Ukrainian Beef Borscht Soup (Printable Version)

Rich beet broth with succulent beef, cabbage, and vegetables finished with creamy sour cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 14 oz beef chuck or brisket, cut into 2–3 large pieces
02 - 6 cups water
03 - 2 bay leaves
04 - 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
05 - 1 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

06 - 3 medium beets, peeled and grated
07 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
08 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
10 - 1/4 small green cabbage, shredded
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pantry

13 - 2 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil
14 - 1 tablespoon sugar
15 - 2 tablespoons white vinegar
16 - Extra salt and pepper, to taste

→ For Serving

17 - 2/3 cup sour cream (150 g)
18 - Fresh dill or parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Combine beef, water, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming off any foam.
02 - Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onions until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add grated carrots and beets; sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
03 - Remove beef from the pot and set aside. Strain broth if desired, return to pot, and bring to a simmer.
04 - Add diced potatoes to simmering broth and cook for 10 minutes.
05 - Add shredded cabbage and sautéed beet mixture to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables soften.
06 - Shred or cube cooked beef and return to pot. Add minced garlic, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 15–20 minutes to enhance flavor.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each serving with a spoonful of sour cream and chopped fresh dill or parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It fills your home with the kind of aroma that makes people ask what you're cooking before they even walk in the door.
  • This soup tastes better each time you reheat it, so you're actually ahead of the game by making it a day early.
  • One pot does the heavy lifting—the stovetop handles almost everything while you do other things.
02 -
  • Never skip the resting period at the end; it's the difference between good borscht and the kind people actually remember.
  • If your soup tastes flat after cooking, it's almost always missing either salt or vinegar—taste first, then adjust, because those two ingredients wake up the entire dish.
03 -
  • Beets stain everything with aggressive enthusiasm, so wear an apron you don't love and wash your hands immediately after handling them.
  • If you grate your beets ahead of time, store them in the refrigerator in a covered container or they'll oxidize and lose some of their vibrant color.
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