Traditional Borscht Recipe

Bowl of traditional Ukranian borscht with slices of bread.

4.20 from 136 votes

You don’t have to be an experienced cook to make this easy and frugal traditional borscht recipe (aka beet and cabbage soup). This recipe is so versatile, which is great for using up leftover veggies or whatever produce is growing in the garden. Whether you choose the vegetarian version or add beef, pork, or sausage, it’s equally delicious.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Ukrainian

Keyword: Borscht, traditional borscht recipe, Ukranian Borscht Recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 119kcal

Author: Melissa Norris

Cost: varies

Equipment

Soup Pot
Kitchen Utensils knife, cutting board, etc.

Ingredients

1 cup celery diced
1 cup onions diced
1 cup cabbage chopped
2 cloves garlic grated or pressed
1 Tablespoon of butter for sautéing onions and celery
8 cups water or beef broth/chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes 1 quart home-canned or a 28-oz can of store-bought
2 large beets or 3 medium beets, half grated and half diced
1 large carrots or 2 medium, grated
1 medium potato diced
1/2 cup fresh dill weed
salt and pepper to taste I love Redmond Real Salt. Use code “Pioneering” for 15% off
bay leaf optional

Instructions

Sauté the onions, celery and cabbage with the butter until soft and translucent.
Add the can of diced tomatoes and the garlic, as well as all of the water or broth.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to medium heat and let simmer.
Peel the beets, carrots and potato.
Dice half the beets and grate the other half.
Grate all the carrots.
Dice the potato.
Add the beets, carrots and potato to the broth. If you would like to add any other optional vegetables (ie. beans, peas, beet greens, etc.) do so now.
Allow soup to simmer on medium until diced beets and potatoes are soft (test them with a fork or by biting into them!), about 15 minutes. Remove soup from heat.
Stir in chopped fresh dill weed and salt and black pepper.
Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and a slice of bread and butter (rye bread is best!)

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions:

Butter - The traditional recipe calls for butter, but you could use olive, avocado or coconut oil if you need a dairy-free option.

Water - For a vegetarian version, you can use water or vegetable broth, but beef or chicken bone broth can also be used for a deeper flavor profile. I pressure-can homemade chicken broth, so that’s usually what I have on hand.

Optional Ingredients - You can add in bay leaves, green beans, peas, beet greens and shredded pork or pork sausage as desired. With hungry guys in my house, we usually opt to add in pork from our home-raised American Guinea Hogs.

Storing and Reheating Instructions:

Borscht will freeze exceptionally well, and it’s a great way to use up all sorts of late summer and fall vegetables from your garden that you might not think to combine otherwise (like tomatoes, carrots, beets and dill).

To freeze, allow your soup to cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. (You’ll need to leave an inch or two for expansion.) Freeze for up to three months.

When you’re ready to enjoy, defrost the borscht in the refrigerator overnight and gently reheat it on the stovetop over low heat.

Nutrition