Classic Beef Borscht
Borscht is an Eastern European hearty soup bright ruby in color from the beets. The sweet and tangy flavor is complimented by adding sour cream and dill with some chewy sourdough bread on the side. Sure to warm you up on a cold winter night, it will also hold for longer than expected due to the vinegar in the broth. We like the beefy version, but you can easily leave out the meat for a great vegetarian meal.
Equipment
- large Dutch oven
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 lb Beef cut into small cubes (An economy cut like chuck works great)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp salt divided
- 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper or more, to taste
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 quarts Beef stock
- 7 oz cabbage about ¼ of medium cabbage, cut into rough cubes
- 2 medium beets diced
- 2 medium potatoes diced
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 bay leaf
- 1/3 cup fresh dill chopped
- 1 cup Sour cream and bread for serving
Instructions
Directions
- Season cubed beef with salt and pepper, heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat
- Add oil to the pan and brown the beef in batches, remove from pot and set aside.
- Add butter to the pot and sauté onions and carrots until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds
- Add tomato paste and stir in 1/2 cup of the stock, loosening any bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Return the beef to the pot. Add cabbage, beets, potatoes, 1/4 cup vinegar, sugar, 2 tsp salt, bay leaf, and enough beef stock to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40-45 minutes.
- Test potatoes and beets for tenderness using a pairing knife, it should glide through without resistance. If not yet tender, cook, uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes and retest.
- Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasonings. You may want to add 1-2 tbsp more vinegar or a little more salt. Serve immediately with sour cream, a sprinkle of dill, and bread.
Notes
This recipe made enough for 3 dinners for our family of 4, one night of leftovers and a container for the freezer. It will hold well for 5 days in the refrigerator. Be sure to cool the soup quickly, ideally in an ice bath, prior to storing in the refrigerator or freezer for food safety!