Serves 4
40 min
Vegetarian Borscht
Recipe GLPR6abf89c1d2f56b
A vibrant, earthy Eastern European soup made with grated beets, root vegetables, and cabbage, finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and topped with cooling sour cream and fragrant dill. This wholesome vegetable soup is hearty enough for a main course and traditionally served with thick slices of pumpernickel bread.
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Ingredients
3 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium Carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 small Leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced (white and light green parts only)
½ small head Savoy cabbage, cored and chopped
1 teaspoon (plus more to taste) Kosher salt
to taste Freshly ground black pepper
3 medium Beets with greens, scrubbed
1 tablespoon Tomato paste
2 cloves Garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
Sour cream, for topping (optional)
Fresh dill, chopped, for topping (optional)
Pumpernickel bread, sliced, for serving
Directions
Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the cubed potatoes, carrots, sliced leeks, and chopped cabbage. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cook while stirring occasionally until the cabbage becomes soft and wilted, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
While the vegetables cook, trim the tops from the beets and set the greens aside. Using a vegetable peeler or knife, remove the papery skin from the beets. Grate the beets on the large holes of a box grater until you have shredded beet pieces. Remove the thick stems from the reserved beet greens and discard them, then coarsely chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Once the cabbage is wilted, stir in the grated beets and chopped beet greens, mixing well to distribute evenly throughout the pot. Push the other vegetables to the sides and add the tomato paste and chopped garlic to the center of the pot. Let these cook undisturbed until they become fragrant and begin to sizzle, about 30 seconds.
Pour in 7 cups of water and bring the soup to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue simmering until all the vegetables are tender and the broth has deepened in color and thickened slightly, 18 to 20 minutes. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and taste the soup, adjusting salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Top each portion with a generous dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh chopped dill if desired. Serve alongside thick slices of pumpernickel bread.
