A delicious way to feature beautiful beets, this traditional soup is a perfect way to warm up, swirled with dill and horseradish yogurt.
By Sami Berger
I never learn when it comes to beets. I always buy them, come home, stare at them, and have no idea what to do with them. I don’t love beets in juice and never really eat more than a couple of bites of roasted beet salad.
Don’t ask me why: they are gorgeously sweet and earthy and have a lovely, firm texture but beets just aren’t my thing. So, last week when I went to the store and bought a bag of beets, I came home not knowing what to do with them, again. That is, until I remembered borscht. I love borscht. And I can proudly say that this soup is great and I won’t mind eating bowl after bowl of it in the coming days (this recipe makes a lot of soup!). 
One of the things that made me think of borscht was that I am planning on making some potato verenikas with some friends this weekend, which are perfect with borscht.
This soup is full of cabbage, leeks, onion, and beets, exactly what borscht should be in my mind. Dill is the only real seasoning in the soup (other than salt and pepper) but it’s not overpowering. Beyond the fact that the soup is delicious on its own, the yogurt topping takes it to the next level.
Print
Borscht Soup
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Vibrant beet borscht, a hearty vegetarian soup perfect for chilly evenings. Swirled with creamy dill horseradish yogurt for extra zing!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots
- 1 leek
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cups (350 g) green cabbage
- 8 cups (1900 ml) vegetable stock
- 27 oz (800 ml) canned whole tomatoes
- 2 cups (350 g) red beets
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) dill
- salt and pepper
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) plain yogurt
- 0.25 cups (59 ml) dill
- 0.5-1 tsp freshly grated horseradish
- 0.125-0.25 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Sauté carrots, leek, onion, and garlic cloves until softened (3-5 minutes).
- Add cabbage, stir, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until softened.
- Add stock, tomatoes, beets, dill, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beets are cooked through but still have some texture.
- Serve hot with a swirl of dill horseradish yogurt and extra fresh dill.
- Dill Horseradish Yogurt
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust the amount of horseradish and salt.
Notes
- For a smoother borscht, blend a portion of the soup before serving.
- To intensify the beet flavor, roast the beets before adding them to the soup.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; the flavors will deepen.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 10
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to peel and cook fresh beets or can I use pre-cooked?
Pre-cooked or vacuum-packed beets are a practical shortcut and save significant time. If using raw beets, roast or boil them until tender before adding to the soup.
What gives borscht its deep red color?
Red beets are responsible for the color. Adding a small splash of vinegar or lemon juice toward the end of cooking helps preserve the vivid color, which can fade with prolonged heat.
Is borscht traditionally served hot or cold?
Both versions exist. Ukrainian and Eastern European hot borscht is a hearty main course. Cold borscht, common in summer, is served chilled and often has a lighter consistency.
What is the best topping for borscht?
Plain yogurt or sour cream is the classic topping and adds a cooling contrast to the earthy broth. Fresh dill stirred in at the end is the other essential finishing touch.
Can I make borscht vegan?
This recipe is already vegan using vegetable stock. Replace the yogurt topping with a plant-based sour cream if needed.
Delicious and thank you! It’s a long time since I’ve made borscht and this recipe is a keeper. Towards the end I processed half the beetroot and mixed back in. Also, as we like a fairly piquant borscht, I added a splash of red wine vinegar and a little sugar to taste before serving. With sourdough and dark rye bread, perfect. Many thanks for the amount conversion also.
Can you translate the amounts of cabbage and beets from grams to cups? I’m bamboozled by trying to make that transfer…and the recipe sounds and looks
really wonderful!!
Thanks for takinig time with this!
Hi Margret, We have added conversions, but they are approximate as it is difficult to translate weight perfectly to volume measurements. Happy Cooking!