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A steaming bowl of borscht with shredded beets, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprig of dill, as a spoon lifts a portion of the vibrant soup from the bowl.

Borscht

This traditional borscht is a rich and nourishing beet soup made with slow-simmered beef bone broth, cabbage, potatoes, and vegetables. It's a classic Eastern European dish that’s perfect served warm with sour cream and fresh dill.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Overnight Beef Broth 10 hours
Total Time 11 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Eastern European
Servings 8 servings
Calories 195 kcal

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker (to make the broth)
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Grater
  • Cutting board and knife
  • Measuring cups and spoon
  • Large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven

Ingredients
  

For the beef broth (optional, for substitutions see notes below)

  • 4 beef bones, such as beef marrow bones, short ribs, oxtail, beef knuckles or joints
  • Aromatics such as onion, carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, etc. I recommend using vegetable scraps.
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon salt, plus additional salt to taste
  • 14 cups water

To make the borscht.

  • 10 cups beef bone broth
  • bay leaf
  • 3-4 cups green cabbage, shredded (about ½ head)
  • 3 cups Yukon gold or red potatoes, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1.5 cups onion, finely diced (about 1 large onion)
  • 3-4 cups beets, peeled and shredded (about 3 large beets)
  • 1 cup carrots, shredded (about 2 large carrots)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • salt & pepper

To serve.

  • sour cream
  • fresh dill

Instructions
 

Make the beef bone broth.

  • To make the broth, add your beef bones, water, aromatics, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt to a slow cooker. Add 12-14 cups of water, or enough to ensure that all of the ingredients are completely submerged.
    Cover with the lid and cook on low overnight for around 10-12 hours.
    Once the broth is finished, strain it and add salt to taste.

Make the borscht

  • Prepare the vegetables. Grate the beets and carrots, finely dice the onion and potatoes, thinly slice the cabbage, and mince the garlic.
  • Pour the 10 cups of the prepared and seasoned broth into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
    Add the potatoes, cabbage, and bay leaf.
    Bring the soup to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 6-8 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes, or until softened.
    Stir in the grated carrots and beets and cook over medium for about 3 minutes.
    Then add the garlic and tomato paste and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook for about a minute.
    Then pour in the white vinegar to deglaze the pan and cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring well.
  • Carefully add the beet mixture to the pot with the broth and vegetables.
    Stir in the brown sugar and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
    Continue simmering for another 10-15 minutes until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
    Serve hot or cold with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill. Enjoy!

Notes

This soup is best made with homemade beef broth, which gives the borscht its rich, nourishing depth of flavor. If you don’t want to make your own, I recommend substituting with a high-quality store-bought beef bone broth. 

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 14gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 244mgPotassium: 747mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2897IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg
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