Beef Borscht: A Classic Beetroot Soup
A ruby-red, sweet-and-sour classic borscht with beef, beetroot, cabbage and sour cream, plus the trick for keeping its colour.
Borscht is cooked in almost every home in Uzbekistan as well as across Eastern Europe. Its ruby colour, sweet-and-sour flavour and spoonful of sour cream are familiar to many from childhood. Getting it truly vibrant, though, takes a couple of tricks.
Why borscht turns brown
Beetroot pigment breaks down quickly with heat. To keep the colour, the beetroot is braised separately with a little acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, and added to the soup right at the end.
Choosing ingredients
- Pick deep burgundy beetroot without pale rings.
- Add young cabbage after the beetroot, as it cooks quickly.
- Bone-in beef makes a rich, satisfying broth.
Nutrition
Per serving (≈ 450 g). Approximate values.
How to make it
5 steps · start a timer right inside a step
Make the broth
Cover the beef with cold water, bring to the boil, skim and simmer gently for 1.5 hours. Lift out the meat and cut it into pieces.
Braise the beetroot
Cut the beetroot into matchsticks and fry in the oil for five minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, tomato paste and 100 ml of broth and braise, covered, for ten minutes; the acid keeps the colour vivid.
Cook the soffritto
In another pan, fry the onion, carrot and pepper for 7–8 minutes until soft.
Potatoes and cabbage
Add the diced potatoes to the simmering broth; after ten minutes add the shredded cabbage and cook for ten minutes more.
Bring it together
Add the beetroot, soffritto and meat to the soup. Season and simmer for five minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the crushed garlic and leave the borscht to rest for at least 20 minutes.
Cook’s tips
- 1Cut the beetroot with a knife rather than grating it to preserve colour and shape.
- 2Add a handful of kidney beans for a heartier soup.
- 3In winter, use the juice from tinned tomatoes instead of tomato paste.
- 4Add a teaspoon of caraway seeds to the soffritto to provide a subtle, earthy depth that cuts through the sweetness of the beets.
Serving & storage: Serve each bowl with a generous dollop of sour cream and a heavy sprinkle of fresh dill. The soup tastes better the next day and will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for three months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, ensuring it does not reach a rolling boil to keep the vegetables from losing their texture.
How to serve borscht
Top each bowl with a spoonful of sour cream and some dill, and serve with rye bread and garlic. Borscht tastes even better the next day, so it is ideal for making ahead.
The takeaway
The secret of good borscht is separately braised beetroot and a little patience. Cook it slowly and let it rest before serving.
