How to Cook Borscht

Borscht is a traditional Ukranian soup that uses beets as the main ingredient. Sometimes tomato is used prominently. Other vegetables may also be included, and potatoes and cabbage are standard. Serve it with a dollop of sour cream.

Borscht is often served as traditional holiday starter.

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients needed to make borscht:

For the broth:

• 1 large bone of beef, rinsed
• 4 quarts water
• 1 celery head, roughly chopped
• 1 whole parsley root
• 2 leeks, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, peeled
• 1 head of garlic, unpeeled
• 1 whole parsley root
• 1 carrot, peeled and roughly cut into medium-sized chunks
• Salt to taste

For the soup:

• 1 large beet, peeled and grated
• 1 potato, peeled and diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 package sweet peas
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 celery, chopped (use the one in the broth)
• 1 parsley root, chopped (use the one in the broth)
• Few dill sprigs, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 6-8 whole peppercorns
• Soup seasoning to taste
• Salt freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cooking instructions for borscht:

• Fill a large stockpot with water and plop the bone in.
• Heat the water until it starts boiling and skim off the foam which appears on the surface.
• Add the rest of the ingredients for the broth and continue to cook it for 1 hour.
• Strain the broth through a colander and return the strained stock back to the stockpot.
• Add the bone again and simmer the broth for another hour before removing it.
• Strain the broth again through a sieve mesh and pour it into a deep-bottomed saucepan.
• Bring the broth to a simmer and stir in the potatoes; cook them for about 5 minutes or until they are partially cooked.
• Melt butter in a skillet and throw in the chopped onions.
• Saute them until they caramelize before stirring in the chopped beets.
• Cook the beet for 6-7 minutes it until they slightly wilt and pour in the tomato paste.
• Stir them all together to mix thoroughly and throw in the carrots.
• Continue to cook the veggies for several minutes while stirring frequently to prevent them from burning.
• Once the beef turns mushy, empty a cup of the simmering broth into it and cook, covered, for another 10-15 minutes.
• Transfer the above mixture into the saucepan filled with broth and give it a nice stir or two until they are properly blended.
• Stir in the soup seasoning, peppercorns as well as salt and simmer the soup for about 15 minutes.
• Add the peas and tomato cubes to it and sprinkle the chopped dill over them.
• Cook the soup for the last 10 minutes or until the tomatoes soften completely.
• Add a dollop of whipped cream on top and serve hot.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

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