Simple Borscht Recipe (Instant Pot or Stove Top!) (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between beet soup and borscht? ›

Hence, my beet soup is called just that, soup, not borscht, even though it shares certain ingredients - potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beef stock and vinegar - with the traditional soup. But there's no cabbage and no caraway seed, two ingredients I consider essential in a borscht.

Borscht is a beet soup that's warm, sweet, and sour all in one bowl. It has the umami and complexity of a well-developed chicken soup but the beets add a whole different flavor profile. Its sweetness comes from the beets, onions, and cabbage, and its tartness from tomatoes and vinegar.

Serve borscht with bread

The relationship between bread and borscht is a long-standing culinary tradition. The bread serves as the ideal complement, enriching the dish and providing balance. Pumpernickel or rye bread: Pumpernickel and rye's darker, dense texture makes them suitable for absorbing the soup's flavors.

It is typically made by combining meat or bone stock with sautéed vegetables, which – as well as beetroots – usually include cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes.

It's standard for Ukrainian cooks to use pork in their Borscht and top it off with sour cream, whereas Russian cooks are more likely to use beef. Furthermore, Ukrainians will offer buns with their bortsch, and Russians will offer a native bread known as “black bread.”

Beets are also high in vitamins A, C and the minerals iron and magnesium. Looking at the amazing nutrients in this traditional soup, plus the tasty additions of fresh dill, parsley and sour cream, it's no wonder it serves as a staple.

Cooking Time and Temperature: Beets can lose their vibrant red color if they are overcooked or cooked at high temperatures for too long. If you cooked the beets for an extended period or at a high temperature, it could cause them to lose some of their color intensity, resulting in a more orange appearance.

Borscht is quintessentially Russian. A single bowl of that ruby-red beetroot soup, served with a ladleful of smetana (sour cream) and a hunk of black bread, conjures up images of Red Square and St Basil's Cathedral almost as much as a glass of vodka or a spoonful of caviar.

"Ukraine is frequently listed as borscht's country of origin, and Puzata Hata in Kiev has some of the best in the city."

Many variations of borscht means many delicious side dish options. Food blog Our Everyday Life recommends serving the sweet, tangy soup with "starchy comfort foods," such as buttered bread, baked potatoes, or small sandwiches made on rye toast.

Does borscht taste better the next day? ›

Serve the borscht with plenty of chopped dill, some sour cream on the side, and some good-quality bread for dipping. The soup will taste even better the next day.

Cooled borscht can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To freeze, pack into containers leaving 1-inch (2.5 cm) headspace. For the best results and to save energy, let frozen soup thaw in the refrigerator compartment on the day you plan to use it.

Although borscht is important in Russian and Polish cuisines, Ukraine is frequently cited as its place of origin. Its name is thought to be derived from the Slavic word for the cow parsnip, or common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), or from a fermented beverage derived from that plant.

Borscht. Probably the most iconic Eastern European soup there is, famous for its bright pink colour. Historically, borscht was made by Slavic people from parsnip or hogweed. It was also the poor man's meal, and idioms tying the soup to austerity have since evolved in several different languages.

Borscht is a soup, usually made with beets, originating from Central and Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is especially popular in the cuisines of Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Latvia, and Ukraine.

Plenty of nutritional benefits

If you're looking for something that's low in calories but high in nutrients, look no further than the humble beet. Adding beets into your salads, soups and other daily meals can be a good way to enhance a balanced diet.

This Ukraine's rich cultural heritage is reflected in the different versions, such as white borscht vs red borscht, which are popular in different regions. In this article, we shall explore the differences between two popular types of borscht: white borscht and red borscht.