Vegetarian Borscht

This vegetarian borscht is light, hearty, and far greater than the sum of its parts.

By
Blake Royer
Blake Royer is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Blake Royer
Blake Royer is a former chef, food blogger, and food writer who contributed recipe ideas and Chicago-based content to Serious Eats from the website’s earliest days.
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Updated February 21, 2024
A bowl of vegetarian borscht with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Serious Eats / Blake Royer

Why It Works

  • Reserving some of the beet and grating it into the borscht toward the end of cooking gives the soup an especially vibrant color.
  • A last-minute squeeze of lemon juice balances the sweetness of the beets.

Who's ready for another cheap soup recipe? This one is as economical and simple as they come, is ready in minutes, and is far richer and warming than it has any credit being. The recipe comes via the Estonian food blog Nami-Nami, where I was looking for ideas to put the epic amounts of cabbage and beets that are plentiful here in Estonia to good use. It is simply beets, onions, carrots, and cabbage, all cut into shreds and matchsticks, sautéed then simmered together until everything turns a beautiful pink.

Borscht is a popular soup in this part of Europe, with numerous hearty variations that almost always feature the earthy beet. The majority of the time the soup has meat in it, but I didn't miss it one bit (nor did I notice that the soup has hardly any fat). I made a huge pot and the leftovers have only grown tastier. The flavor is light and hearty at the same time, made gently sour by the addition of lemon juice, and far greater than the sum of its parts.

This recipe was originally published as part of the column "Dinner Tonight."

February 2009

Recipe Details

Vegetarian Borscht Recipe

Prep 0 mins
Cook 35 mins
Total 35 mins
Serves 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound beets (beetroot), peeled and cut into matchsticks (reserve a small piece to grate into the soup at the end)

  • 2 medium onions, sliced into half-moons

  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

  • 3/4 pound white cabbage, cut thinly into shreds

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 5 cups vegetable stock

  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon

  • Salt to taste

  • Coarsely ground black pepper

  • Sour cream (optional, omit for vegan soup)

  • Finely chopped parsley or chives (optional, for garnish)

Directions

  1. Sauté onions, carrots, and beets over medium heat in the olive oil with a pinch of salt in a large soup pot, reserving a small amount of raw beet to grate and add near the end to enliven the color.

  2. In the meantime, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. When the vegetables are soft (about 5 minutes), add the shredded cabbage and the hot stock. Bring to a boil and simmer 15-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. With a few minutes left, add the reserved grated beet.

  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then squeeze in the lemon juice, aiming for a pleasing but subtle sour taste. Serve with freshly ground black pepper, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped parsley, if desired.

Special Equipment

Large soup pot, box grater

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
121Calories
5gFat
18gCarbs
3gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories121
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g6%
Saturated Fat 1g4%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 838mg36%
Total Carbohydrate 18g7%
Dietary Fiber 4g14%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 34mg169%
Calcium 60mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
Potassium 489mg10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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