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+ servings

Classic Beef Borscht (Beef and Beet Soup)

Serving Size: 10
This hearty and delicious Ukrainian soup is made with stew meat, root vegetables, cabbage, and of course beets for brilliant color.

Recipe by: Natasha Kravchuk

Cook Times

Active Prep15
Hands-On Cook15
Hands-Off Cook75
Passive0
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Recipe Serving Size10

Cooking Tools Required

12-inch nonstick skillet, 5-quart saucepot, Tongs, Top Stove, Wooden Spatula

Ingredients

  • 1 pound stew meat
  • 14 cup cold water
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt more or less to taste
  • 3 beet medium, washed, peeled and grated
  • 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoon canned tomato sauce or paste
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 onion medium, finely diced
  • 2 carrot grated
  • 3 yukon gold potato medium peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 head green cabbage roughly sliced
  • 2 tomato diced
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup Italian parsley chopped, some saved for garnish
  • 2 clove garlic pressed

Garnish:

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions

  • Cut meat into 1" pieces and place in a large soup pot with cold water and salt. Bring it to a boil and remove the foam as soon as it boils (if you wait, it will be hard to get rid of foam as it integrates into the broth and you'd have to strain it later). Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer 45 minutes, periodically skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
  • Grate beets on the large grater holes (a food processor works amazingly well). Place them in a large heavy-bottom skillet with olive oil and vinegar and saute for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to med/low and add sugar and tomato sauce. Mix thoroughly and saute until starting to soften, stirring occasionally (about 10 min). Remove from pan and set aside.
  • In the same skillet (no need to wash it), Saute onion in butter for 2 min. Add grated carrot and sautee another 5 min or until softened, adding more oil if it seems too dry.
  • Once the meat has been cooking for 45 min, place sliced potatoes into the soup pot and cook 10 min, then add cabbage, sauteed beets, onion & carrot, and chopped tomatoes. Cook another 10 minutes or until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
  • Add 2 bay leaves, ground pepper, and more salt to taste.
  • Chop parsley and pressed garlic then stir them into the soup pot, immediately cover and remove from heat. Let the pot rest covered for 20 minutes for the flavors to meld. Ladle into individual bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream.
Reheating Instructions
Heat in the microwave on medium-high power until heated through.

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 807mg | Potassium: 739mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3300IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg