Borscht with Beets
A classic, hearty soup made with beef, cabbage, and beets, served hot and topped with sour cream or mayonnaise. Perfect for any occasion!
Updated : 09 June, 2025
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
500 grams
Beef
1
Onion
1
Carrot
1
Beetroot
200 grams
White cabbage
200 grams
Sauerkraut
2
Garlic
2 tablespoon
Tomato paste
1 tablespoon
Vinegar
20 grams
Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon
Sugar
1
Laurel leaf
5
Peppercorns
to taste
Salt
to taste
Dry spices
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Advices
Advice
You can replace the beef with any other type of meat you prefer. However, keep in mind that the cooking time, taste, and calorie count will vary. Pork and lamb are usually fattier than beef, while chicken fillet or turkey are leaner. The cooking time also depends on the cut of meat and its age. You can replace tomato paste with canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, or ketchup.
Preparation
Step 1
The proportions of vegetables are approximate. You can adjust them to your taste. For cooking, choose meat on the bone. This will make the broth more hearty and flavorful. You can replace table vinegar with apple cider vinegar or any other type of vinegar you prefer.
Step 2
Rinse the meat under cold running water. Then cover it with cold water, put it on the stove, and bring it to a boil. When it starts to boil, a foam will form, which should be skimmed off. Then, add the bay leaf and peppercorns, and let it cook for 1.5–3 hours. During the cooking time, the meat should become tender.
Step 3
If the sauerkraut is too sour, rinse it with water and leave it to soak for about an hour. If you like the strong taste of sauerkraut in your soup, you can skip this step.
Step 4
Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the bone and cut it into pieces. Then, return the meat to the strained broth.
Step 5
Thinly shred the fresh cabbage. Squeeze out excess water from the sauerkraut.
Step 6
Add both types of cabbage into the pot with the boiling broth. Let it cook for 15–20 minutes.
Step 7
Peel the onion and carrot. Finely chop the onion and grate the carrot on a coarse grater.
Step 8
Also, peel and grate the beets.
Step 9
Heat vegetable oil in a hot skillet and fry the onion and carrot for 2–3 minutes.
Step 10
Then, add the grated beets and tomato paste. Fry everything together for another 5 minutes.
Step 11
Add a bit of hot water (30–50 ml) and vinegar. Let the vegetables stew on low heat for 10–15 minutes. The vinegar is necessary to help the beets retain their color.
Step 12
Add the stewed vegetables to the pot. Season with sugar, salt, and spices to taste.
Step 13
Add garlic, pressed through a garlic press, and bring the borscht to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat. Cover and let it steep for 15–30 minutes. The borscht is ready! Serve hot in bowls with sour cream or mayonnaise. Enjoy your meal!