Borscht (Ukrainian Beet Soup)

About This Recipe

Borscht is far more than a soup in Ukraine — it is a cultural identity, a source of national pride, and a UNESCO-recognized piece of intangible cultural heritage. Every Ukrainian family has their own cherished borscht recipe, and the variations are endless: with meat or without, with beans or not, sourced with beet kvass or vinegar. The deep ruby color comes from beets, but the complexity of flavor comes from layering fried vegetables, tomato paste, and fresh herbs. Served with a thick dollop of smetana (sour cream) and pampushky (garlic bread rolls), a bowl of borscht is the definitive Ukrainian meal.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gbeef (shank or chuck), on the bone
• 3 mediumbeets, peeled and grated
• 300 gwhite cabbage, finely shredded
• 3 mediumpotatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 mediumcarrots, grated
• 2 mediumonions, diced
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 2 tbspsunflower oil
• 1 tspsugar
• 2 tspsalt
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 2 tbspfresh dill, chopped
• 200 mlsmetana or sour cream, for serving
• 2 literswater

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the broth

   Place the beef and bone in a large pot with 2 liters of cold water. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 60 minutes until the beef is tender. Remove the beef, shred the meat, and return it to the strained broth.

2. 2

   Fry the vegetables

   Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook 3 more minutes. Add the grated beets, tomato paste, vinegar, and sugar. Cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until the beets are softened and the mixture is fragrant.

3. 3

   Cook the potatoes

   Add the diced potatoes to the broth and cook for 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Add cabbage and beet mixture

   Add the shredded cabbage and the fried beet-vegetable mixture to the pot. Stir well, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 15 minutes until all vegetables are tender.

5. 5

   Finish with garlic and dill

   Add the minced garlic and half the dill. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning. The borscht should be pleasantly sour-sweet. Simmer 5 more minutes.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Let the borscht sit off the heat for 10 minutes — this improves the color and flavor. Serve in deep bowls topped with smetana and fresh dill. Pampushky (garlic buns) are the traditional accompaniment.

Variations

• •

  Vegetarian borscht: skip the meat and use vegetable broth with added kidney beans.

• •

  Cold borscht (kholodnyk): blend the cooked soup and chill, served with cucumber and hard-boiled eggs.

• •

  Green borscht: made with sorrel instead of beets, a beloved spring variation.

Storage

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days — the flavor improves daily. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions