Borscht is a warm, comforting bowl of goodness to enjoy on a cool, winter day. This is the recipe I’ve been making for my family for years.
Borscht: Beet and Cabbage Soup
Introduction to Borscht
One of my major assignments when I was in high school home economics class was to plan, prepare, and serve a complete meal from a foreign country to my entire class! Each student had to choose a different country. As you can imagine, the easiest countries were snapped up quickly! This was back in the days of the Soviet Union, and I remember my teacher expressing her sympathies that I got suck with Russia.
What she didn’t know at first was that I had a little advantage. A friend, and wife of my father’s cousin, had immigrated from Russia. She told me verbally how to make her borscht recipe. This must have been my first introduction to bay leaves. I distinctly remember asking her to repeat bay leaf a couple of times. I had probably never heard of it before, and with her accent I had no idea what she was saying. Awkward. So now, whenever I reach for a bay leaf, I think of our dear friend.
As is often the case with favourite recipes, this one has evolved over the years I’ve been making it. I hope you’ll appreciate my current delicious, simplified vegan version!
Russian Foods
The other day while I was going through some old recipes, I actually came across my high school notes with my original Borsch recipe. Apparently I also served a sauerkraut dish with bacon and onions, rye bread, and apple torte. Other Russian dishes are beef stroganoff, mushroom gravy, cabbage rolls, and babka, a round loaf of bread.
Borscht Broth
As with any broth-based soup recipe, using good quality broth or stock is vital. It’s not difficult to make your own. You just need to allow some time. I make the easiest stock ever. I simply fill a pot with chicken or beef bones, cover them with water, add a spoonful each of salt and vinegar, bring to a boil, and simmer for several hours. You can do the same thing with an assortment of chopped vegetables to make a vegan broth. In that case, you don’t need the vinegar.
Cashew Yogurt
Borscht would typically be topped off with a dollop of sour cream. For this dairy free, vegan version, I actually prefer my Cashew Yogurt on it. You’ll notice that the nutrition facts for each are listed separately below.
Borscht
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable broth (for vegan) or bone stock
- 4 medium beets peeled and cubed
- 2 medium carrots chopped (1 cup)
- 1 medium yellow cooking onion chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 small head cabbage shredded (3 cups)
- 1 28- ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup cashew yogurt for topping
Instructions
- In a 4-quart Dutch oven, combine broth, beets, carrots, onion, bay leaf, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
- Stir in cabbage and undrained tomatoes.
- Cover and cook 30 to 35 minutes more or until vegetables are tender.
- Remove bay leaf.
- Puree with an immersion blender, if desired.
- Garnish with a dollop of cashew yogurt to serve.
Nutrition Facts for Cashew Yogurt
Vegan Borscht
As they say, everything happens for a reason. Wonderful story, thanks for sharing. This borscht looks just perfect. Have pinned to try ♥♥♥
I hope you enjoy it !
I love beet, so I know I would love this soup! Such a fantastic colour Cathy! Happy Friday!
Thank you, Leanne. Have a great weekend!
This color is beautiful! Love a good borscht and it’s vegan!!
Thanks! We eat with our eyes first, don’t we!
Such a healing soup! thanks for sharing!
No problem!
I’ve never had borscht! But that cashew cream on the top looks divine!
That cashew cream/yogurt is great with all sorts of things!
I still never tried borscht before and I love beets so I think I need to make this recipe soon. Especially when it’s rhis easy to make!
I agree!
I have never tried Borscht! it looks lovely!
Oh, you must try it sometime!
I love the simplicity of this dish and that color is so pretty!! I also really enjoyed your history with making it! I’m adding it to my list of dishes I want to try!
I hope you do!
All of the Russian recipes you found sound so lovely. I am half Russian and feel close to these foods. Beautiful borscht!
Thank you, Megan! That means a lot to me considering your Russian heritage.
I have never had borscht before and my husband is part Russian. I should try this out.
I hope your husband would approve of my borscht.
I have never had borscht…I am super curious about it! I absolutely love that vibrant color!
I hope you try it! This one is really simple.
I like the look of your simplified borscht! So many wonderful veggies and I’m amazed at how simple the method is! Will have to give this a go.
Thanks, Monique! One of my goals is to simplify good foods.
I used to live near a Russian restaurant and had borscht at least once a week – I really miss it! Will be giving this a go!
Wonderful! I hope you enjoy my simple version of borscht.
I love borscht so much we make them in the winter time! My kids love beets, it’s a great way to get them eat a lot of veggies. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
It’s great that your kids love beets! Thanks for stopping by.
I am a big fan of borscht! I grew up eating Doukabour borscht which is a little different but just as good. I love the colour of this soup and your photos are gorgeous!
Thank you, Colleen! I must try Doukabour borscht sometime.
Oh yum, this is such a special soup. I LOVE that you included the cashew yogurt, such a nice dairy-free alternative to sour cream (because you really can’t have Borscht without that creamy goodness on top – so classic and perfect). This looks so good!
I agree. It needs the topping to be complete!
I love that you still had your high school notes! That must have been a blast to look back on! Do you remember your meal going well? I don’t remember so many things from those years – I’d love to have such a vivid recollection!
I really don’t remember the presentation, only the preparation. I hope it went well!
Every family in Russia has their own borscht (борщ) secrets 🙂 I never added honey or stewed tomatoes before, but would love to try next time!
I’d be interested in the version without tomatoes!
I had a Russian friend in high school who once ordered borscht at a restaurant and I had no idea what it was!
It’s nice that you recreate it!
I wouldn’t have known what it was either before I started researching for this project!
Your story reminded me of my high school project (a few decades ago!!) too. I cooked a meal for my science class of foraged wild foods. Fun memories. Your borscht looks beautiful; I like your idea of pureeing it for a totally different look – very elegant. I can see serving it as a first course for a dinner party.
Foraged wild foods was an adventurous meal for high school!