United by Taste
Recipe photo for Ukrainian Borsch

Ukrainian Borsch

by United by Taste

Ukrainian Borsch

by United by Taste

🇺🇦 Ukraine ·Europe
Prep
Cook
Total
6 portions
A deeply nourishing beetroot soup that is the heart of Ukrainian cuisine. This classic borsch builds layers of flavor from a rich meat broth, sautéed beets and vegetables, and a final brightening of garlic and fresh dill. Its signature ruby-red color and balanced sweet-sour taste come from slow-cooked beets finished with a splash of acidity. Traditionally served with a dollop of smetana (sour cream) and pampushky (garlic bread rolls), borsch is comfort food that tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Broth

700 g bone-in beef (short ribs or brisket) with marrow bones for richness
3 l water
2 leaf bay leaf
8 piece black peppercorns
1 pinch salt to taste

Beet Sauté (Zazharka)

2 piece beets medium, peeled and julienned or grated
3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice to set the color
1 tsp sugar

Vegetable Sauté

1 piece onion large, finely diced
1 piece carrot large, grated
2 tbsp sunflower oil

Soup

3 piece potatoes medium, peeled and cubed
300 g white cabbage thinly shredded
4 clove garlic minced
1 bunch fresh dill chopped
0.5 bunch fresh parsley chopped
1 pinch salt to taste
1 pinch black pepper to taste

To Serve

1 pinch sour cream (smetana) for serving
1 pinch fresh dill chopped
1 pinch rye or pampushky garlic rolls optional

Ingredients

6 portions

Broth

700 gbone-in beef (short ribs or brisket) with marrow bones for richness
3 lwater
2 leafbay leaf
8 pieceblack peppercorns
1 pinchsalt to taste

Beet Sauté (Zazharka)

2 piecebeets medium, peeled and julienned or grated
3 tbspsunflower oil
2 tbsptomato paste
1 tbspwhite vinegar or lemon juice to set the color
1 tspsugar

Vegetable Sauté

1 pieceonion large, finely diced
1 piececarrot large, grated
2 tbspsunflower oil

Soup

3 piecepotatoes medium, peeled and cubed
300 gwhite cabbage thinly shredded
4 clovegarlic minced
1 bunchfresh dill chopped
0.5 bunchfresh parsley chopped
1 pinchsalt to taste
1 pinchblack pepper to taste

To Serve

1 pinchsour cream (smetana) for serving
1 pinchfresh dill chopped
1 pinchrye or pampushky garlic rolls optional

Instructions

Make the broth

  1. 1

    Start the meat

    Place the bone-in beef and marrow bones in a large pot with 3 liters of cold water. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer and skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

  2. 2

    Simmer low and slow

    Add bay leaves, peppercorns, and a pinch of salt. Cover partially and simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours until the meat is fork-tender. Remove the meat, pull it from the bone, cut into bite-sized pieces, and return to the strained broth.

Prepare the sautés

  1. 1

    Cook the beets separately

    Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the julienned beets and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, vinegar or lemon juice, and sugar. Add a ladle of broth, cover, and braise gently for 15-20 minutes until tender. The acid keeps the beets a vivid red.

  2. 2

    Sauté onion and carrot

    In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and soften the diced onion for 3-4 minutes. Add the grated carrot and cook another 5 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.

Build the soup

  1. 1

    Add potatoes

    Bring the broth back to a simmer. Add the cubed potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.

  2. 2

    Add cabbage

    Add the shredded cabbage and cook for another 7-8 minutes until both potatoes and cabbage are nearly tender.

  3. 3

    Combine the sautés

    Stir in the onion-carrot sauté and the braised beets with all their juices. Simmer for 10 minutes to marry the flavors. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and acidity.

Finish and rest

  1. 1

    Add garlic and herbs

    Turn off the heat. Stir in the minced garlic, chopped dill, and parsley. Cover and let the borsch rest for at least 20-30 minutes (ideally a few hours or overnight) so the flavors deepen.

  2. 2

    Serve

    Ladle into bowls and top each with a generous dollop of smetana and extra dill. Serve hot with rye bread or pampushky garlic rolls.

Credits & Inspiration

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