Pork Borscht with Fresh Cabbage and Sauerkraut
Bright, aromatic and wonderfully hearty, this pork borscht is packed with vegetables and enriched with tomato paste. Using both fresh cabbage and sauerkraut gives the soup extra depth and a pleasant tang.
Updated : 28 September, 2026
Easy
About 45 min.
Ingredients
400 grams
Pork
150 grams
Sauerkraut
150 grams
White cabbage
250 grams
Beetroot
400 grams
Potato
150 grams
Bell pepper
120 grams
Carrot
150 grams
Onion
70 grams
Tomato paste
25 grams
Sugar
50 milliliters
Vegetable oil
1
Laurel leaf
2
Garlic
to taste
Ground pepper mix
to taste
Salt
to taste
Greens
2.2 liter
Water
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare all the ingredients. For a richer broth, use bone-in pork. You can replace the pork with another type of meat if desired.
Step 2
Place the meat in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam and season lightly with salt. Reduce the heat to low, leave the lid slightly ajar and cook the pork until tender, approximately 1 hour.
Step 3
Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Peel the potatoes, carrot, onion, beet and garlic. Cut the bell pepper in half and remove the core and seeds, then rinse the vegetables.
Step 4
Coarsely grate the carrot and beet. Cut the bell pepper into thin half-rings or small cubes. Heat one-third of the vegetable oil in a frying pan, add the carrot, beet and pepper and cook for approximately 5 minutes.
Step 5
Add the tomato paste and sugar to the vegetables. Mix and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 6
Add the sauerkraut to the pan and mix well.
Step 7
Pour in a small amount of sauerkraut brine or water, approximately ¼–⅓ cup. Stir thoroughly, reduce the heat to low, cover and braise for 30–35 minutes.
Step 8
Rinse the fresh white cabbage and shred it into thin strips.
Step 9
Cut the potatoes into cubes or sticks and finely chop the onion.
Step 10
Once the pork is tender, remove it from the pot. Add the potatoes to the broth. Bring back to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and cook for approximately 10–15 minutes.
Step 11
Allow the pork to cool slightly, then cut it into small pieces. Cover so the meat does not dry out.
Step 12
Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until golden.
Step 13
Add the tomato and vegetable mixture with sauerkraut to the pot. Stir and cook for another 10–15 minutes.
Step 14
Add the shredded fresh cabbage to the borscht.
Step 15
Add the fried onion and chopped garlic.
Step 16
Season with ground black pepper, paprika, bay leaf or other preferred spices, if desired. Add salt to taste.
Step 17
Bring the borscht to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook for approximately 5 minutes more. At the very end, add finely chopped fresh herbs.
Step 18
Serve the borscht with pieces of pork added to each bowl. Alternatively, serve the meat separately or return it to the pot toward the end of cooking.
Author note
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