I think there are as many variations of Borsch recipes as there are Slavic cooks, because everyone likes to add their special touch. I grew up eating it regularly and I’ve always loved it. This soup is so packed with nutrients; You can feel the vitamins as you eat each delicious spoonful.
I grew up in downtown New York, where my parents own a beautiful property. Every year they plant a garden and grow all kinds of vegetables. During the summer holidays I strolled through the wet grass and pulled beets, carrots, onions and garlic from the rich soil.
Today, I walk through the aisles of the farmer’s market, carrying my basket and dreaming of one more day once again breathing the fresh air and enjoying my own garden. Although it’s not the same, Borsch is still a great connection to think about the roots of our food. Not only is it fantastic during the summer when all the produce is incredibly fresh, but it’s such a comforting dish to enjoy in the cold winter months, whether you live in snowy New York or sunny Florida.
Video recipe of how to cook
Borsch
What kind of meat is used for Borsch?
You can use beef ribs, beef
cane or oxtail, which are in the bone, but I also like to use beef chuck or beef
tenderloin. Cut the meat
chuck or top sirloin into bite-sized chunks and place it in a small pot with enough water to cover the meat by about an inch. I love using my Instant Pot (an electric pressure cooker) to cook the meat while cooking the rest of the Borsch. If you are using the instant pot, cook the beef ribs, stem, oxtail or mandrel in manual mode, high pressure for 45-65 minutes and the beef tenderloin only needs 20 minutes to cook.
If you are cooking meat on the stove, boil the water, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, until the fork is tender, while cooking the borsch. You can also add some black peppercorns and bay leaves to flavor the broth. Remove the foam from the top of the meat broth while cooking. 
Chicken
broth
I usually make chicken broth in large batches and keep it in my freezer. You can use store-bought chicken broth if you don’t want to use homemade broth.
Homemade
chicken broth recipe
You can certainly skip the chicken broth and just use meat broth that you will get when cooking the meat, just make more broth. You can also add some meat bones and add 11 cups of water to the pot. Strain the broth when the meat is crumbling and tender. Return the broth to the pot and continue with the recipe.
However, I prefer to use chicken broth and cook some meat in a small pot on the side, while making the Borsch in a large pot. I think the taste of Borsch based on chicken broth is the best, at least in my opinion.
In addition to the broth, you can add a little water so that the Borsch has the consistency that you like the most. You can add up to 4 cups of water or not add extra water, if you want the Borsch to be thicker in consistency.
Vegetarian or vegan
Borsch
It is very easy to make Borsch without meat. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and use oil to sauté the vegetables, not butter and garnish the soup with vegan sour cream or don’t use sour cream at all.
Instead of meat, you can add dried beans or mushrooms. Dried porcini mushrooms are my favorite.
Vegetarian recipe of
Borsch
Cooking the vegetables
While cooking the meat, prepare the rest of the Borsch in a large pot or Dutch oven
.
Heat the butter or oil and add the onion, carrot and celery. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes.
Pour the water and chicken broth. Add potatoes and cabbage to Borsch.
If you’re using very young green cabbage, you may want to add it after the potatoes are halfway through cooking, as they don’t take as long to cook as older, whiter cabbage. 
Bring to a boil, season with salt and continue cooking, over low heat until potatoes are well cooked, 15-20 minutes.
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img src=”https://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Borsch-1-13.jpg” alt=”Borsch-1-13″ />
Meanwhile, place the beets in a large skillet with the tomato sauce, water, lemon juice and sugar. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
Lemon juice will keep the beetroot a beautiful and vibrant red and also give a slight flavor to Borsch. Sugar balances the acidity of lemon juice.
I prefer to use roasted beetroot for Borsch, but you can also cook the beets in a pot with water or even use raw beets, but you will have to cook them much longer in the pan. I usually roast the beets in advance. Here’s how to roast beets:
Cover the pan, boil the water, then reduce the heat and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until most of the water and tomato sauce is absorbed. 
Clear a space in the center of the pan and add the chopped garlic to the beets, cooking for another minute or two, until the garlic is well cooked. 
When the potatoes are tender, add the beetroot to the soup and remove Borsch from the heat. At this time, the meat should be tender. 
If you like the consistency of the soup, drain the meat, if you like the soup to be thinner, drain the meat through a fine-mesh sieve and add the meat liquid to the soup as well. If you used beef, remove the meat from the bone and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add the meat to the Borsch as well. 
Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Garnish with finely chopped fresh dill and green onion. Russians like to add a tablespoon of sour cream to our bowl of Borsch. 
This is an updated version of Borsch’s recipe that was originally published on November 21, 2011. The recipe is the same, with updated images and a new video.
