Russian Borscht Soup
Russian Borscht Soup is a scrumptious comfort food perfect for those colder months! This soup is made with beets, carrots, and cabbage and often cooked using either pork or beef ribs. Although some people will use beans instead of meat, but there are many people who prefer it without meat at all. Which is great if you’re wanting a more vegetarian meal. Traditionally topped with sour cream and fresh dill, this is a delicious soup to try if you’re a fan of any kind of stew!
This week in our homeschool we finished up our study on Russia for geography and learned quite a lot about the rough climate in a good portion of Russia. Of course, there are parts that are quite cold most of the year, and the meals that would be preferred would be a nice warm comfort food.
We landed on this Russian Borscht soup to try because from what we learned this is quite a popular comfort food in Russia that remind many Russians of home.
Here are two different YouTube videos to watch to give you a feel for the culture and borscht soup that we found very intersting!
Ingredients needed for Russian Borscht Soup:
- Short Ribs (beef or pork)
- Onion
- Beets
- Carrots
- Tomato paste
- Sugar or honey
- Cabbage
- Potatoes
- Parsley
- Dill
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sour cream
How to make Borscht:
First, you’ll want to sear the ribs in a skillet for about 5 minutes on each side. This step is optional, but it will help to add a delicious flavor.
Once done, transfer the ribs into a large stockpot and add about 16 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. This will simmer down to become the broth for your soup.
Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook about 1-1 1/2 hours until meat is tender and falling off the bone.
Meanwhile, chop the onion and thinly slice the carrots and beets.
Preheat a skillet with oil (or use the same one from searing the meat) and add in the chopped onion. Cook until the onion becomes translucent.
Now add in the sliced carrots and beets and cook for another 10 minutes.
Add in tomato paste, salt, and sugar. Cook for about 10 more minutes. When done, remove from heat.
Once the meat is done cooking, remove from pot and separate the meat from the bones and shred the meat. Place shredded meat back into the pot.
Add in the chopped potatoes and shredded cabbage. Cook for another 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.
Then add in the onion-carrot-beets mixture. Sprinkle in parsley and dill. Cook for another 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat from the pot and cover with a lid and allow the soup to sit and cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
Serve the soup topped with sour cream and fresh dill.
Enjoy!
Russian Borscht Soup
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. bone-in short ribs
- 16-18 cups water enough to cover meat while boiling and yield broth for soup.
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cups beets grated or thinly sliced
- 2 cups carrots grated or thinly sliced
- 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp sugar or honey
- 4 cups cabbage shredded
- 2 lbs. potatoes peeled and cubed
- ground black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ cup fresh dill
- sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over high heat and sear the ribs for about 5 minutes on each side. (This part is optional but will help to seal in flavor and moisture.)
- Once done, transfer ribs to a large stockpot and add water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook about 1-1½ hours until meat is tender and falling off the bone.
- Meanwhile, chop the onion and thinly slice the carrots and beets.
- Preheat a skillet with oil (or use the same one from searing the meat) and add in the chopped onion. Cook until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add in the sliced carrots and beets and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add in the tomato paste, salt, and sugar. Cook for about 10 more minutes. When done, remove from heat.
- Once the meat is done cooking, remove from pot and separate the meat from bones and shred the meat. Place the shredded meat back into the pot.
- Add in the chopped potatoes and shredded cabbage. Cook for another 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.
- Then add in the onion-carrot-beets mixture. Sprinkle in parsley and dill. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat from the pot and cover with a lid and allow the soup to sit and cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve the soup topped with sour cream and fresh dill.
- Enjoy!
If you tried this recipe and like it, please share it, rate it, and leave me a comment below! I love to hear from you!
Xo,
Amy
