Borscht I

Name: Borscht I
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 6 cup water; ¾ tablespoon salt; ½ cup finely chopped carrots; ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper, divided; ½ stalk celery, chopped; 1 medium beet; ½ cup canned peeled and diced tomatoes; 3 potatoes, quartered; ⅓3333343267441 cup butter; ½ cup chopped onion; 1 ½ cup canned tomatoes; 3 cup finely shredded cabbage, divided; ¼ cup heavy cream; ¾ cup diced potatoes; 1 tablespoon dried dill weed; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper to taste; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

89 Ratings
71 Reviews
4 Photos

This is the best borscht I have ever eaten. Double the recipe, because it freezes well.

By DeeDee Henderson

prep:

25 mins

cook:

1 hr

total:

1 hr 25 mins

Servings:

Max Servings:

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1

Place water, salt, carrots, 1/2 of the bell pepper, celery, beet, tomatoes, and quartered potatoes in a large stock pot over high heat. Bring to a boil.

Ads will not print with your recipe
Step 2

Melt 1/3 cup butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Saute onions in butter until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of sauce from skillet, and set aside. Stir half of the cabbage into the skillet with remaining sauce, and continue simmering 5 minutes more, or until tender.
Step 3

Remove beet from boiling liquid and discard. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon or tongs, and place in a bowl with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the cream. Mash together until smooth.
Step 4

Return the 1/2 cup of reserved onion-tomato sauce to the stock pot. Stir in diced potatoes, and simmer until just tender but still firm, approximately 5 minutes. Increase heat to a low boil, and stir in remaining cabbage, tomato sauce, and mashed potatoes. Reduce heat and simmer a few minutes more. Stir in remaining bell pepper, season with black pepper, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

184.88 calories; 3.37 g protein; 23.65 g carbohydrates; 9.3 g fat; 25.45 mg cholesterol; 897.99 mg sodium.Full Nutrition

Reviews (71)

Read All Reviews

Most helpful positive review

YVIEJO

05/02/2006

I've never had borscht before so I don't know how authentic this recipe is. I just made this to use up some beets--which frankly I don't even like much. This recipe though is INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS (and really the most remarkable shade of purple/magenta when you use red cabbage...can't beat that)! I even used extra beets (2 large & 3 small) then chopped them up and left them in as people recommended (I figured it was too much work to puree or shred the beets)...and I psychotically love this soup. I think I could eat it every day. The dollop of sour cream was a great touch too. I just had the last bowl...sniff...I think I need to get more beets and make this again. I'll try with much less butter next time though...that was kind of an alarming amount for a vegetable soup.

Helpful

(91)

Most helpful critical review

Anonymous

03/21/2012

I am from Russia and we do not put celery into borsht; it absolutely has to be made in beef or pork bouillon so that veggies be cooked in it. Start with potatoes add cabbage and onions with carrots nothing fried before finally add precooked and shredded beet with tomatoes bay leaf and dill is the key; want it sour? use sauerkraut. Enjoy!

Helpful

(9)

89 Ratings

5 57
4 18
3 11
2 2
1 1

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Monzie

03/28/2006

This recipe was a good starting point but I had to make several major adjustments to achieve something that was suitably "borscht-like" for my tastes. I used two beets rather than one (and next time I'd use three) and I did not discard them after boiling. I chopped one beet into small dice and pureed the other. I added both right before service. Without the addition of the puree the soup would have been bright orange rather than the deep ruby color I expect from borscht. Other changes I made: Added a tablespoon of dried dill toward the end of cooking omitted about half of the butter and all of the celery (is "half a stalk" reallly going to add any flavor or texture?) didn't reserve the 1/2 c of tomato sauce (this step seemed unnecessary since everything gets mixed together anyway) and I used only about half of the cabbage called for and still found it to be a very cabbage-y soup (3 cups would have been serious overkill). Be sure to taste the soup before serving. I found that it needed quite a bit more salt and pepper than called for. Garnished with sour cream of course. I will make borscht again but not according to this recipe.

Helpful

(179)

YVIEJO

05/02/2006

Helpful

(91)

Anichka

12/04/2005

Great recipe but thicker than authentic borscht I've had in Ukraine and Russia. Things I did just a bit differently... I used two beets with the stock (peeled) and when I removed them I diced one and a half and added it back into the stock. I added a little more dill than called for and I wish I had some fresh dill for garnish. I added just a touch of white pepper and I topped the soup with sour cream.

Helpful

(78)

Anonymous

09/20/2003

This borscht recipe is amazing. It is as hearty as they come and very full flavoured. I've made a few changes that you may like. A couple of cloves of garlic in the sauce really enhances the flavour. Also I like to fry all of the cabbage so it is all of a consistant texture. Serve the soup with some sourdough bread and you will have a instant hit. If any of you ever end up in the Kootenay region of British Columbia Canada you should stop by the Grand Forks Hotel. Their diner makes a wonderful example of this soup and also has many other traditional Russian dishes that you are bound to enjoy. Cheers Mike

Helpful

(47)

Anonymous

03/24/2005

I too kept the beets and diced them and put them back in. I also added two cloves of garlic and I sauteed ground lamb in ghee and garam marsala (indian spices) along with the onions and cabbage. Forgot the heavy cream so I used a can of evaporated milk which worked just great. It turned out marvelously. I garnished with sour cream and fresh dill. No longer vegetarian but a phenomenal lamb borscht. I used ghee (clarified butter) instead of regular butter.

Helpful

(30)

Jennifer

05/06/2005

I made this for a dinner party. I got mixed reviews. I love Borsht and I only thought it was okay. Too much cabbage in it. Reminded me more of cabbage soup instead of Borscht.

Helpful

(27)

Anonymous

07/01/2003

I was trying to find a borscht recipe as good as my friend's mom's. This is so much better. I have made it 4-5 times and it gets better each time as I make my own changes. This is the best borscht I have ever eaten. However I don't discard the beet I grate it into the soup! Enjoy!

Helpful

(27)

Lana

01/22/2005

did a couple adjustments. I'm on weight watchers so I used 1% milk instead of heavy cream and cut up the beets and kept them in. Very very good

Helpful

(27)

beth

12/30/2005

according to my grandmother dill is the key!

Helpful

(25)

More Reviews

Nutritional Information

Borscht I

Servings Per Recipe: 8
Calories: 184.88

% Daily Value *

protein: 6.73 %

carbohydrates: 7.63 %

dietary fiber: 16.69 %

sugars: 0 %

fat: 14.31 %

saturated fat: 28.88 %

cholesterol: 8.48 %

vitamin a iu: 37.76 %

niacin equivalents: 17.33 %

vitamin b6: 25.7 %

vitamin c: 65.46 %

folate: 25.77 %

calcium: 7.65 %

iron: 19.99 %

magnesium: 13.29 %

potassium: 18.27 %

sodium: 35.92 %

thiamin: 13.88 %

calories from fat: 0 %

percent of calories from carbs: 0 %

percent of calories from fat: 0 %

percent of calories from protein: 0 %

percent of calories from sat fat: 0 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Reviews for: Photos of Borscht I

1 of 71

All Reviews

Monzie

03/28/2006

Helpful

(179)

YVIEJO

05/02/2006

Helpful

(91)

Anichka

12/04/2005

Helpful

(78)

Anonymous

09/20/2003

Helpful

(47)

Anonymous

03/24/2005

Helpful

(30)

Jennifer

05/06/2005

I made this for a dinner party. I got mixed reviews. I love Borsht and I only thought it was okay. Too much cabbage in it. Reminded me more of cabbage soup instead of Borscht.

Helpful

(27)

Anonymous