Borscht is a traditional winter soup made with beets, cabbage, and potatoes. (This recipe is part of my From the Motherland series, where I pay homage to my Ukrainian heritage.)

Borscht basically needs no introduction. Apart from varenyky, the sweet-sour beet soup is probably the most recognizable of all Ukrainian foods.
As someone who spent the first nine years of her life in Ukraine, I’ve eaten a lot of borscht. Probably too much borscht, in fact, because by the time I reached my teenage years [already here in the States], I literally couldn’t stand it anymore and swore it off almost entirely. (Besides, all the new “American” food I was experiencing seemed so much more exciting.)
It wasn’t until the recent invasion of my home country that I started regaining curiosity – and having feelings of protectiveness – around our national dishes and ingredients. (See also: buckwheat, golubtsi, kompot.) So, of course, I had to share my family’s version of this important recipe.
What Is Borscht
Borscht is a bright red Ukrainian soup made with beets, cabbage, potatoes, and tomato paste. A bit of acid (usually vinegar) preserves the fuschia color, while a tablespoon of sugar amplifies the vegetables’ sweetness. The greatness of any borscht hinges on its ability to strike the perfect balance between sweet and sour.
There are hundreds of ways to make borscht, which you’ll easily notice if you run a quick search online. There is no one “authentic” version. However, borscht is a simple and homey food, so I’d be suspicious of any recipes that overcomplicate things or use out-of-left-field ingredients.
A lot of cooks start theirs with a meat stock (beef, pork, chicken, or even lamb). My family has always made it vegetarian, though. Some cooks also add kidney beans or peas to the soup. Again, my family has always gone without.
Fun fact: the Anglicized spelling comes from the Yiddish. There is no ‘t’ in the Ukrainian and Russian spellings – we just say “borsh”.
Different Types of Borscht
While this red beet version is the most common, there are many soups that go by this name across Eastern Europe. In Ukraine, for instance, there is also “green borscht”, which is beet-less and the main ingredient is sorrel. Then there’s “summer borscht”, which features grated beets mixed with cold kefir, resulting in a cold, bubblegum pink soup. (It’s delicious!)
And in Poland – where my husband is from, by the way – there are at least two other types. “White borscht”, for one, is a sour, beet-less soup with hardboiled eggs and sausage (commonly eaten for Easter). “Christmas borscht”, for another, is a strained beet broth served with mushroom dumplings on – you guessed it – Christmas.
Tips for Prepping the Vegetables
- Borscht is a technically easy recipe, but there is a fair amount of vegetable prep involved. If you have a food processor with the slicing/grating disc attachment, definitely use it – it’ll save you a ton of time, spare you from a messy counter, and result in even-sized vegetable pieces.
- Start with the slicing attachment and shred the cabbage first. Then flip to the grating attachment, and grate the carrot and beet.
- Be sure to work in this order to prevent the beet from staining the other vegetables.
- Beets do stain your hands briefly, so if that bothers you, wear gloves (and an apron!) when handling them.
- If you don’t have a food processor, a basic box grater will suffice.
How to Make Vegetarian Ukrainian Borscht
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prep All the Vegetables
Since nearly all the vegetables start cooking at the same time, start by prepping all of them. Shred the cabbage, grate the carrot and beet, and dice the potatoes and onions.
Step 2: Start Cooking the Potatoes
Place the potatoes in a large pot with water and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked through.
Step 3: Add the Cabbage
When the potatoes are ready, add the cabbage to the pot and cook for a few more minutes.
Step 4: Sweat the Onion
While the potatoes are doing their thing, cook the remaining vegetables. Start by sautéing the onions with salt and olive oil in a large skillet.
Step 5: Add the Other Vegetables
When the onions are translucent, add the carrots and beets. Cook until all the vegetables are soft and pasty, about 15 minutes. Then add the tomato paste, vinegar, and sugar.
Step 6: Finish the Soup
Stir the beet mixture into the potato mixture, and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and finish with lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt to taste.
Note: The garlic is added all the way at the end – as opposed to at the beginning, like most soup bases – because borscht should have a strong garlicky flavor.
Serving Suggestions
The classic way to serve Ukrainian borscht is with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of fresh dill, and hearty bread on the side. (Kite Hill makes a great vegan sour cream alternative.) Borscht typically tastes better on day 2, after all the flavors have had a chance to meld together.
More Ukrainian Recipes…
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
PrintVegetarian Ukrainian Borscht
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Ukrainian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This classic Ukrainian borscht is packed with hearty winter vegetables in a bright red, sweet-sour broth.
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage (1/4 of a medium head, about 1 pound)
- 1 medium carrot (4 to 5 ounces), peeled and grated
- 1 large red beet (about 12 ounces), peeled and grated
- 2 medium russet potatoes (1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 medium onion (6 to 8 ounces), finely diced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons mild vinegar (like white, apple cider, or wine)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 10 black peppercorns* (see note below)
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- Dill and sour cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Start by prepping all the vegetables. (I highly recommend using a food processor, which makes this super easy. If you don’t have one, a sharp knife and a box grater will do. Be sure to process the beets last to avoid staining the other vegetables.) Begin with the slicing attachment and finely shred the cabbage. Then switch to the grating attachment and grate the carrot (you should end up with 1 cup). Then grate the beet (3 cups).
- Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Peel and finely dice the onion.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot/Dutch oven, and add 3 quarts water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Then add the cabbage and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook until it’s almost translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the beets, carrots, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until all the vegetables are soft and pastry, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, vinegar, and sugar to the beet mixture, and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Stir the beet mixture into the pot, along with the peppercorns, and bring everything back to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, and stir in the garlic and a splash of lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, sugar, and/or lemon, if needed.
- Serve hot, garnished with dill and sour cream if desired. (Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 4 days.)
Notes
If you don’t have whole peppercorns, just use regular ground pepper.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
- Calories: 95
- Sodium: 108 mg
- Fat: 3.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.4 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
Gail Mc says
Can this recipe be frozen?
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Gail! Technically yes, although I personally don’t love the texture of thawed cooked potatoes. But some people don’t mind it 🙂