Classic Beet Borscht
A thick, rich soup with vibrant color and deep flavor! Beets give this classic borscht its distinctive color, while beef broth and vegetables create a hearty, balanced meal. Serve it with sour cream and garlic rolls for a comforting family lunch.
Updated : 10 September, 2026
Easy
About 45 min.
Ingredients
1 kilograms
Beef
3 liter
Water
2
Onion
2
Carrot
2
Beetroot
5
Peppercorns
5
Potato
40 milliliters
Vegetable oil
0.5 teaspoon
Sugar
2 tablespoon
Vinegar
3
Tomato
400 grams
Cabbage
to taste
Garlic
150 grams
Fatback
50 grams
Dill
to taste
Salt
to taste
Greens
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients: rinse the vegetables, peel the root vegetables and cut the meat into manageable pieces.
Step 2
Rinse the bone-in beef, place it in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam. Add a whole onion and carrot, reduce the heat to low, cover loosely and simmer for approximately 2–2½ hours.
Step 3
Cut the beets into thin strips or grate them coarsely. Heat half of the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan and cook the beets for approximately 3 minutes. Add a little water, the vinegar and sugar, cover and simmer over low heat for approximately 15 minutes.
Step 4
Chop the remaining onion and carrot. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a separate frying pan and cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent.
Step 5
Cut the tomatoes into small cubes. If desired, peel them first by making a shallow cross-shaped cut in the skin and placing them in boiling water for 1–2 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the onion and carrot, reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, stirring gently.
Step 6
Cut the potatoes into cubes or thick strips.
Step 7
Remove the damaged outer leaves from the cabbage, rinse it and shred it into thin strips.
Step 8
Prepare the garlic seasoning. Rinse and dry the dill. Pass the salted pork fat and garlic through a meat grinder or chop them as finely as possible, then add the finely chopped dill and mix until evenly combined.
Step 9
Remove the beef from the pot and cut it into small pieces. Strain the broth and return it to the heat. Add the potatoes and cabbage to the boiling broth and cook for approximately 5 minutes.
Step 10
Add the cooked onion, carrot and tomato mixture to the pot. Add the peppercorns and bay leaf, then cook for another 5 minutes.
Step 11
Add the braised beets to the soup. Once it returns to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for approximately 5 minutes.
Step 12
When the potatoes are tender, return the chopped beef to the pot. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Taste the borscht and add a little more sugar or vinegar if needed to balance the flavor.
Step 13
Check that the vegetables are cooked by piercing a piece of potato with a fork. If it is tender, remove the borscht from the heat and leave it uncovered for 5–10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve with sour cream and the garlic and salted pork fat seasoning.
Author note
Share the recipe
