Description
A rich, comforting soup made with tender beef, sweet roasted beets, and hearty vegetables, finished with a swirl of sour cream and fresh dill for a classic Eastern European flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tbsp oil
- ½ head green cabbage, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 leeks, cleaned and chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 parsnips, chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 10 cups beef broth
- 4 roasted beets, diced
- 1 ½ lbs beef stew meat, cubed
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Sour cream, for serving
- Fresh dill, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Brown beef cubes on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add cabbage, celery, leeks, carrots, and parsnips. Cook for 5–7 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
- Stir in tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme, cooking for 1 minute to release flavors.
- Return beef to the pot and pour in beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1–1.5 hours, until beef is tender.
- Add diced roasted beets and red wine vinegar. Simmer for another 10–15 minutes to meld flavors.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.
- Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.
Notes
- For deeper flavor, roast beets ahead of time by wrapping in foil and baking at 400°F (200°C) for 45–60 minutes.
- Adjust vinegar to taste for a more tangy borscht.
- This soup tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld.
- Can be made in a slow cooker: brown beef and sauté vegetables first, then cook on low for 6–8 hours.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 760mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: beef borscht, beet soup, Eastern European soup, dill and sour cream soup, hearty winter soup