What's the difference between beet soup and borscht?

Put simply, barszcz is a Polish name for a beetroot soup that is a shared staple in the whole of the Eastern Europe and the word borscht is an anglicised version of the Yiddish word for it . There are many many versions of this bright pink soup as it's eaten throughout the year.

Is borscht clear or thick?

A common opinion is that a good borscht should be thick enough for a spoon to stand upright in it.

Where does cabbage borscht come from?

The name 'borscht' comes from the Old Slavonic 'borsht', meaning 'hogweed', an ingredient in the soup's earliest recipes . The Ukrainian version of borscht, distinguished by its use of red beetroots, cabbage, potatoes, meat or bone stock, and a variety of other vegetables and seasonings, is particularly renowned.

Should I peel beets for soup?

Sometimes beets are peeled before cooking . They may also be scrubbed and cooked until tender with their skins on; the skins slip off fairly easily after cooling. (Some people are happy to leave the skins on; they are fine to eat.)

How healthy is borscht?

How healthy is borscht? This healthy borscht soup is packed with nutrients from the potatoes and beets . Potatoes are a good source of fiber, protein, and vitamin C, while beets are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, like folate and potassium.

What is the difference between Ukrainian and Russian borscht?

It's standard for Ukrainian cooks to use pork in their Borscht and top it off with sour cream, whereas Russian cooks are more likely to use beef . Furthermore, Ukrainians will offer buns with their bortsch, and Russians will offer a native bread known as “black bread.”

Borscht is associated with and claimed by several ethnic groups, especially Ukrainians, Russians, Poles, Lithuanians and Ashkenazi Jews , as their own national or ethnic dish and cultural icon.

Why did my borscht turn brown?

Martseniuk says the key to good borscht is acidity: “ Either lemon juice or white vinegar is important to help keep the color .” Without it, your soup can turn slightly muddy and brown, a far cry from the brilliant characteristic hue you're going for.

Why is my borscht not purple?

Cooking Time and Temperature: Beets can lose their vibrant red color if they are overcooked or cooked at high temperatures for too long . If you cooked the beets for an extended period or at a high temperature, it could cause them to lose some of their color intensity, resulting in a more orange appearance.

Which country has the best borscht?

" Ukraine is frequently listed as borscht's country of origin, and Puzata Hata in Kiev has some of the best in the city."

What do you eat with borscht?

You can serve borscht with sides like Pumpernickel or rye bread, garlic toast, meat, salads, dairy, pickled foods, pierogi, grains, potato pancakes, mashed potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, deviled eggs seasoned with paprika or dill, gluten-free options, and accompany it with fermented Slavic beverages and Santa Carolina ...

Cabbage Borscht Soup Recipe (Vegan) (2024)

October 3, 2018

Cabbage borscht soup is a very yummy traditional meal coming from Eastern Europe. It is not the same as beet borscht or Ukrainian borscht. There are several borscht soup versions and recipes; every family has a favorite. I love this kind of recipe that can be followed loosely since there is no right or wrong in making borscht. The best borscht recipe is the one you make at home.

Cabbage borscht soup is rich in vegetable flavor and great for a whole-food plant-based diet. It is best made with fresh vegetables from the garden. It is an excellent harvest-to-table meal. All the vegetables can also be precut and frozen separately or in portions for a recipe in freezer-safe containers for winter soups. White cabbage is best blanched before freezing; red beets, carrots, and onions can be chopped and frozen.

Instead of tomato paste, you can use fresh tomatoes (about 2 cups) from the garden. You can also freeze whole tomatoes for soups in the winter. We make our vegetable broth for a healthy soup. Read here how to make a flavorful broth.

The soup will vary in color, as all vegetables are used for vegan borscht, but it is always delicious. I think the pictures do no justice to the actual borscht soup. We do not use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to preserve the beautiful color. It wasn’t part of the original recipe, and I do not think we would like the sour taste.

The traditional Cabbage Borscht Soup

This version of borscht originates from a German Mennonite cookbook. The Mennonites also have a green borscht recipe, an entirely different delicious soup. Traditional borscht is best served with a dollop of sour cream (Or vegan alternative) and garnished with fresh dill.

Traditional meat with a bone is used; the recipe asks for 500 g of meat. After being cooked, the soup bones are removed, and the meat is cut into bite-sized pieces. In my recipe card, vegetable broth is used instead of bone broth.

For vegans, borscht can be made using only vegetables, but beans make borscht even better. Useing home-canned pinto or kidney beans, I add the whole pint jar (500ml) to the soup. The liquid from the beans gives the soup a bit of creaminess/graveness that we all love. If you prefer white beans or cannellini beans, you can use them as well.

4.5 from 6 reviews

Cabbage Borscht Soup (Vegan)

Author: Anna @ Northern Homestead

Ingredients

3 small to medium-sized onions
1-2 diced carrots
1 beetroot diced
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon oil (Optional)
1 bay leaf
6 potatoes, diced small to medium size
1 pound white cabbage, chopped
3-4 tbsp tomato paste, or 2 cup fresh tomatoes
about 8 cups of homemade vegetable broth and water as needed (all vegetables need to be covered)
1-pint jar of kidney or pinto beans
1 bunch of dill
Black and hot pepper to taste
Miso paste, Brags, liquid soy seasoning, or salt to taste

Instructions

Wash, peel, dice, and chop all the vegetables. Some prefer the veggies cut small, and some coarse. You choose.
In a large soup pot (or Instant pot) sauté the onions and carrots on medium heat until they are translucent.
Add garlic
After 1-2 minutes, add tomato paste, bay leaf, and vegetable broth
Now add the beets, cabbage, and potatoes
Add water if needed to cover all the veggies.
Bring to a boil.
Cook on low heat for 30 minutes (Instant Pot 10 minutes)
Add the can of beans and bring back to a boil.
Add dill and seasoning

Instant pot Borscht

Instant pot borscht needs 10 minutes of high pressure and turns out yummy. When time is off, it’s best to let it release on its own. If you are in a hurry, you can use the 10-minute natural release. Let the cooker go into the “Keep Warm” mode and count for 10 minutes. Then press “cancel” and twist the steam release handle on the lid to the “Venting” position.

It is said that borscht tastes best after the seventh heat-up. That’s an exaggeration, but yes, a large batch of borscht can be prepared in advance and is great as leftovers. Yummy!

Borsht is usually served with bread, homemade dinner rolls, rye bread, or Krebli.

We invite you to subscribe to Northern Homestead and follow us on Instagram,Facebook, or Pinterest for more yummy recipes.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Kristen from The Road to Domestication says
October 3, 2013 at

I’ve never been a fan of cabbage, but I must say, this looks pretty good!
Reply
Anna says
October 3, 2013 at

Yes, that is what I meant. It makes it more flavorful, I think. But you can make it anyway you want.
Reply
Renew Your Space says
October 3, 2013 at

Ahh – my mom used to make this ALL the time growing up… thanks for the recipe 😀 ~Renee
See Also
Easy Chicken Miso Ramen Recipe - Feed Your Sole
Reply
Kimberly @ Real Homestead Mom says
October 3, 2013 at

This soup looks yummy for a cold day!
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Sarah says
October 3, 2013 at

Looks good! Always looking for more ways to use cabbage. There’s only so much roasted or sauteed cabbage we can handle!
Reply
Laura @ The Rookie Cook says
October 3, 2013 at

This does look yummy! I’m so glad it’s cooling down some and starting to get into soup season! 🙂
Reply
Missy Homemaker says
October 3, 2013 at

This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try this one.
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Christina @ Juggling Real Food and Real Life says
October 4, 2013 at

You always bring something new and interesting for me to read at Let’s Get Real. Thanks so much for linking up each week. I’ve never made borscht. My family will be impressed with me when I write that on our meal planning calendar. It sounds so glamorous and exciting. LOL! I don’t often have cabbage because I make a meal and then think………..now what do I do with the rest of it? This soup would go along nicely with a few other recipes I can think of so that I don’t have to let the cabbage go to waste. That makes me very happy. I really don’t like wasting good produce.
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- Anna says
  October 4, 2013 at
  
  I don’t like wasting good produce either, soups are just so good for that. Hope your family likes borscht!
  Reply
Nihal says
February 23, 2014 at

I will be keeping this recipe for my meal planning as I always end up with the core of cabbage after I cook some delicious dolmas (cabbage rolls).
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- Anna says
  February 23, 2014 at
  
  Borscht is delicious, and cabbage rolls sound good too. Enjoy!
  Reply
Marla says
June 29, 2014 at

Sounds absolutely delicious. I love recipes that are the whole meal in one dish. I shared this on Pinterest. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays Blog Hop!
Reply
- Anna says
  June 30, 2014 at
  
  Thank you Marla! Love your Blog hop for Real Food!
  Reply
jezza says
January 3, 2019 at

uhhh why did this change from a recipe with meat to a vegan one??
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- Anna says
  January 4, 2019 at
  
  Because we changed. We realized that we feel much better without eating meat. Also, we learned that in today’s butchering practice many animals are cut apart before they even die, that’s cruel and absolutely forbidden by the Creator God. If you still want to eat meat and are sure that the meat you have is not cut from a living animal, you can use a pound of stew meat of your choice for this recipe, instead of legumes.
  Reply
Jenny says
March 20, 2020 at

I’m curious, how will the taste differ if I do not add beetroot. I ask because I do not always have this on hand.
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- Anna says
  March 21, 2020 at
  
  Not much, I have made it without many times. Recipes are just guidelines, if you want to add or take away something, go for it. Freestyle cooking is the best way to cook anyways.
  Reply
Amanda says
October 5, 2020 at

Made this at the weekend and it’s delicious. Thanks for the recipe
Reply