8 Comforting Russian Soups for Fall and Winter Weather

This terrific fall and winter soup warms you from the inside out. To a simple beef and beet broth, you'll add a little chopped cabbage and a splash of vinegar at the end. The cabbage sweetens as it cooks in the broth. "It was this soup that started my lifelong love of adding sour cream to things," says Chef John. "The way the tangy, rich cream melts into the hot, beefy broth is a wonder to behold."

 "This soup is comforting, rich, delicious, and not your ordinary potato soup but out of this world!" says Vicky Gunkel. "My grandfather grew up in Poland near the Russian border and this potato soup reminds me of our family recipe."

Here's a simple but hearty cabbage soup with ground beef, tomato sauce, and veggies. A touch of vinegar and sugar gives it distinctive flavor. Enjoy it Russian-style, with a dollop of sour cream and a few slices of dark rye bread. "Great recipe!" says Pattim45. " I've made this several times and my grandpa would be proud. He was from Lithuania and made a cabbage soup similar to this. He used to serve it with a boiled potato and sometimes a slice of rye bread with butter. A whole meal in itself especially in cold nasty winter weather."

"It's a hearty soup with a great flavor. Add seasonal veggies for more variety," says Idealnut. "This is a recipe that I found in a vegetarian cookbook years ago. I have modified it to my liking and have made it ever since!"

This rich Russian soup calls for wild mushrooms and three types of meat simmered in seasoned beef stock with kalamata olives, marinated mushrooms, capers, and dill pickles. "This is a traditional Russian soup that is served as a meal by itself," says Karena. "Vodka is usually served with it. Garnish with fresh lemon slices and sour cream."

"This is my friend Sasha's Russian family recipe for borscht," says nch. "I made a few small changes to her recipe: I took my time sauteing the vegetables instead of adding them all at once, and I added a little brown sugar to deepen the flavor. Borscht tastes great reheated, but it won't have the vibrant color any longer."

Cubed potatoes, onions, and parsley simmer with cubes of white fish fillets and fresh squeezed lemon juice, which adds brightness to the broth. "Wonderful fish soup. Very popular in Russia and easy to make," says Byakin. "Try it with pike, perch or salmon."

A delicious and easy Russian soup with potatoes and spinach, along with parsley, chopped hard-cooked eggs, and a dollop of sour cream. "Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a day or two," says maryelle.