UKRAINIAN BORSCHT SOUP

Borscht is a classic Ukrainian soup based on beets and is full of vegetables. Be sure to prepare a large pot of this borscht as it gets better with each day and can last in the fridge for up to a week. Some cooks even can it in jars for later and even longer storage time. There are many versions of borscht, every Ukrainian housewife has her own. I wanted to share with you my version of this comforting soup.

Ingredients:

-Chicken Broth (INSTANT POT CHICKEN BROTH)
-cooked chicken (use reserved chicken from making broth)
-onion
-carrots
-beet
-golden potatoes
-tomato sauce
-cabbage
-bell peper(optional)
-salt & pepper
-sour cream for topping

Instructions for preparing Borscht:

First, prepare your vegetables by peeling the skins and washing them. Then dice 1 large onion and thinly slice 2-3 carrots. On a box grater with large holes grate 1 beet.

In a large soup pot, add oil and heat to medium heat. Add in diced onions and cook until fragrant and lightly caramelized. Then add carrot slices and saute until softened. Season with salt and pepper to taste(about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Add shredded beets into the pot and mix with onions and carrots let the vegetables simmer, add more oil if needed.

Once the vegetables have lightly softened make a well in the middle and add 2 tablespoon tomato sauce. Let the sauce simmer in the middle for a minute and then mix into the vegetables. Add 8 cups chicken broth into the soup pot and let vegetables come to a simmer while you peel and dice your potatoes and bell pepper.

On a cutting board dice ½ bell pepper (optional) and add to the soup.

Peel 5-6 golden potatoes and cut into cubes, then add into the soup.
While the potatoes are cooking, shred ¼ head of cabbage using a knife and cutting thin strips or using a mandolin. Add to the soup and cook for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.


Add reserved chicken to the borscht.
Top soup with fresh chopped dill. Taste your soup to see if more seasoning is needed.

Top Borscht with a tablespoon of sour cream and serve with bread and green onions.

Some substitutions that can be made in this soup are:

-Cabbage can be substituted for beet leaves, Beet leaves have a lot of essential nutrients and make for a healthy addition to your Borscht.
-Instead of tomato sauce, you can use tomato paste, pasta sauce, or dice a fresh tomato. I have used each of the ingredients and they all work well.
-Chicken broth can be substituted with store-bought broth but the flavor will not be as rich as making your broth from scratch. If you have an instant pot it will only take a few minutes to prep.
-Use reserved chicken from making INSTANT POT CHICKEN BROTH or use chicken from a rotisserie chicken or cook one chicken breast and cut it up into cubes or shredded.

BORSCHT

Julie Chelombitko

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine RUSSIAN, UKRAINIAN

Ingredients

  

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 yellow onion
• 2-3 medium carrots
• 1 large beet 2-3 small beets
• 5-6 golden potatoes
• ½ red bell pepper optional
• 2 tablespoon tomato sauce
• ¼ cabbage head
• 1 cup shredded chicken
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoon fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil for coating pot
• 1 tbso sour cream for serving

Instructions

 

• Prepare your vegetables by peeling off skins and washing. Dice 1 large onions and thinly slice 2-3 carrots. On a box grater with the large holes grate 1 beet.
• In a large soup pot, add oil and heat to medium heat. Add in diced onions and cook until fragrant and lightly caramelized. Then add carrot slices and saute until softened. Season with salt and pepper to taste(about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).
• Add shredded beets into the pot and mix with onions and carrots let the vegetables simmer, add more oil if needed.
• Once the vegetables have lightly softened make a well in the middle and add 2 tablespoon tomato sauce. Let the sauce simmer in the middle for a minute and then mix into the vegetables.
• Add 8 cups chicken broth into the soup pot and let vegetables come to a simmer while you peel and dice your potatoes and bell pepper.
• On a cutting board dice ½ bell pepper (optional) and add into the soup.
• Peel 5-6 golden potatoes and cut into cubes, then add into the soup.
• While the potatoes are cooking, shred ¼ head of cabbage using a knife and cutting thin strips or using a mandolin. Add into the soup and cook for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
• Add in reserved cooked chicken into borscht.
• Top soup with fresh chopped dill. Taste your soup to see if more seasoning is needed.
• Top with a tablespoon of sour cream and serve with bread and green onions.

Notes

Recipe tips:
Some substitutions that can be made:

-Cabbage can be substituted for beet leaves, Beef leaves have a lot of essential nutrients and make for a healthy addition to your Borscht.
-Instead of tomato sauce, you can use tomato paste, pasta sauce, or dice a fresh tomato. I have used each of the ingredients and they all work well.
-Chicken broth can be substituted with store-bought broth but the flavor will not be as rich as making your broth from scratch. If you have an instant pot it will only take a few minutes to prep.
-Use reserved chicken from making INSTANT POT CHICKEN BROTH or use chicken from a rotisserie chicken or cook one chicken breast and cut it up into cubes or shredded.

Keyword BEET, BORSCHT, comfort food, SOUP