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
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
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?
Great soup !!!!!! a lit candle helps when cutting onions, no more tears 😭😃
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Edith!
I use beef broth instead of chicken, and I do add cabbage for more German flair. Question, your video says to add 6 cups water, but your recipe says 8 c broth + 2 c water.
Hi Bonnie, sorry for the confusion. We updated the recipe to add more broth and less water for a richer flavor.
This was literally the best. Unbelievable! I had never had borscht before but wow this was wonderful and hearty.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Natasha!
I left a review before, but I forgot the stars! Definitely worth all 5 stars -though I still need to try it with beans and not with the sausage I put in it 🙂 Thank you!
Thank you so much, Jo! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Just finished eating this and it is now a family staple. Such a simple but delicious soup. I liked the use of ketchup instead of tomato paste because I always have it in the fridge. Great Borscht!
Sounds awesome! I’m really glad you enjoyed this recipe, Scott. Thanks for the review.
First of all, let me state that I have never tried Russian/Ukrainian food, so my 3 stars is strictly down to me not being a huge fan of the soup. I will try it if/when I get a chance at a restaurant so I have a better comparison. It wasn’t particularly difficult to make or anything.
I like sharing different cultures with my family however I can, oftentimes with different foods. I read a quote today regarding the Ukranian crisis, “The two most important things a Ukrainian woman needs to know is how to make borscht and Molotovs.”
I’m not about to teach my kids how to make Molotovs, so I decided to look for a recipe for borscht and came across yours. It’s simmering on the stove right now but the broth tastes wonderful! Looking forward to seeing what my family thinks.
Prayers for the people of Ukraine and for those with family/friends in Ukraine!
Borscht is a great choice, it is always loved by many! I hope your family will enjoy it too. Thank you so much for your prayers, it means a lot to all of us.
This reminds me of my year in Russia! The flavor combinations you had in there were so balanced and rich. Thank you! I always remember there being some sort of meat in the soup, so I replaced the beans with sausage. It was delicious! I might try the beans next time.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jo!
Always wanted to make borscht with beats from the garden. Your recipe caught my eye and I am so glad I did! Just added portabella mushrooms and it is so good. Thank you for your recipe Natasha. Love your videos.
That sounds delicious! I love mushrooms, thank you for sharing.
how long does this recipe take, i need to do this for home ec. project
Hi Daemon, this recipe should take a total of 1 hour 10 minutes. We have the steps and total time listed on the printable recipe card. Click “Jump to Recipe” to see those notes. I hope that helps.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I topped it with a spoonful of mayonnaise ;). And guess what? I had the flu two weeks ago, and am still recovering, not feeling great, until I ate this Borscht tonight with beet greens and I feel so much better! I love this recipe, it’s the best. Looking forward to leftovers.
Wow, I’m so glad to hear that you’re feeling so much better. Stay safe!
First time making Borscht. Your recipe is not only easy to follow, but the soup turned out to be success. It was delicious and heart warming. It is perfect for this cold weather. I used a bit more garlic and dill, and fresh squeezed lemon instead of vinegar. My husband, who has never had it, enjoyed it very much as well. Thank you for the recipe.
I am so happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing. Excellent choice using lemon! 🙂
The recipe is good but wasn’t flavorful enough to my taste. I added much more dill, vinegar and garlic and put in a few other spices and in the end it was delicious! Definitely gonna make it again.
Thanks for the feedback, Emily. Feel free to add more seasoning next time and adjust it according to your preference.
I am Ukrainian… Ukrainian Borscht is pork based, not chicken. This is probably why.
New family favorite recipe! I forgot to add sour cream or mayo, we will definitely try that next time.
Hi Collette, good to know that you loved this recipe! Yes, please try it with sour cream or mayo next time.
The sour cream takes the soup to the next level. You’ll love it!
It turned out great. I’m not sure how to add a picture but it looked and tasted wonderful.
Thank you for your good comments and review, Elizabeth. You will not be able to add a photo here but feel free to share them on our Facebook page or group.
My husband’s family is from the Republic of Georgia. I’m from Illinois. His mom showed me how to make this but without any measurements. I was so excited to see your site and a video. It was very easy to make and tastes even better. We like our sour cream. 🙂 Thank you
You’re most welcome, Molly. Thank you for your good comments and feedback, good to know that you liked the recipe!
How many days in advance can you prepare borscht and how would you store it (other than freezing).
Hi Kent, I’ve only tried freezing this. Borscht freezes very well. I would leave out the garnish (sour cream or mayo) until serving.
I made this soup on New Year’s Eve, and it was a huge hit! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it, Holly!
I’m wondering the recipe says grated beets but in the photo they look sliced
Hi Jackie, please see this note in the recipe “You can slice the beets into matchsticks but it is way way easier to grate and children don’t mind the texture of grated beet” it works well both ways.
Instead of grating the beets I run them throw a french fry cutter.
Great idea! I bet that’s a great time saver!