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Bowl of borscht with sour cream, bread and garlic.
Victoria Haneveer

Hot Russian Borscht Soup Recipe

This Russian borscht is a hearty, tangy beet soup that’s especially good in cooler weather. Enjoy it hot with sour cream and green onions.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 10 people
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Eastern European
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
 

  • 3 fresh medium beets (beetroot)
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • ½ head cabbage, finely shredded
  • 14 ounce (400g) can kidney beans, with the liquid
  • 3 medium potatoes, sliced
  • 4 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped dill weed
  • 10 cups (2.4 liters) water
  • 6 cups (1.4 liters) chicken broth
  • 5 tablespoons ketchup
To Garnish and Serve
  • Sour cream
  • 2 green onions (spring onions) sliced

Equipment

  • Large soup pot or Dutch oven, 7.5-quart or larger
  • Large skillet (frying pan)
  • Cutting board
  • Chef’s knife
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Box grater
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Slotted spoon or kitchen tongs, for lifting out the cooked beets
  • Soup ladle

Method
 

  1. Add the water and whole beets to a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 1 hour, or until the beets are tender enough to pierce easily with a knife.
  2. Lift the beets out of the pot and set them aside to cool. Keep the beet cooking water in the pot.
  3. Add the potatoes to the beet water and cook for 18 minutes, or until tender. Add the shredded cabbage when the potatoes are about halfway through their cooking time.
  4. While the potatoes cook, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for about 8 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the ketchup for the final 2 minutes.
  5. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut them into matchsticks. Return them to the soup pot.
  6. Add the chicken broth, black pepper, bay leaves, lemon juice and kidney beans with their liquid. Stir in the cooked onion and carrots, followed by the dill.
  7. Cook for another 8 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender and the soup is thoroughly hot.
  8. Remove the bay leaves. Ladle the borscht into serving bowls and add sour cream and sliced green onions if you like.

Notes

  • Don't forget to keep the beet cooking water because it acts as the soup base.
  • Use fresh plain beets, not pickled ones.
  • For a vegetarian borscht, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days and reheat them to 165°F (74°C).
  • The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months for best quality. The potatoes may be softer after thawing.