Borscht
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This Ukrainian-style borscht is filled with tender vegetables in a lightly tangy, nourishing broth. If you’ve only had the kind from a jar, this one may surprise you.
Borscht always makes me think of my grandmother, who kept a glass jar of the store-bought kind in the fridge at all times. It was deeply magenta, unapologetically pungent, and—if I’m being honest—not all that appealing! But it was a staple for her, and for many grandmothers with roots in Eastern Europe—and once you taste a good one, it’s easy to see why.
This Ukrainian-style borscht is made by simmering vegetables like beets, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots in a lightly tangy beef broth. It’s a more refined take on the store-bought variety, but still has everything you’d expect: tender veggies, earthy sweetness from the beets, and that signature vibrant color and tangy flavor. Finished with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill, it’s cozy, hearty, and deeply satisfying. I like to serve it with crusty bread or rye on the side for dipping.
What You’ll Need To Make Borscht
- Onion, Celery, Cabbage, Beets, Potatoes, and Carrots: These vegetables form the hearty base of the soup.
- Beef Broth and Tomato Paste: A good-quality broth creates a rich foundation, while tomato paste adds depth and concentrated flavor.
- Vinegar: A splash of vinegar brightens the earthy beets and balances the richness.
- Sour Cream and Fresh Dill: Added at the end, these finishing touches bring cool creaminess and a fresh, herby pop to each bowl.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the onions and celery. Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 2: Simmer the broth, seasoning, and veggies. Stir in the broth, cabbage, beets, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and carrots, return to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes more until tender. Discard the bay leaf and stir in the vinegar.
Pro Tip: Adding the potatoes and carrots later in the process ensures they don’t overcook. This staggered cooking method prevents the smaller vegetables from turning to mush while the heartier beets and cabbage soften.
Step 3: Season and serve. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then ladle into bowls and top with sour cream and fresh dill.
Pro Tip: The vinegar is the secret to a vibrant bowl. If the soup tastes a bit flat, add an extra teaspoon of vinegar.
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Borscht
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 6 cups beef broth, best quality such as Swanson
- 4 cups (10 oz) (lightly packed) green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 lb beets peeled and diced into ¾-in (2-cm) pieces
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 lb/454 g), cubed into ½-in (13-mm) pieces (no need to peel)
- 2 medium carrots, diced into ½-in (13-mm) pieces
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- Sour cream, for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the broth, cabbage, beets, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and carrots, bring back to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes more, or until all the vegetables are tender. Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir in the vinegar, then taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a generous spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh dill.
Notes
- Beets can stain hands, cutting boards, and light-colored towels. I recommend wearing gloves while prepping them and using a plastic or well-worn cutting board. If your board does turn pink, don’t worry—it usually fades with washing, time, or a little sunlight; a quick wipe with diluted vinegar can help too.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: Borscht can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator; the flavor actually improves as it sits. Reheat gently on the stovetop. To freeze, let the soup cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers, leaving a little space at the top for expansion; freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop. Add the sour cream and fresh dill only when serving.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Excellent! This is flavorful (and filling) and great with a dollop of sour cream. I will be making this again.
Very good recipe. I’m always looking for good beet recipes & this was great!!! Excellent with rye bread.
This is one of the most delicious soups I’ve made in my life and I’m pretty darn old. You’ve made it enormously difficult to leave a comment, why is that? Anyway, this soup recipe is deeeeelicuos. It’s definitively a keeper to add to my soup rotation but honestly it deserves a review all on its own. Flavorful, well balanced, it’s all there. I wasn’t expecting the flavor but the beets/cabbage flavor is perfect. I added 2 TB of lemon juice, not the vinegar. I had Meyer lemon juice leftover from the season that I had juiced and saved and that was the perfect flavor balance. Thanks for a wonderful, tasteful recipe.
Would it be okay to use vegetable broth instead of beef broth?
It won’t be quite as rich, but yes, vegetable broth will work. Enjoy!
Made this for dinner last night – actually started it earlier in the day so that I only had to reheat it. Mine seemed a bit flat but with more vinegar, some mushroom powder and salt/pepper it was lovely. Some for the freezer and a bowl for each of us today. Makes a good amount and really delicious. I still have to remind myself to TASTE as I go but Jenn’s seasonings are always amazing.
I’ve always shyed away from beet recipes, not being a big fan of the pickled beets my mother used to serve. But this delicious Borscht has certainly changed that!
Such a delicious recipe. Followed it to the letter, and as Jenn advised, did add a bit extra vinegar at the end. A wonderful bit of tang. The vegetables were perfectly cooked. A hit with everyone and we can’t wait to taste it tomorrow, as I know it will only be better. Thank you, Jenn, for another wonderful recipe!
Could I use canned beets
I don’t recommend it – sorry!
My mother always used apple cider vinegar. Also this is so much more delicious if you have access to real beef bones for rendering the broth.
Oh, the dreaded Manischewitz jar…can’t wait to try this, looks delicious!
Could you use red wine or balsamic vinegar instead?
Sure – I’d probably opt for red wine vinegar over balsamic. 🙂
No balsamic, but plain white, red, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice would work.