How to Make Borscht! A delicious time honored classic.

Borscht is just one of those soups people don't think about. But they should! Because Borscht is the perfect soup for a chilly weather. And this version is loaded with vegetables for good health. Don't let this delicious old-fashioned recipe pass you by, think of all the sour cream you won't be able to eat!

While it is heating up in other parts of the country, here in Montana we still have snow in the mountains.

Our springtime is not rainy, around here our springtime is breezy, and often that breeze is cold. But let's not forget the snow melt, it is everywhere! So we are still making and enjoying soup in this household. Last week I signed us up for a local CSA. So far we have enjoyed three different farmers, and their CSA plans. They were all different from the other, with each farm specializing in either a growing style or teaching program.

No garden beds yet, but we have been busy!

It has been a busy time around here, and we have gotten a lot done, but the raised garden beds were not a priority. The chicken coop however was a priority, gosh those little chicks grew fast! Making the coop our number one priority with any free time available to work on it. The other things that took priority over the garden beds, was the second floor in the shop, new fencing, and getting a coat of paint on the house by the end of summer.

With only so many hours in a day, I felt the best solution to having enough fresh, local produce after our own garden, was a CSA.

Plus they are practically a neighbor, just a few moments away by truck. A lot of great produce grows here in the Bitterroot Valley, making a CSA share, a good way to eat local and eat well! With all the outside work, I got a bit behind on checking on what we have in the root cellar. As it turned out, we had a small container of beets that were in need of being rescued! They were a bit withered but otherwise completely edible, and just perfect for a soup kettle of Borscht.

To be honest, I have never made Borscht before, nor have I eaten it.

But it seemed like a good time to use the beets and a perfect time to make a new soup to try. So Borscht it was! And you know what, it really is delicious! The recipe I used did not call for meat, but I made the decision to add some ground beef. You may certainly leave it out.

The only other change I made to the recipe was to cook the beets for a while before adding the other vegetables since beets do take longer to cook. This vibrant bowl of Borscht is lovely, the pickled beet juice gives it a rich flavor without being overbearing, and the sour cream makes it perfect!

How about you, ready to try making a kettle of Borscht?

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

beets
carrots
celery
onions
oil
canned tomatoes
bay leaves
beef broth or stock
ground beef
pickled beet juice, or kvass
pepper
salt
garlic
sour cream

You will also need the following:

kitchen knife
vegetable peeler
cutting board
large soup kettle, with lid
measuring cups
stirring spoon

Now we are ready to begin!

How to Make Borscht

adapted from: RUSSIAN POLISH and GERMAN Cooking, The very best of Eastern cuisine with more than 185 delicious recipes shown in 750 photographs!

UPDATED: 01.02.2024

2 pounds beets

3 carrots

3 ribs celery

2 large onions

1 - 2 pounds of ground beef, if using

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 16-oz can diced tomatoes

5 c beef stock/broth

2 bay leaves

2/3 c juice from pickled beets or kvass

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

sour cream for serving

Peel the beets, cut into 1/2 inch dice, set them aside. Peel the carrots, slice into 1/2 inch slices, set them aside. Dice the celery set aside.

Peel, and dice the onions. Place the oil into a large stockpot or kettle, sauté the diced onions until translucent. Add the ground beef and the garlic, breaking up the beef, continue to sauté until no longer pink.

Add the bay leaves, diced beets, pickled beet juice, tomatoes (do not drain), and the beef stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered, for one hour.

Add the reserved carrots and celery, along with the salt and pepper. Let simmer for 45 - 60 minutes adjust seasonings if needed.

Serve with sour cream on top.

Storage options for How to Make Borscht. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days. You may freeze if you need to store it for a longer amount of time. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

UPDATE: For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of How to Make Borscht has been included below.

You may also enjoy:

White Bean Soup with Cilantro Broth.

#DIYHomemadeHousehold

#wholefoodingredients

Recipe featured at:

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household featured at Blogger's Pit Stop Link-up!

Thanks for stopping by!

We offer new and delicious recipes as well as DIY ideas for your home, regularly. Feel free to drop us an email request for any question or recipe you may be looking for. In addition, like all our guests, we invite you to come for a visit again and again for new recipes, and my down-home take on frugal ways to keep your home in tip top shape.

Hey you, don’t miss a post! Please consider following Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household. To follow by email, and/or by RSS feed, complete the application located on the right-hand side of the blog. Please Note, some posts may contain affiliate links, thank you for supporting Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household.

PS, friends, and family who love good food and household ideas might love us too! Tell them about us, and thanks for the referral!

You may also enjoy, Creative writing from the heart... stories of life, living, and family.

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household proudly shares with these generous link parties featured here.

Printable "copy and paste" version: