versa for a larger dice. It’s SO easy and works every time! Also, for that stinky onion smell on your fingers, just wash your hands w/ soap (I use dishwashing liquid soap, but anything will work) with COLD water! That’s it! No onion smell!
Thank you for sharing!
Another fabulous recipe and I have you to thank. You are one awesome culinary specialist! And a beautiful person with a big heart I must add.
That’s nice of you, thank you so much for your good comments and feedback!
We made this tonight and it was great. Easy and tasty.
I’m so glad to hear that, Ben. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hello, to stop crying when peeling onion take a large paper towel, wet it and put it as close to your cutting board as you can. The moisture then draws the onion enzymes to it.
Thanks for sharing that tip with me, Jean! Great idea!
Hi.
So the video shows to add 4 cups of soup and 6 cups of water, while the recipe says 8 cups of soup and 2 cups of water. What is the difference?
Hi SK, sorry for the confusion. We updated the recipe to add more broth and less water for richer flavor.
Thank you:)
Beans in borscht? Not in the authentic one … however, cabbage always 🙂 I can send you the original Ukrainian recipe if you like …
Hi Mona, I’d love to try your family version. We make it several ways including with cabbage and with meat.
I prefer tomato paste to ketchup. And cabbage is a must!
Hi Tim! Yes! That is one way to add tomato acidity without using ketchup! Great alternative! I hope you like and try our version!
LOVE this recipe, but today I am finding myself with not enough chicken broth. Do you ever sub veggie broth? I probably have enough to go half and half chicken and veg.
Hi Jane, I haven’t tested this with veggie broth, but it should work! If you experiment, I would love to know how you like that.