Vegetarian borscht (beetroot soup) recipe

This Eastern European soup is probably the most famous in the world. As its preparation varies according to the region and tradition of each family, it would be impossible to establish an “official recipe”. This vegetarian borscht is the one I like and usually cook, but I also mention other possible options to investigate and try.

Note: As already stated in the title, this recipe is vegetarian. However, for many people the base of a good borscht necessarily begins with a meat broth, boiling bones and/or some piece of beef. This is verified in general in the recipes that come from Russia.

This recipe begins by sautéing the vegetables, which is why you may find it useful to consult this link with the secrets to prepare a good stir-fry.

Borscht is a very tasty and world-renowned soup which origins are nevertheless very humble. It results from the combination of the most popular and cheapest ingredients found in Eastern Europe, through the Caucasus until Russia. Hence the old Jewish saying that qualifies as “bilik bi borscht” (cheap or ordinary as borscht) to everything that is of low quality or lacking in value. And the fact of having to use what was simple available can also explain why recipes can vary so much.

Vegetarian borscht recipe:

Dice all the vegetables into small cubes. In a deep pot, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil without letting it smoke and fry the onion, carrot and garlic over moderate heat. Then continue with the peeled tomato and beetroot, adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with them. Mix occasionally to prevent the vegetables from burning or sticking to the bottom. After about 10 to 15 minutes, add the potatoes together with the kapusta (cabbage), a bay leaf and salt. At this point I also add a teaspoonof caraway, which gives the soup a touch that I really like.

Add vegetable broth to cover all the ingredients and bring to a boil, then cover and continue cooking over low heat until the vegetables are tender. If you have not prepared a vegetable broth beforehand, you can add a stock cube, or just water. In the latter case, the liquid should just cover the ingredients, so that the soup does not turn out too watery. The amount of vegetables will give enough flavor to the soup.

Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. It is essential to serve with sour cream (although it is not equivalent, you can replace it with Greek yogurt), some dill and/or marjoram.

Tips and tricks:

1. As already mentioned, in many regions it’s usual to start by preparing a meat broth. In this case, boil some beef bones skimming the foam that will form on the surface, and then reduce the heat, cover the pot to cook for at least half an hour.
2. Polish cookbooks state that the main characteristic of a good borscht (barszcz in Polish) is that it’s sweet and sour. For this, „buraczki kiszone or kwaszone“ are prepared in advance, fermenting beetroot in brine for several days, and then using part of that juice in the soup. Optionally, it can be replaced with some lemon juice.
3. Other Polish variants include the “clean” broth, which is often served plain or with pierogi, a typical Polish stuffed pasta. For a similar alternative version, we can use Italian cappelletti stuffed with meat or mushrooms.
4. A very popular Ukrainian variant is the one with additional white beans.
5. Depending on the regions of Russia, borscht can be served with mushrooms, meat, sausages, etc.
6. Perhaps it’s simply tradition or mere whim, but I was once assured that the recipe should have the same amount of beetroot and potato. And that 3 units of each one corresponds to half a head of a not very large cabbage.
7. Always use fresh beets. If you use the ones that are sold already cooked, you will never get a soup with the typical deep red color that is so attractive, and you won’t get half the flavor.
8. The vinegar that is added to the cooking is important, because it allows to maintain the intense red color of the beets, and therefore, of the soup.
9. The order in which to fry the vegetables is not of vital importance, at least in this recipe. Many Russian cookbooks begin by sautéing beets, for example. In general when preparing a soup, the important thing is to start by boiling the ingredients that require more time, and leave those that cook faster for the end.
10. It’s possible to do without the carrot, or add a stalk of celery and/or a red pepper. On the other hand, many recipes include celery root, which generally adds a lot of flavor to soups and broths. The ingredients vary, since this is a recipe for use, but the greater the amount of vegetables, the richer the final result will be.
    The flavors integrate after a bit of rest, and for this reason this soup tastes even better the next day.