Have you ever tasted real Ukrainian borscht? A hearty soup made of beef or pork stock, beets, cabbage and potatoes. If not, here is an authentic recipe that my mother and grandmother used throughout my childhood.
If you like this borscht recipe, try my other Russian dishes like Beef Stroganoff or Russian Meat Dumplings Pelmeni.
I can hardly believe I am finally sharing my family’s borscht recipe! The recipe that was at the top of my list when I first started my blog six years ago.
It took me this long because BORSCHT is the first dish that comes to anyone’s mind when they describe Russian food. It is a hefty task to deliver the perfect recipe, which comes with a great deal of responsibility to do it justice.
It is also one of the simplest tasks because this borscht recipe has been in my family for a few generations, and very much like my Beef Stroganoff recipe or my Cabbage Rolls recipe is in my blood.
Is Borscht Russian or Ukrainian?
Despite most people associating this recipe with Russia, borscht, or as it is properly pronounced borsch, is actually Ukrainian. Yes, there is no ‘t’ at the end of the word. I know…mind blown!
That being said there are historical records of Russian tsars eating it centuries ago and the soup is almost as popular in Russia as it is in Ukraine.
There is also a Polish borscht and although I don’t know as much about it I know that it also features beets.
What goes into this iconic beet soup?
Trick question! The truth is that the recipe ingredients vary by country, region and households. However, several ingredients stay unchanged and they are the ones that make a soup into borscht.
- beets
- cabbage
- potatoes
- carrots
- onions
How do I make borscht?
1. Stock
Every building needs a solid foundation and every soup starts with a great stock. Making a delicious stock is by far the most time consuming part of this recipe. It’s not difficult, it just takes time.
The best flavour comes from meat on a bone, simple vegetables like onions, carrots and celery and a couple of aromatics. My mother always used bay leaves and peppercorns and I do the same.
2. Soup
Once the stock is made and clarified, the soup itself takes no more than 30 minutes to make.
If you are short for time, I recommend making the stock the night before or even purchasing a good quality broth from a supermarket.
There is no specific technique that is needed for making an authentic Russian borscht but you do need to add vegetables in a specific order to ensure they all get cooked to perfection in the end.
For example, cabbage doesn’t take too long to cook and therefore needs to be added last.
Lastly, grated carrots and chopped onions are always sautéed in sunflower oil until caramelised and added to borscht towards the end. This method is called “zazharka” in Russian and Ukrainian cooking.
Many cooks do the same with beets but sautéing beets separately only adds more unnecessary steps to the recipe and doesn’t contribute anything to the flavour. I tend to skip sautéing and add raw grated beets directly to the soup.
What do you eat with borscht?
In Russia and Ukraine borscht is usually eaten for lunch as a first course followed by the second course of “meat and potatoes”. Although traditionally it was meat and potatoes, I put it in quotations as it could be anything other than soup. The third course is something sweet.
Although traditional not many people have the time or appetite to eat this way in the middle of the day, so many have just the soup.
Borscht is almost always served with a dollop of smetana or sour cream and sprinkled with fresh herbs like dill or parsley. Fresh bread is also a permanent accompaniment to this delicious red-coloured soup.
More Russian soup recipes
- Restaurative Beef and Cabbage Soup ‘Shchi’
- Russian sweet and sour beef stew Solyanka
- Russian meatball soup
- Yellow Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
For the stock
- 3 litres/3 quarts cold water
- 600g/1 1/2 lbs pork ribs or beef attached to a bone
- 1/2 onion
- 1 carrot
- 2 celery sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 peppercorns
- 1 tsp salt
For the borscht
- 2/2cups medium beets peeled and grated
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
- 2 medium carrots grated
- 1/1/2cup medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp tomato puree/paste
- 1/2 small white cabbage cored and sliced
- 1 lemon juice only or 1 tsp of white vinegar
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
For the stock
- In a large stock pot combine water, pork ribs cut into smaller chunks to fit the pot, quartered half onion, celery sticks and carrot cut in half, bay leaves and peppercorns and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer for 1 hour to 1.5 hours until the meat is nearly falling off the bones. Remove the scum that floats to the top with a slotted spoon several times through the process.
- When the stock is done, let it cool slightly, then remove the ribs to a separate plate and strain the stock by pouring it over a sieve. Discard the vegetables.
- When the meat is cool enough to handle, take it off the bones and shred with two forks or by hand. Set aside until needed. Discard the bones. The stock could be made be in advance and frozen until needed.
For the borscht
- Prepare all the vegetables by peeling and grating the beets and carrots separately, chopping the onions, peeling and cutting the potatoes and slicing the cabbage. Have all vegetables ready before starting on the soup.
- Add the stock to the large soup pot, then add shredded meat, grated beets, cut into medium chunks potatoes, tomato puree, a pinch of salt and one bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer.
- Meanwhile heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan, then add the grated carrots and chopped onions and saute over low heat for 7-10 minutes until caramelised, then add minced garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
- When the onions and carrots are done, add them to the soup pot together with sliced cabbage and cook for 15 minutes or until the cabbage leaves are tender but not mushy. Then add the juice of one lemon or 1 tsp of white vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve borscht with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche and sprinkled with fresh dill or parsley.
Notes
- Alternatively you can skip making your own stock and purchase a good quality beef or chicken broth from a supermarket.
Peter says
I have never had borscht before but was curious. I love beets and thought this might be interesting. I was stunned, this is probably now my favorite soup. I ate this for a week for lunch, so, so good. Thank you so much for this recipe, it is spectacular. I plan on making this again this month as I could eat this everyday and not get bored with it. Now on to your beef stroganoff.
vikalinka says
Wow Peter, what an amazing outcome! Thank you for such a lovely review and enjoy! 🙂
Scott says
Hello,
I tried your recipe and it turned out well, sorta…
I used beef stock, instead off the first stock recipe. And used 1kg of chuck steak instead off the rib meat, instead of making the stock from scratch.
I used a pot about the same size as the one in the pic above, but couldn’t fit all off the cabbage in, without it over flowing..
Never the less, it tastes great, but think I over did the ingredients (estimating cups of ingredients..) its a lot chunkier then your pics. Also brown, not the purple colour.
Ill try again with less vegetables. It turned out well but as stated couldn’t really fit the pot, and a lot less stock/water to solids then your pics..
Never the less, ill try again as well others of your recipes.
Thanks,
Scott from Aus
vikalinka says
Hi Scott, the pot I used is 5 litre capacity. You can always add more water or stock if yours was too chunky and also reduce the amount of cabbage if it wasn’t fitting. As I mentioned in the post, traditional borscht is very thick. There is even an old saying that your spoon should be able stand straight up in the bowl. 🙂 The soup also gets more red (not purple) as it sits and beets release their juices. When you look at it the following day everything including the potatoes will be deep red. I am glad you enjoyed it and thank you for your comment!
Scott says
Thanks for the comment,
Guess I got it close to right then, other then the redness (a spoon would stand up). And I do like it the way it is where the spoon can stand up straight (I like more chunky meals as it turned out)! Ill make it again.
Ill look for more of your recipes in the future!
Scott from Aus!
vikalinka says
I am so glad to hear it, Scott. I should also mention that the colour depends on the type of beets used! I don’t have those varieties here in the UK but there are some varieties that give out very little colour and the broth turns slightly pink rather than deep red. I hope this helps!
Rose says
I’m trying this recipe for the first time…so ecxited!
vikalinka says
Enjoy, Rose!
Melo Gardener says
55 Years ago at 15 years,I ate for the first time, this very Bortsch in a German Deli full of fresh made breads etc in Mainland, British Columbia, Canada. I have never come across this recipe since and thought it was a one off. I have made it all my life since and there is really nothing like it. I did not know if it was Russian or German so that is what I told people it was, Russian or German. It is the richest and most wonderful soup in the world.. nothing like it… Thank you for sharing it out here. Warmed my heart.
vikalinka says
My pleasure, Melo! Thank you so much for your comment!
Erin Basile says
How much broth do you need if you use store bought?
vikalinka says
Between 2.5-3 litres.
Fiona says
I have just returned to my home in Scotland after travelling on the Trans Siberian Railway, from Moscow to Vladivostok. I ordered borscht at every opportunity as it was so delicious and nutritious. I found your wonderful recipe and am now making my second batch following your method to the letter. My family absolutely loved it! Thank you so much. I have can’t wait to try out all your other recipes.
vikalinka says
What a sweet comment, Fiona! I am absolutely thrilled that this borscht recipe travels well across countries!! Incidentally we spent a week of our summer in Scotland and loved it!
Amber says
I have cooked this a couple of times, followed the recipe to the letter … its delicious
vikalinka says
That is so wonderful to hear, Amber! Now that the weather is getting colder each day I crave the comfort of this soup!
Sue R says
Sounds just like how my Ukrainian grandmother made it but she used vinegar and can’t remember about the celery but I think it’s a nice addition any case! Must make some soon.
vikalinka says
The celery is only used in the stock to infuse it with more flavour. No celery in the actual soup. Vinegar is also given as an option in the recipe. My daughter has a dislike for it, so I sometimes use lemon juice for a softer flavour. I hope you try my version, Sue!
Jacqueline Sitter says
Russian borscht always has DILL AND vinegar. No celery. No lemon juice. And vinegar and sour cream on the table to serve. Tomatoes, beets, cabbage and potatoes. Onions, pepper, salt, garlic. My large extended family are Russian. And would shoot of it wasn’t done right
vikalinka says
Hi Jacqueline, borsch is incredibly regional and there is literally no “right way” to make it. It varies vastly from Eastern to Western Ukraine, where it’s originally from, not Russia. In some parts of Ukraine it’s deeply red, in others it’s only pink in colour. Sometimes beans are added. It could be made with meat or left vegetarian. There are lengthy articles written about the history and variations of this amazing soup in both Ukraine and Russia. This particular recipe is typical to the part of Russia I was born and raised in but as I mentioned in the post itself, every family adds their own touch.
Patti says
How many does this feed?
vikalinka says
This recipe is enough to feed 8. You can find this information in the recipe card under servings, Patti. Enjoy!
Jodi says
First time making borscht and I really liked this recipe. I used beets ,onions and potatoes from the farmers market. So fresh.
Can leftovers be frozen?
vikalinka says
Hi Jodi, I am so glad you enjoyed this borscht recipe! You can certainly freeze the leftovers but in my opinion the texture of the vegetables change a bit when defrosted, especially cabbage. So if you don’t mind that, freezing is a really good and practical option.
Joan says
I had never made my own beef broth before and think that taking the time to do that was key to this amazing result. Also I had never added meat to the borscht before. I was home on a sick day, so had the time and decided to try. (Didn’t have potatoes or white cabbage handy, so they are not included.) Added a spoon of pickle juice. Used the beet greens, which I love. Every delicious cup gets warmed with a drop of cream (it was in the fridge) and then a healthy dollop of plain non-fat Greek Greek yogurt. I will freeze leftovers, if there are any. Seems I have 2 cups every time… beyond delicious, healthy and healing. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
vikalinka says
Dear Joan, you absolutely made my day with this comment. I love that you made this borscht your own and I love the addition of beet greens! Wishing you a very speedy recovery!
Emilee says
I am trying this recipe today and am curious what 2/2 cups medium beets mean? Mine has chicken stock and I added a can of pinto beans in lieu of the meat and red cabbage instead of green as I had it on hand. Looking forward to it.
vikalinka says
Hi Emilee, 2/2 cups medium beets means 2 medium beets, which roughly translates into 2 cups. I love the pinto beans sub idea! Enjoy!!
Paul says
My mother would roll over in her grave No celery!
vikalinka says
Hi Paul, I haven’t seen or tasted celery until I moved to the US, so I can’t say celery is something that is used in Russia extensively, at least not the green parts. Celery root on the other hand is quite traditional.
Jurij Nemanic says
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us Julia!
I have cooked borscht with native Russians few times and I have to confirm that this recipe is the original one.
What is the secret to get this nice colour?
vikalinka says
Thank you, Jurij! The borscht gets its colour from the beets and gets darker the following day.
Rose says
I am making this soup today, how many carrots are needed for the soup portion?
vikalinka says
Two carrots for the soup, Rose. So sorry I just noticed I missed to add carrots to the ingredient list. It’s been amended. Thanks for letting me know!
Cat | Curly’s Cooking says
I didn’t know there could be so many variations. It’s such a wonderfully bright and inviting soup. I’ve never tried it before but I’ll definitely be adding it to my list!
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks for all the fantastic information about Borscht in this post. It’s so very vibrant – your pictures show off this traditional dish superbly.
Anna | Serving Dumplings says
Yes, there’s also a Polish version 🙂 But most of the time we make the Ukrainian borscht version, it’s so filling and satisfying!
Will definitely try yours!!
vikalinka says
Oh I was wondering how the Polish version differed. Thanks, Anna! 🙂
Jeffrey Sellegren says
I like to start with low sodium beef stock and enriched it with additional meat and bones.I do this instead of using water. That way I get serious stock.
Esha says
That looks really delicious. I have never made it. I love how deep red and vibrant it looks. Definitely going to give it a try.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Look at that. The colour is so appealing, it just draws you in.