Dinner · Lunch

Vegetable Borscht

An Eastern European beet soup with cabbage, potatoes and carrots, finished with a swirl of sour cream.

⏱ 1 hr 10 min (25 min prep, 45 min cooking) 🍽 Serves 6 · about 1 3/4 cups budgetfreezer friendlymake aheadleftovers vegetarianvegangluten freedairy free
📅 Add to my plan

None of the nine major allergens are in the usual versions of these ingredients. Check labels anyway; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 6 servings

  • Soup

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 Yellow onion, diced
  • 2 Carrots, grated
  • 4 Beets, peeled and grated
  • 3 clove Garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 6 cup Vegetable broth
  • 2 Russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
  • 3 cup Green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 leaf Bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Table salt
  • ¼ tsp Ground black pepper

  • To serve

  • ½ cup Sour cream (optional)
  • 2 tbsp Fresh dill, chopped (optional)

Make it yourself

Make the vegetable stock yourself →

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

Steps

You’ll need: large heavy pot or Dutch oven, box grater.

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrot 5 minutes. Add the beets and cook 5 minutes more, stirring.
  2. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
  3. Add the broth, potatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes.
  4. Add the cabbage and simmer 10 to 15 minutes more, until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
  5. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the vinegar, salt and pepper and taste. Serve with sour cream and dill if you like.
Make aheadBorscht is even better the next day. Keeps 5 days in the fridge; reheat to 165°F.
❄️ FreezerFreeze for 2 to 3 months for best quality. The potatoes soften a little.
↺ LeftoversPack hot in a preheated insulated food jar with a slice of rye bread.
🧒 With kidsGrate beets with gloves on or expect pink hands for a while. Kids can stir in their own sour cream swirl.
Dairy-free swapSkip the sour cream.
Gluten-free swapCheck the broth label.
Meatless swapAlready meatless; use beef broth and add 1 pound stew beef simmered until tender for a meat version.

Good to know

Cooking Fats Compared Stock vs. broth Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Fresh vs. dried herbs

An original Teddy Rook Book recipe. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.

@teddyrookbook GitHub Sources and credits