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?
I made this. So delicious. Tangy, full of veggies. Loved the addition of the beans as I like a high fibre diet.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Tracy!
Just a hint: I always light a candle bear my cutting board when I chop onions . It stops you from crying. Burns away the sulfur fumes. Works every time! Thank you for your great recipes! Live them!❤️❤️❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
That’s an awesome tip! Thank you for sharing, that is so helpful.
Very tasty! I changed up the cooking order a little bit and everything seemed to work out fine. A little different from how my mom would make it as she would normally add chunks of beef and I’m now vegetarian, so it’s somewhat hard to tell if I nailed the flavor profile. I had added a little worcestershire sauce instead of the vinegar to try to get a bit of umami in with my acidity and maybe underdid it. I have plenty of leftovers and might try adding another dash of vinegar to get that tang some of the other commenters mentioned. Very nice recipe, thanks so much for sharing!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, K!
I’m going to make your recipe although mine (and mamas) are very similar. Mama would sometimes add green beans, I usually don’t add beans but I think in this instance I will. Borscht is sooo good. I will let you know how it turns out.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Irene! I hope you love this recipe!
Is it possible to freeze leftover soup? If yes, for how long?
Hi Linda, yes, borscht freezes very well. I would leave out the garnish (sour cream or mayo) until serving.
I didn’t believe this really worked until I tried it for chopping onions without all the crying. Place a very damp paper towel next to your cutting board. The scientific reason for this is that fumes from the onions are drawn to moisture, which is why they make you cry. It really, really works! Can’t wait to make the borscht. It sounds delicious and I love all the great tips.
That’s a great suggestion, Kim. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This soup was absolutely unreal!! Can’t believe I’m discovering it just now, its a game changer. If you did want to add cabbage, how would you incorporate it? How about beef?
Forgot to add my star rating, gotta give credit where its due!
Thank you Suzana!
HI Suzana, check out our borscht with meat and cabbage recipe which will help to know when to incorporate. I’m so happy you loved this borscht recipe.
Awesome recipe. Made it as described….ish. I added a bunch of smoked paprika to the mirepoix to give it some intrigue. Also used pickle brine instead of vinegar – you’re welcome. Omitted the beans and added chopped green beans, peas and extra carrots in their place. Serve with crusty bread. Great healthy warming soup.
Thank you for your great review, Conor! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Best soup ever! This was absolutely delicious, and your recipe directions were spot on. Thank you for a fantastic meal!
I’m so glad my directions were helpful! Thank you for your lovely review, Jennifer!
Hi Natasha,
To ease the pain of onion cutting; fill your mouth with cold water until done. It really works!
Interesting! I havne’t tried that before! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Angie!
Made this exactly as written (ketchup rather than tomato sauce) and it is delicious!! This will be a regular winter meal for my family!
I’m so happy this was a hit with the family, Karyn!
I omit the potato for my husband. Homemade chicken stock is a MUST. I used lots of lemon juice instead of vinegar. Love love love this soup with sour cream.
Glad you enjoyed it!
It is a beet soup, not borsch. For borsch there must be cabbage too.
She specifically acknowledges that they don’t always use cabbage because her children don’t like it. It is still borscht with or without cabbage, as that’s an optional addition.
Thanks for sharing your family recipe- it was delicious! I cheated by roasting the beets the night before- (the skin just slips off) and then chopping coarsely in the food processor. I added the cabbage & topped with sour cream. Delicious!
Sounds great, Marie. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I have made this recipe several times and really enjoy it. Can I make it in a crock pot and take it to work? My coworkers would really like it I think.
Hi Sandy, 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! 🙂
This looks like a great recipe! If I wanted to use beef stew meat instead of beans, how and when would you incorporate that into the recipe? =)
Hi Abby! I have not tested that to provide instructions. I would probably cook it and serve it with the soup but let us know if you experiment with it.
Thanks for the recipe, just made this as written and it is good – the vinegar and dill are a must. Flavour is good but is not as full as I expected, is it better next day?
HI Karen, make sure to season to taste at the end. It tastes just as good the next day but won’t become more flavorful overnight.
Thank you for this lovely recipe. I made it with golden beets and it tastes delicious. The colour is a light golden yellow. I never tried it with beans before, it makes a nice addition to flavor and texture. I like a dollop of sour cream on top.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Tash! Thank you for your wonderful feedback!
Hey Natasha. Love your recipes. I have a very specific reason I visited this page a while back and here’s the story. I grew up Mennonite and my mom always made cabbage borscht. My wife on the other hand had beet borscht growing up, which I have come to really enjoy. But the first time I made it, I didn’t really have a recipe so I based it on my knowledge of my cabbage borscht, adding beets and taking out the cabbage. My wife’s review of the recipe included the phrase “This isn’t beet borscht, this is beet soup because you’ve added carrots, potatoes and onions!” Two things have resulted. The first, your recipe has justified my instincts and second…whenever I make it, I always tell her I’m making “beet soup“. 😂
In her comments to reviewers Natasha mentioned cabbage. Didn’t see it in the video or recipe. One whole head of cabbage? Added when?
Thanks much.
Hi there, I have this note in the recipe. 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.
I made your borscht recipe, but I had grown white/yellow beets in my garden. My borscht looks much different then your, but it taste great. I understand white beets have less of any earthy flavor.
Yes, that’s right but good to know that you enjoyed how it tasted!