Creamy Ukrainian Borscht
Sweet, sour, and creamy. Vegan without the sour cream, too, this is my favorite soup my Ukrainian grandmother used to make. You might find other traditional borscht recipe options, as other cooks tend to add tomato or tomato paste and season it with a touch of pepper — there are so many approaches to this national soup. This version I make so often at home comes really close to what I tasted from my grandma's spoon. She blended hers, and I blend mine, too, but you can skip this step completely if you prefer it chunky — it tastes as good. The real secret is to get the vegetables really tender and caramelize. The prunes she added to roast with the vegetables are a bit of a secret, too.
Ingredients
- 2 medium beets or 3 small ones
- 2 medium carrots or 3 small ones
- 1 large red onion
- 1 head garlic I know it sounds like a lot, but trust me
- 4-6 California prunes Rosa's secret for depth of sweetness
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 to 2 tsp table salt or 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt to be used in two stages
- 1/2 head green cabbage
- 8 cups water or vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Sour cream & dill to serve; sourdough to dip.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cut the beets, carrots, and onion into 1 1/2-inch chunks, halve the head of garlic, and place them on a baking sheet with the prunes and bay leaves (line it with parchment to avoid stains). Drizzle with olive oil and season with 1 tsp of salt.
- *If my beets and carrots are organic, I don't even bother peeling them.
- Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until, if tested with a fork, they are tender and caramelized (especially the head of garlic).
- About 15 minutes before your timer for the roasting veggies goes off, in a large pot, bring the water or vegetable broth to a boil.
- Quarter the half head of green cabbage, discarding the hard part of the center. Add the cabbage to the broth, stir well, and bring it to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the cabbage looks translucent and thoroughly cooked.
- When your veggies are done, take the tray out of the oven, pick out the garlic, squeeze it into the pot of simmering cabbage, and discard the peel. Transfer everything else from the baking sheet to the pot, including the bay leaves.
- Cover the pot and let the borscht simmer for 10 minutes, or until the flavors have melded together. Skim the top to remove any foam.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot and use an immersion blender or a regular blender to puree the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, be sure to allow the soup to cool slightly before blending to prevent burns.
- Stir in the red wine vinegar and season the soup with the additional 1/2 tsp of salt, if needed. Be careful with the salt to not compromise the natural sweetness of the vegetables combined with the prunes. Taste and adjust as you go — I never had to use more than 2 tsp of salt.
Notes
Babushka always served us her borscht while still hot with a dollop of sour cream and dill when she had it. I like it cold, too, with sliced cucumbers and radishes if summertime.
It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheats really well, both on the stovetop and in the microwave. Store it in individual containers and freeze some for weekday lunches with grilled cheese, as I do.
Nutrition
Calories: 64kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 486mgPotassium: 273mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2652IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg