Description
Authentic Ukrainian Borscht Soup is a hearty and flavorful beet-based soup featuring tender beef, fresh vegetables, and a rich broth. This traditional Eastern European dish combines sautéed beets, carrots, onions, and cabbage with beef stock, seasoned with garlic, bay leaves, and herbs, and is typically served hot with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill for garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth and Meat
- 10 cups water
- 1 lb beef chuck
- 2 bay leaves
Vegetables
- 3 medium beets, peeled and grated
- 2 carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- ½ head cabbage, shredded
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Fresh dill, chopped (for garnish)
- Sour cream (for serving)
- 2 tablespoons oil (for sautéing)
Instructions
- Prepare the broth: In a large stockpot, combine 1 lb beef chuck and 10 cups water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour until the beef is tender. Remove the beef, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and return it to the pot.
- Prepare vegetables: While the beef simmers, peel and grate the 3 beets and 2 carrots. Finely chop the 1 onion.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes until translucent. Add the grated carrots and beets, cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for another 3 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Add potatoes and bay leaves: Add the diced potatoes and 2 bay leaves to the simmering broth. Continue simmering for 10 minutes until the potatoes start to soften.
- Add cabbage and sautéed vegetables: Stir in the shredded cabbage along with the sautéed beet and carrot mixture. Allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes so the flavors meld and the cabbage softens.
- Season the soup: Add 2 minced garlic cloves, season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- Serve: Ladle the borscht into bowls and serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped dill and a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
- Skimming foam while boiling beef results in a clearer broth.
- Adjust salt and pepper according to taste preferences.
- For a vegetarian version, omit beef and use vegetable broth.
- Borscht tastes even better the next day as flavors deepen.
- Sour cream can be substituted with vegan alternatives if desired.
