Enjoy a bowl of this vegetarian borscht soup with a big hunk of rye bread and butter or a nice, green salad on the side.
Borscht
This meatless Borscht soup recipe is loaded with beets and potatoes, cooked in broth (I prefer beef broth but vegetable broth works fine) for a veggie-loaded soup. It’s a gorgeous red color and so delicious. Some versions of traditional borscht have meat, but I didn’t put any in, so it can be made vegetarian, depending on what stock is used. I made this beet soup with beef broth, and it tasted great, but you can also use vegetable stock or broth. If you need some more beet recipes try this Red Beet Salad, Baby Greens with Goat Cheese, and Spiralized Mediterranean Beet and Feta Skillet Bake.
How healthy is borscht?
This healthy borscht soup is packed with nutrients from the potatoes and beets. Potatoes are a good source of fiber, protein, and vitamin C, while beets are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, like folate and potassium.
Borscht Ingredients
- Onion: Dice the onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Garlic: Mince three cloves.
- Tomato Paste: You’ll need three tablespoons. You can freeze the leftover paste in an ice cube tray to save for later.
- Spices: Smoked paprika and celery seeds
- Vegetables: Peel and cut a pound each of russet potatoes and beets in bite-sized cubes.
- Stock: Any stock or broth will work.
- Vinegar: Use one tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
- Garnish: Sour cream or plain yogurt and chopped dill and parsley
How to Make Borscht
- Sauté: Cook the onions, seasoned with salt and pepper, in a large saucepan on medium-high heat for five minutes until soft and slightly brown. Add the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, and celery seeds, and cook for a minute.
- Simmer: Add the potatoes, beets, and broth to the pot, boil, and reduce the heat to low to simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Season: Stir in the vinegar and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, dollop with sour cream or yogurt, and garnish with fresh herbs.
How to Freeze Borscht
Freeze leftover borscht soup in freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room at the top for the soup to expand. To thaw, place the container in the refrigerator the day before eating and then microwave until warm.
Variations
- Beef: If you want to make this with beef, add some cubed chuck beef to the broth before adding the vegetables and let it simmer until soft, at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours, then proceed as directed. You may need to add more broth.
- Potatoes: If you don’t have Russet potatoes, Yukon Gold are probably the best alternative.
- Stock: For vegetarian borscht, use vegetable stock.
- Vinegar: Swap red wine vinegar with white wine or apple cider vinegar.
- Dairy-Free: Skip the yogurt/sour cream at the end.
More Vegetarian Soup Recipes You’ll Love:
- Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Roasted Acorn Squash Soup
- Chickpea Tomato Soup
- Escarole and Chickpea Soup
- Green Detox Soup
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Borscht
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 pound Russet or other starchy potatoes, peeled and cut in bite-sized cubes
- 1 pound beets, peeled and cut in bite-sized cubes
- 4 cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock, (1 quart )
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Sour cream or plain yogurt, for topping
- Chopped dill and/or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a heavy-bottomed 3 quart or larger saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high, add the olive oil and swirl to coat.
- Add the onion, stir to coat, and season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few cracks of pepper. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion has softened and is just starting to brown.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, and celery seeds, and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the potatoes, beets, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and beets are tender.
- Stir in the vinegar. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if desired with more salt and pepper, to taste.
- To serve, ladle into soup bowls, and add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt on top, then garnish with a few pinches of chopped dill and/or parsley.
