Borscht

Ingredients

• 500 gbeef
• 3bay leaves
• 10whole black peppercorns
• 4allspice berries
• 400 gbeetroot
• 2 largecarrots
• 2tomatoes
• 300 gwhite cabbage
• 1onion
• to tasteoil
• 1 tablespoonsugar
• 1 tablespoonvinegar
• 4potatoes
• 2 clovesgarlic
• to tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the beef

   Rinse the beef, cut it into cubes and put it in a pressure cooker with the bay leaves, peppercorns and allspice. Add about 2 litres of water and cook under pressure, checking occasionally until the meat is partly tender.

2. 2

   Prepare vegetables

   While the beef cooks, coarsely grate the beetroot and carrots using a larger-holed grater. Work in or over the sink to catch beetroot splashes. Dice the tomatoes and slice the cabbage into strips.

3. 3

   Soften the vegetables

   When the beef is partly tender, heat oil in a tall saucepan and briefly fry the chopped onion. Add the sugar and vinegar and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring. Pour in about 200 ml of stock from the pressure cooker, then add the beetroot, cabbage, carrots and tomatoes. Stir and cook until the vegetables are nearly tender.

4. 4

   Combine the soup

   Once the beef is cooked and tender, add the vegetables to the pressure cooker. Add the potatoes, cut into cubes, and the crushed garlic. Season with salt and add water if needed.

5. 5

   Cook until tender

   Cook until the potatoes are soft. Taste and add more salt or vinegar if needed.

6. 6

   Serve the borscht

   Serve with sour cream and bread.

What is borscht?

Borscht is a beetroot-based soup associated especially with Ukrainian cooking, though versions are enjoyed across Eastern Europe. This recipe reflects the Ukrainian influence described by its author and combines beetroot with beef, cabbage and potatoes.

The method separates the cooking into stages: the beef makes a spiced stock, while the vegetables are softened with a little vinegar and sugar. Bringing them together gives the soup a balance of earthy, savoury and gently sharp flavours.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 220 calories, 15g protein, 22g carbs, 8g fat.

The potatoes and vegetables provide most of the carbohydrates, while the beef supplies much of the protein and the oil contributes fat. Serve a bowl with a modest spoonful of sour cream and add a fresh salad or extra vegetables alongside to round out the meal.

Build a flavourful stock

Whole spices: bay leaves, black peppercorns and allspice season the beef as it cooks. They are left whole, so they flavour the broth without making it cloudy with ground spice.

Beef: cut it into similarly sized cubes so it cooks evenly. The recipe uses a pressure cooker and asks you to check for partial tenderness before starting the vegetables.

Grate the beetroot and carrots

Grater size: use the larger holes to make coarse strips rather than finely grated vegetables. They will soften in the pan without disappearing into the soup.

Beetroot: its juice stains surfaces and hands, so grating it over the sink helps contain splashes. Cut the cabbage into strips and the tomatoes into cubes while you work.

Soften the vegetables

Onion base: briefly fry the onion in oil before adding the sugar and vinegar. Stir for about 2 minutes, then add roughly 200 ml of beef stock.

Vegetable texture: stir the beetroot, carrots, cabbage and tomatoes as they cook. Stop when they are nearly tender, since they will cook further once added to the beef.

Finish the soup

Potatoes: add them as cubes with the softened vegetables and crushed garlic after the beef is tender. Keep cooking until the potato pieces are soft all the way through.

Seasoning: taste the finished broth and adjust with salt or vinegar if needed. Add water if the soup is thicker than you prefer.

Serving suggestions

The recipe serves the soup with sour cream and bread. The cool cream gives a rich contrast to the beetroot's earthy flavour, while bread is useful for soaking up the broth.

For a meal with more vegetables on the plate, serve a simple green salad alongside. Add sour cream at the table so everyone can choose how much to use.

Recipe notes & tips

• Grate the beetroot over the sink to make the vivid juice easier to contain.
• Cut the beef into even cubes so they cook at a similar rate.
• Use the larger holes of the grater for coarse vegetable strips.
• Reserve about 200 ml of beef stock for softening the vegetables.
• Taste for salt and vinegar after the potatoes are tender.
• Add water gradually if you want a thinner soup.

Variations

• Add sour cream: serve a spoonful on top for a creamy finish, as suggested in the method.
• Use vegetable stock: replace the beef stock for a meat-free adaptation, noting that this changes the recipe.
• Adjust the sharpness: add a little more vinegar at the end if you prefer a tangier broth.
• Change the herbs: finish with chopped dill or parsley for a fresh note.
• Make it milder: use less black pepper when cooking the beef.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Grating too finely: the vegetables can lose their texture; use the larger grater holes.
• Adding the vegetables too early: they may become over-soft; wait until the beef is partly tender.
• Skipping the stock in the vegetable pan: the mixture can catch; add about 200 ml from the pressure cooker.
• Adding all the water at once: the soup may become thinner than you want; top it up only if needed.
• Stopping before the potatoes soften: cook until a knife slides easily into a piece.
• Forgetting to taste at the end: adjust salt or vinegar once the flavours have come together.

How to store

Cool the soup and refrigerate it in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot, adding a splash of water if it has thickened; store sour cream separately.

Frequently asked questions