Borscht | Borsch – Beetroot Soup
- Appetizers & Snacks, Main Dishes, Russia, Soups & Stews, Ukraine, Winter
This delicious Borscht | Borsch – Beetroot Soup is very common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is made with fresh beetroots, beef shanks, onions, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. Topped with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill. It’s a great recipe for cold winter days!
The exact origin of Borscht | Borsch is very controversial. Cultural historians believe that the soup was invented in Kievan Rus as early as the Middle Ages. Kievan Rus or also the Kievan Empire was a medieval Old East Slavic Empire, which includes today’s states of Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus.
Therefore, today the Borscht | Borsch is very common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia and is prepared differently depending on the region. However, regardless of the region, the beetroot is almost always a staple ingredient of the soup.
This recipe of Borscht | Borsch is based on the Russian and Ukrainian version of the recipe and is prepared with fresh beetroot, beef shanks, onions, carrots, potatoes and white cabbage.
Ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- carrot
- leek
- celery root
- parsley root
- onions
- beef shanks
- potatoes
- white cabbage
- beetroot
- butter
- bay leaves, pimento, peppercorns, juniper berries
- sugar
- apple cider vinegar
- salt & pepper
- sour cream
- fresh dill
How to make Borscht | Borsch - Beetroot Soup:
(1) For the Beef Broth
In a large saucepan, bring the previously washed 700 g beef shanks with 3 liters of water to a boil and then switch to medium heat so that it only simmers. Skim off the foam from the surface of the water and dispose of it.
Wash the soup greens (1 carrot, 150 g celery root, 100 g parsley root, 1 leek and 1 small onion) and cut into large pieces. Add the soup greens along with 3 bay leaves, 3 pimento grains, 5 peppercorns, 3 juniper berries and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the simmering meat. Let the broth simmer for approx. 2 – 2 1/2 hours.
Remove the meat, let it cool briefly and cut into bite-sized pieces. Pour the rest of the broth through a sieve and collect in a separate saucepan. Discard the cooked soup greens and the spices.
(2) Making Borscht | Borsch
While the broth is simmering, prepare the remaining ingredients for the Borscht. Wash and peel 500 g white cabbage, 100 g carrots and 500 g beetroot and slice into fine strips with a kitchen grater (mandolin). Cut 4 small onions into small cubes. Peel 500 g potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces.
In a large saucepan, sauté the onions with 70 g butter until translucent. Then add the 100 g carrots, 500 g beetroot and 500 g white cabbage one after the other and steam each for about 5 minutes.
When everything is well steamed and the vegetables have softened slightly, add the beef broth until all ingredients are completely covered.
Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Then add the meat and potatoes and simmer for another 30-60 minutes. The potatoes should be nice and soft.
Finally, season with salt and pepper.
(3) Serve Borscht | Borsch
Place the Borscht | Borsch in soup bowls and serve with a good dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.
Some Recipe Tips:
Pink-Violett Color: Sometimes, the beetroot color can turn more red, when cooked for a long time. If you want to enhance the pink-violett coloring, you can add some beetroot juice about 5 min before the end of the cooking time.
Storage: The soup will last up to 5 days in the fridge. It actually tastes even better the next day, so you can also prepare this soup the day before.
Borscht | Borsch – Beetroot Soup
Course: Appetizers, Main Dishes, Soups & StewsCuisine: Russia, UkraineDifficulty: Normal30
minutes3 to 3 1/2
hours3 1/2 to 4
hoursThis delicious Borscht | Borsch - Beetroot Soup is very common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is made with fresh beetroots, beef shanks, onions, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. Topped with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill. It’s a great recipe for cold winter days!
Ingredients
- Beef Broth:
3 liters water
700 g beef shanks
1 carrot
1 leek
150 g celery root
100 g parsley root
1 small onion
3 bay leaves
3 pimento grains
5 peppercorns
3 juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon salt
- Borscht | Borsch
4 small onions
100 g carrots
500 g beetroot
500 g potatoes
500 g white cabbage
70 g butter
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper
sour cream for topping
fresh dill to garnish
Directions
For the Beef Broth
In a large saucepan, bring the previously washed 700 g beef shanks with 3 liters of water to a boil and then switch to medium heat so that it only simmers. Skim off the foam from the surface of the water and dispose of it.
Wash the soup greens (1 carrot, 150 g celery root, 100 g parsley root, 1 leek and 1 small onion) and cut into large pieces. Add the soup greens along with 3 bay leaves, 3 pimento grains, 5 peppercorns, 3 juniper berries and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the simmering meat. Let the broth simmer for approx. 2 - 2 1/2 hours.
Remove the meat, let it cool briefly and cut into bite-sized pieces. Pour the rest of the broth through a sieve and collect in a separate saucepan. Discard the cooked soup greens and the spices.
Making Borscht | Borsch
While the broth is simmering, prepare the remaining ingredients for the Borscht. Wash and peel 500 g white cabbage, 100 g carrots and 500 g beetroot and slice into fine strips with a kitchen grater (mandolin). Cut 4 small onions into small cubes. Peel 500 g potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces.
In a large saucepan, sauté the onions with 70 g butter until translucent. Then add the 100 g carrots, 500 g beetroot and 500 g white cabbage one after the other and steam each for about 5 minutes.
When everything is well steamed and the vegetables have softened slightly, add the beef broth until all ingredients are completely covered.
Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Then add the meat and potatoes and simmer for another 30-60 minutes. The potatoes should be nice and soft.
Finally, season with salt and pepper.
Serve Borscht | Borsch
Place the Borscht | Borsch in soup bowls and serve with a good dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.
Notes
- Pink-Violett Color: Sometimes, the beetroot color can turn more red, when cooked for a long time. If you want to enhance the pink-violett coloring, you can add some beetroot juice about 5 min before the end of the cooking time.
- Storage: The soup will last up to 5 days in the fridge. It actually tastes even better the next day, so you can also prepare this soup the day before.
