Borscht Soup

Many soups take advantage of the earthy flavors of root vegetables, and borscht is no exception. Since the main ingredient is beets, it has a rich, sweet flavor and an amazing reddish purple color that just can't be duplicated with any other ingredients.

In some countries, borscht is a vegetarian meal, and there is no reason you could not do the same with this recipe by simply replacing the meat with some other ingredient. To be purely vegetarian you would also want to replace the beef stock with vegetable broth. However, I really like the match between beef and beets, so I always include it.

Many regions in Europe have their own "authentic" recipes for this beet soup, but in many cases there is both a hot and cold variety. Typically the cold variety is lighter in texture, and is usually meatless. This recipe below is best served hot.

Ingredients

Splash of olive oil or pat of butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound of cubed or shredded beef. Leftover roast is perfect.
12 cups beef stock or broth
6 large beets, peeled and roughly chopped
1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream, chopped green onions for garnish

Preparation

1. Heat oil or butter in soup pot on medium low heat. Add onions and salt, saute until onions are soft.

2. Add beef, cook for a few more minutes.

3. Add remaining ingredients except garnish. Bring to a boil, reduce and cook covered for about an hour.

4. If you prefer a cream texture for the borscht, you can use an immersion blender to puree the soup.

Notes

Tips and Techniques