Classic Borscht Recipe 

After several requests for my borscht recipe, here it is. Ukrainian Borscht… everyone knows what it is and many people around the world have fallen in love with this iconic beet soup.

It’s best to have all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go which makes this soup super easy and care free.

Start by peeling, grating, chopping, slicing and dicing all of the vegetables for borscht.

• Prep Time: 30minutes mins
• Cook Time: 40minutes mins
• Total Time: 1hour hr 10minutes mi

Ingredients 

Servings: 10

For Borscht:

• 3 medium beets, peeled and grated
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 8 cups chicken broth , + 2 cups water
• 3 medium yukon potatoes, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

For Zazharka (Mirepoix):

• 2 celery ribs, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped, optional
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 Tbsp ketchup or 3 Tbsp tomato sauce

Additional Flavorings:

• 1 can white cannelini beans with their juice
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, or to taste
• 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 large garlic clove, pressed
• 3 Tbsp chopped dill

Instructions

• Peel, grate and/or slice all vegetables (keeping sliced potatoes in cold water to prevent browning until ready to use then drain).
• Heat a large soup pot (5 1/2 Qt or larger) over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add grated beets and sauté 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beets are softened. 
• Add 8 cups broth and 2 cups water. Add sliced potatoes and sliced carrots then cook for 10-15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
• While potatoes are cooking, place a large skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper. Saute stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden (7-8 minutes). Add 4 Tbsp Ketchup and stir fry 30 seconds then transfer to the soup pot to continue cooking with the potatoes.
• When potatoes and carrots reach desired softness, add 1 can of beans with their juice, 2 bay leaves, 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 pressed garlic clove, and 3 Tbsp chopped dill. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes and add more salt and vinegar to taste.