Borsch: a traditional beetroot soup recipe
Why borsch turns orange, the order of the ingredients and how to let it rest in the fridge.
Borsch is the beetroot, cabbage and meat soup eaten in Ukraine, Russia and much of Eastern Europe. Its deep red colour is no accident: a little vinegar helps prevent beetroot from losing colour as it boils and the soup turning orange. It is a central dish in Russian cuisine and Ukrainian cuisine.
Start with the stock
- Put 500 g of beef ribs in 2.5 litres of cold water. Cold water matters: meat releases less flavour when added to boiling water.
- Bring to the boil, skim off the foam and reduce the heat to its lowest setting.
- Cover and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove the meat, take out the bones and cut it into pieces.
Beetroot and colour
Grate three medium beetroot and sauté separately in oil with two tablespoons of tomato purée for 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of vinegar: the acid fixes the pigment and keeps the red colour. Without this step, the soup ends up orange, however good the beetroot.
Assemble the soup
- Add two diced potatoes to the boiling stock. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add 300 g of finely shredded cabbage. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add the sautéed beetroot with its juices and the chopped meat.
- Add one carrot and one onion, softened in a pan beforehand.
- Cook for 5 more minutes and turn off the heat. Add two chopped garlic cloves and fresh dill.
Resting in the fridge
If you are not keeping the borsch hot, refrigerate it as soon as possible and do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. To eat it the next day, keep it refrigerated and reheat the portion until its centre reaches at least 70 °C for 2 minutes. Resting in the fridge helps the flavours come together.
Storage and reheating guidance: Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN).
How to serve
Serve very hot with a generous spoonful of sour cream in the middle, chopped dill and dark bread with garlic on the side. In winter it is served with pampushky, small rolls with garlic and oil.