Barszcz Czerwony (Polish Clear Beet Broth)

About This Recipe

Barszcz Czerwony is a real, traditional Polish dish, known as Polish Clear Beet Broth. A clear, deeply red beet broth soured with fermented beet juice, traditionally served with mushroom-filled dumplings on Christmas Eve.\n\nBarszcz czerwony is central to Poland's Wigilia (Christmas Eve) meal, its clear, tangy broth achieved through a slow fermentation of beets called zakwas buraczany, a technique documented in Polish kitchens for centuries.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Polish home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgbeets(peeled and grated)
• 2 Lvegetable or beef stock
• 1yellow onion(halved and charred)
• 1carrot
• 4garlic cloves
• 2bay leaves
• 4allspice berries
• 300 mlfermented beet juice (zakwas buraczany)(store-bought or homemade)
• 1 tbspwhite vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Char the onion

   Char the halved onion directly over a flame or under a broiler until blackened in spots; this deepens the broth's color and flavor.

2. 2

   Simmer the base

   Combine grated beets, stock, charred onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves and allspice in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes.

3. 3

   Strain

   Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discarding the solids, to achieve a clear liquid.

4. 4

   Add the sour

   Stir in the fermented beet juice, vinegar and sugar.

5. 5

   Adjust seasoning

   Taste and adjust salt, sugar and acidity until the broth has a balanced sweet-tart depth.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve hot in cups or bowls, traditionally alongside small mushroom-filled dumplings (uszka).

Variations

• •

  Serve with uszka (small mushroom dumplings) for the traditional Christmas Eve presentation.

• •

  A version with a splash of red wine adds extra depth for a more festive occasion.

• •

  Serve as a starter with a small pierogi on the side instead of dumplings floating in the broth.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions