I can never get over the deep ruby color and rich, savory flavor of this classic Ukrainian borscht. This is the beet soup my family craves again and again, and one spoonful makes it easy to see why.
I’m obsessed with classic borscht because it hits every craving at once: earthy, tangy, savory, and bold enough to boss around the whole table. The beets bring that deep ruby color I can’t stop staring at, and the beef short ribs make every spoonful taste rich without feeling heavy.
But what I really love is how this soup feels alive, bright, a little messy, totally real. And yes, I always go back for seconds.
Sometimes thirds. This is the kind of borscht I grew up loving, the kind I still crave when I want something honest, vibrant, and seriously delicious.
Ingredients
- Beets bring that gorgeous ruby color and earthy sweetness.
Basically, borscht’s whole personality.
- Bone-in beef makes the broth rich, cozy, and a little old-school.
- Broth and water keep it savory without feeling too heavy.
- Potatoes add comfort and make each bowl feel like a real meal.
- Cabbage gives gentle crunch, sweetness, and that classic homemade soup vibe.
- Carrot adds color and a mellow sweetness that plays nice with beets.
- Onion and garlic build the base, because bland soup is just sad.
- Tomato paste adds tangy depth and helps the color stay bold.
- Vinegar or lemon wakes everything up so it doesn’t taste flat.
- Dill, parsley, and sour cream finish it fresh, creamy, and totally necessary.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb (about 3 medium) beets, peeled and grated or thinly sliced
- 1 lb beef short ribs or chuck with bone, trimmed (or 1 lb pork shoulder for variation)
- 6 cups beef broth or homemade stock
- 2 cups water
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/2 small green cabbage (about 4 cups), shredded
- 1 large carrot, grated or julienned
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or sunflower oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar (to balance acidity)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice, to brighten flavor
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- Creme fraiche or sour cream for serving, about 1 cup total
- Optional: 1 small red bell pepper, diced; 1 tablespoon butter for sautéing
How to Make this
1. In a large pot, place beef short ribs or chuck and cover with 6 cups beef broth plus 2 cups water; add 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer, skim foam, then cover and simmer gently 1 to 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender; remove meat, strain broth into the pot, discard bay leaf and trim meat from bones, shred and return to pot.
2. While the meat simmers, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or sunflower oil in a skillet over medium heat; add 1 medium chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
3. Add 1 large grated or julienned carrot and optional 1 small diced red bell pepper to the skillet; cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in 1 lb peeled and grated or thinly sliced beets and cook 5 to 7 minutes until they begin to soften and release color.
5. Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 teaspoon sugar to the beet mixture; cook 2 minutes, then pour in 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice to brighten, adjust for balanced acidity; transfer the mixture to the pot with the strained broth and shredded meat.
6. Add 2 peeled and diced medium potatoes and 1/2 small shredded green cabbage to the pot; toss in remaining bay leaf, season with additional salt to taste, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes and cabbage are tender.
7. Stir in minced garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill in the last 3 minutes of cooking so flavors remain bright.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, sugar or vinegar as needed; remove bay leaf before serving.
9. Serve hot in bowls topped with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream and extra chopped dill or parsley; offer crusty bread on the side.
10. Optional: for a richer finish, sauté 1 tablespoon butter with the onion in step 2 or stir a small knob of butter into the finished soup.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6 to 8 quart)
2. Skillet or sauté pan (10 to 12 inch)
3. Fine mesh strainer or chinois
4. Cutting board
5. Chef knife
6. Vegetable peeler and box grater or mandoline (for beets and carrot)
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
8. Ladle and slotted spoon or tongs (for removing meat)
9. Measuring cups and spoons
FAQ
Classic Borscht Recipe (Iconic Beet Soup) Substitutions and Variations
- Beets: use cooked canned beets (drained and chopped) or frozen grated beets for convenience; golden beets work for a milder, less-staining color.
- Beef short ribs or chuck: substitute bone-in chicken thighs for a lighter broth or use smoked kielbasa for a smoky flavor; for vegetarian, use extra mushrooms and a hearty vegetable stock with a splash of soy sauce.
- Green cabbage: swap with savoy cabbage, Napa cabbage, or thinly sliced kale (add kale near the end to avoid overcooking).
- Creme fraiche or sour cream: replace with full-fat Greek yogurt or a 1 to 1 mixture of sour cream and heavy cream for similar tang and richness.
Pro Tips
1. Brown the meat well and keep the bones in while simmering for deeper, more complex broth. Skim foam but not every tiny bit of fat; a little fat carries flavor and mouthfeel.
2. Sauté the beets, carrot and tomato paste until they start to caramelize and smell sweet before adding to the stock. That little bit of browning brightens the beet flavor and prevents a flat, boiled taste.
3. Balance acidity and sweetness at the end, not the start. Add a splash of vinegar or lemon slowly and taste between additions, then tweak with a pinch of sugar only if the beets make the soup too sharp.
4. Finish fresh herbs and garlic at the last few minutes or just before serving so they stay bright. Leftovers actually taste better after a day in the fridge; reheat gently and add a fresh spoonful of sour cream and chopped dill right before serving.
Classic Borscht Recipe (Iconic Beet Soup)
I can never get over the deep ruby color and rich, savory flavor of this classic Ukrainian borscht. This is the beet soup my family craves again and again, and one spoonful makes it easy to see why.
6
servings
422
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6 to 8 quart)
2. Skillet or sauté pan (10 to 12 inch)
3. Fine mesh strainer or chinois
4. Cutting board
5. Chef knife
6. Vegetable peeler and box grater or mandoline (for beets and carrot)
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
8. Ladle and slotted spoon or tongs (for removing meat)
9. Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
1 lb (about 3 medium) beets, peeled and grated or thinly sliced
1 lb beef short ribs or chuck with bone, trimmed (or 1 lb pork shoulder for variation)
6 cups beef broth or homemade stock
2 cups water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 small green cabbage (about 4 cups), shredded
1 large carrot, grated or julienned
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or sunflower oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar (to balance acidity)
1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice, to brighten flavor
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
Creme fraiche or sour cream for serving, about 1 cup total
Optional: 1 small red bell pepper, diced; 1 tablespoon butter for sautéing
Directions
- In a large pot, place beef short ribs or chuck and cover with 6 cups beef broth plus 2 cups water; add 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer, skim foam, then cover and simmer gently 1 to 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender; remove meat, strain broth into the pot, discard bay leaf and trim meat from bones, shred and return to pot.
- While the meat simmers, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or sunflower oil in a skillet over medium heat; add 1 medium chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
- Add 1 large grated or julienned carrot and optional 1 small diced red bell pepper to the skillet; cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
- Stir in 1 lb peeled and grated or thinly sliced beets and cook 5 to 7 minutes until they begin to soften and release color.
- Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 teaspoon sugar to the beet mixture; cook 2 minutes, then pour in 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice to brighten, adjust for balanced acidity; transfer the mixture to the pot with the strained broth and shredded meat.
- Add 2 peeled and diced medium potatoes and 1/2 small shredded green cabbage to the pot; toss in remaining bay leaf, season with additional salt to taste, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes and cabbage are tender.
- Stir in minced garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill in the last 3 minutes of cooking so flavors remain bright.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, sugar or vinegar as needed; remove bay leaf before serving.
- Serve hot in bowls topped with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream and extra chopped dill or parsley; offer crusty bread on the side.
- Optional: for a richer finish, sauté 1 tablespoon butter with the onion in step 2 or stir a small knob of butter into the finished soup.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 658g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 422kcal
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 4g
- Monounsaturated: 10g
- Cholesterol: 87mg
- Sodium: 917mg
- Potassium: 607mg
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 4.6g
- Sugar: 7g
- Protein: 21g
- Vitamin A: 1667IU
- Vitamin C: 17mg
- Calcium: 69mg
- Iron: 2.7mg
