You are here: Home > Recipes > Beetroot Soup (Borscht)

Beetroot Recipe #4

Beetroot Soup (Borscht)

This recipe is a great way of using end of season beetroot. It is simple and delicious - just beware it's staining potential!

The potatoes are optional and aren't usually included in the traditional Borscht recipe, but they help thicken the soup, which makes it less messy for kids to eat.

	Ingredients
	Serves 4 5-6 medium or large beetroot - raw 1 large or 2 medium onions, peeled 2 large potatoes (optional) 1 litre vegetable stock (or stock cube plus water) 1 lemon 150ml natural yoghurt or creme fraiche salt & pepper to taste

Method

Scrub the beetroot. Cut off the stalks. Chop the beetroot finely or grate it.
Peel and slice the onion
Scrub and chop the potatoes (if using) into 1cm cubes
Put the beetroot, onions, potatoes and stock in a large pan and simmer gently for about 1/2 hour, or until all the vegetables are soft.
At this stage you have two choices:
- For the more traditional Borscht, strain the soup, discarding the vegetables, and continue using just the liquid
- For a thicker and more filling version, liquidise the soup with the vegetables

Add the juice of the lemon and stir well.
Mix in the yoghurt or creme fraiche and season with salt & pepper to taste.

Traditionally, Borscht is served chilled, but this soup also tastes delicious when warm.

Serve garnished with a swirl of cream / yoghurt and with fresh, chopped chives.

Time From Cupboard-To-Table

45 minutes

Notes & Variations

The potatoes help thicken this soup and are best used if you're going down the non-traditional "liquidise the vegetables" route. If you're aiming for the more traditional Borscht, made with just the soup stock, leave out the potatoes.

Many people like to add 100ml of dry sherry to their Borscht and use the yoghurt / creme fraiche as a garnish, rather than mixing it in.

Veg Box Recipes Newsletter

Make sure you always stay up-to-date with our latest seasonal hints, tips and recipes. Plus exclusive discounts and competitions from ethical companies.

And it's free!

Subscribe now

Ratings & Reviews

Rating	Comments
/10

Rate It!

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us what you think of it.

Find more recipes

Beetroot Recipes

	Vegetable Tempura Although it's deep-fried, as long as the oil is hot enough and you drain the tempura after cooking, it's not that bad...! Quick, delicious and a nice change from sticking your veg in a curry!
	Beetroot Hummus Here's a quick and nutritious recipe to use up cooked beetroot and add a new twist to a traditional dish.
	Baked Beetroot This recipe is best done with baby beetroots, whilst they're nearer the size of golf balls than tennis balls. They cook more quickly and taste sweeter.
	Beetroot & Orange Salad The combination of beetroot, orange and coriander is fragrant and the flavours really compliment each other.
	Beetroot Soup (Borscht) This recipe is a great way of using end of season beetroot. It is simple and delicious - just beware it's staining potential!
	Pickled Beetroot Personally, I like shop-bought pickled beetroot. But this recipe for home pickling is much tastier and it's fun to experiment with the ingredients.
	Caramelised Beetroot This recipe is great because it brings out the sweetness of the beetroot and you can leave it to cook in the oven while you prepare the rest of the meal.
	Boiled Beetroot This recipe is best done with baby beetroots, whilst they're nearer the size of golf balls than tennis balls. They cook more quickly and taste sweeter.
	Watercress, Spinach & Goats' Cheese Salad I invented this recipe one lunchtime when we were all craving salad – in the depths of winter. The warm goats’ cheese and delicious dressing makes this salad a filling winter or springtime treat. You can also use kale, chard or beetroot leaves.
	Beetroot And Orange Soup The fantastic colour of this soup makes a wonderful change from the earthy colours of other winter root vegetables and the greens of winter brassicas.
	Beetroot and Fennel Salad With Sage Croutons This recipe combines raw fennel and beetroot with freshly cooked sage croutons, halloumi cheese and an orange dressing, to make a deliciously crunchy summer salad.
	Beetroot and Celeriac Gratin This recipe for beetroot and celeriac gratin is on test - but still available for you to try. Why not give it a go?
	Pink Mash This recipe for beetroot pink mash is vibrant, packed with nutrients and really tasty. It's a great way to experiment with fresh beetroot. Why not give it a go?

Back to recipe index

Soup Recipes

	Beetroot Soup (Borscht) This recipe is a great way of using end of season beetroot. It is simple and delicious - just beware it's staining potential!
	Black Nero Cabbage Soup I must confess I never thought I would fall for "cabbage soup"! So I was really surprised by how delicious this recipe is. Even my toddler came back for third helpings, which is unheard of... Note: you can use kale or Savoy cabbage, too.
	Pumpkin Or Butternut Squash Soup This is a great autumn lunchtime soup. We end up making it on Saturday lunchtimes, usually when it's raining! It really is as simple as chop the veggies, cook them in the butter, add the stock and then leave it.
	Swede And Parsnip Soup This simple soup makes a hearty meal on a winter's day. You can experiment by adding herbs and spices of your choice.
	Autumn Vegetable Soup This is a great way of using up the end of your veg box. It works well with most vegetables. It's a tasty, but healthy recipe, because you don't even need to use any fat. Just prepare the veggies, chuck them in a pan with the stock and stir occasionally. My kind of after-work cooking!
	Courgette Soup What? Courgette soup? Are you sure? Yes! Sceptical at first, but now converted. Amazingly simple and a great way of using and preserving a glut of courgettes.
	French Blue Cheese And Potato Soup I discovered this potato soup recipe whilst on holiday in the Auvergne region of France. Many of the local dishes are based on potatoes, cream and cheese, and this one is no exception. This version has been adapted to make it slightly less artery-clogging.. But it's so delicious and simple to make that you'll want to enjoy it now and then as a treat.
	Garlic Soup This is, strictly speaking, a garlic and potato soup, but we call it garlic soup because it has so much garlic in! By roasting the garlic before using, it's much less pungent and has an even more delicious flavour.
	Winter Vegetable Soup This soup is a family favourite. It’s a great way of using left-over winter vegetables and also sneaking a few more vitamins past the kids.
	Miso-Style Soup In Japan, Miso soup is often eaten daily and is believed to help the digestive system. This variation on the original adds in a few vegetables, with optional tofu, to make a soup substantial enough for a lunch or light supper.
	Leek And Potato Soup Leek and potato soup has to be a winter classic. And if you're not too bothered about calories, a splash of cream transforms the flavour.
	Winter Vegetable Minestrone Soup Minestrone is a traditional, chunky soup, served with soup pasta. We often think of it as a summer dish, but with a little lateral thinking, you can create a soup that brightens up any winter’s day.
	Celeriac Soup The flavour of this soup is subtle, but it gives you a chance to enjoy the celeriac, rather than masking its flavour.
	Beetroot And Orange Soup The fantastic colour of this soup makes a wonderful change from the earthy colours of other winter root vegetables and the greens of winter brassicas.
	Lentil Soup Lentil soup is an old favourite of mine. It’s thick and warming and there are so many ways to vary the ingredients, you never need to get bored of it.
	Spicy Cabbage Soup You can use any type of cabbage for this recipe, so it’s a great way of using up leftovers. Spices are a good way of boosting your metabolic rate, which can get sluggish in winter, so this soup should leave you feeling full of energy.
	Squash And Coconut Soup Squashes keep well throughout the winter and, although the recipe suggests butternut, any orange-fleshed squash will do. The coconut is deliciously sweet with the squash.
	Watercress Soup Although thought of as a summer leaf, farmed watercress is often available from UK growers in winter, too. It’s packed with vitamins and its bright green colour can brighten up a cloudy winter’s day. Or enjoy for a springtime lunch.
	Cream Of Asparagus Soup Cream of asparagus soup is a great way to use up any woody ends of asparagus spears or any late season asparagus that's a bit too tough to use in side dishes or salads. It works well with green or white asparagus.
	Broccoli And Peanut Butter Soup This might sound like a strange combination, but it works really well. You can use mature broccoli heads or sprouting broccoli for this recipe – whatever you’ve got to hand.
	Tomato And Roast Garlic Soup This soup is absolutely delicious with full-flavoured, ripe, in-season tomatoes. Bear in mind it’s not supposed to taste like tinned tomato soup – this is the real thing – home made tomato soup, with roasted garlic & onions and fresh herbs. It’s got plenty of garlic in, but roasting it mellows the flavour.
	Monastery Soup There are many variations on “monastery soup”, but here is one that works well with spring and summertime vegetables.
	Three Bean Summer Soup This is a delicious summer soup. Lighter than those of winter, it makes the most of the new season’s vegetables, whilst still filling you up and being wonderfully warming. You can use haricot beans or butter beans for this recipe, depending which you prefer. The main thing is to stick to what’s in season with the vegetables. That way they’ll be packed with flavour – and good for you too!
	Squash and Carrot Soup This delicious squash soup is vibrant orange and warms up any autumn or winter's day. It works equally well with pumpkin or an orange-fleshed squash and is really easy to make - as well as tasty.
	Carrot And Celeriac Soup The sweetness of sauted carrots and onions balance the pungence of the celeriac in this carrot and celeriac soup recipe. The coriander leaves give the finished soup a real lift, turning it into a filling autumn or winter treat.
	Hearty Butternut Squash and Red Onion Soup This recipe for butternut squash and red onion soup is on test - but still available for you to try. Why not give it a go?
	Hallowe'en Soup This recipe for Hallowe'en Soup is on test - but still available for you to try. Why not give it a go?