Classic Russian Borscht
Beet-red, deeply savory soup with cabbage, potato, and a dollop of sour cream. Cold-weather comfort that gets better every day in the fridge.
- Total time:
- 1 hr 20 min
- Servings:
- 6
- Per serving:
- 320 kcal
- Cost per serving:
- $3.20
- Difficulty:
- medium
Step-by-step
Simmer beef in 8 cups water with bay leaves and salt for 45 minutes until tender. Pull out the meat, shred, set aside.
Sauté onion and carrot in 2 tbsp oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, cook 2 minutes.
Add the beets. Cover, sweat 8 minutes over low heat. Stir in vinegar (keeps the color vibrant).
Pour broth and beef back in. Add potatoes. Simmer 15 minutes.
15 min timer
Add cabbage. Simmer 8 more minutes until just tender.
8 min timer
Off heat. Stir in dill. Adjust salt and a splash more vinegar to taste.
Ladle into bowls. Big dollop of sour cream in the middle. Black bread on the side.
Cook's tip
Borscht is better the next day. Make it ahead and let the flavors meld overnight.
Storage
Refrigerate 5 days. The color deepens; the taste improves.
Freezer: Freezes 3 months. Reheat slowly.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320
- Protein
- 22g
- Carbs
- 28g
- Fat
- 14g
- Fiber
- 6g
- Sugar
- 12g
- Sat Fat
- 6g
- Sodium
- 780mg
Estimates based on USDA FoodData Central. See our nutrition disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Vegetarian version?
Skip beef, use vegetable broth, and add an extra potato. Add 1 tbsp soy sauce or miso for the savory depth meat would have provided.
Why grate the beets?
Grated beets release color and flavor faster and distribute through the soup. Cubed beets stay separate and pale.
Reviews
Aisha K.
2 weeks ago
Loved it but added an extra scotch bonnet — we like it spicy. Recipe scales well, made a double batch.
✓ Would make again
Tola O.
3 days ago
Made this for Sunday lunch — the smoky bottom turned out perfect. Family demolished the pot in twenty minutes.
✓ Would make again
Marcus B.
1 week ago
First time cooking this and the timing notes saved me. Did not lift the lid once. The crust at the bottom was the best part.
✓ Would make again
Reviews shown are illustrative pre-launch. Real user reviews appear here as the community grows.
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