From-Scratch Beef Borscht (Simple Beet Soup)
This from-scratch beef borscht recipe is a nourishing soup made with tender beef, simple garden vegetables, and bone broth. This simple beet soup is hearty, packed full of nutrients, and was inspired by the traditional Eastern European classic. If you’ve never made borscht before, this is a great beginner friendly recipe to start with!
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I stumbled across borscht when I was searching for economical homestead recipes. Turns out borscht definitely fits the bill for being economical. The only problem was that I wasn’t entirely sure if I would love a red beet soup, but what really sold me was the origins of the soup. Borscht originated in Eastern Europe and is typically known as a Ukrainian dish, and it is also popular in Russia.
My family lineage on my dad’s side of the family is Russian, so I immediately knew that I needed to make this soup. I like to think that more than likely this was a dish my ancestors ate, so it’s an extra fun connection to past generations. Borscht holds a lot of historical and cultural significance to Eastern Europe and still does today.
Table of Contents
Borscht started as a humble peasant soup. It has evolved over time but traditionally it is made with red beets, broth, meat, and other garden vegetables like cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes. However, I found that there are a lot of variations of vegetables, types of meats, and spices used.
I imagine that people used whatever was available to them at the time. During hard times it was likely made with vegetables only, and during prosperous times, meat was added. This makes a fantastic meal on a homestead or for any gardener especially because it’s a very adaptable recipe that can be made using whatever is ready to harvest and in season—as long as you have a few red beets!
For my From-Scratch Beef Borscht recipe, I would describe it as a thick soup—almost stew like. Borscht is a sour soup and to achieve that flavor, I used vinegar for the sour taste. Don’t skip the vinegar! Some of these ingredient combinations may sound a little odd if you’ve never had a sour soup like this but trust me it all works really well together. The dill gives it a burst of freshness and is a classic flavor in borscht. Our family eats our borscht hot, but borscht can be served hot or cold.
I give exact amounts of vegetables in my recipe, but they are really just a good starting place. You can absolutely add more or less or completely change up the vegetables depending on what you have. I serve mine with a dollop of sour cream on top and some fresh dill fronds chopped.
Hopefully I’ve inspired you to give this From-Scratch Beef Borscht recipe a try. Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients, from-scratch recipes can look a little overwhelming at first. I’ll walk you through all the steps below and be with you each step of the way!
Why You’ll Love This From-Scratch Beef Borscht
- Rich flavor from real ingredients- This soup is full of real, wholesome ingredients like vegetables, beef, and rich bone broth.
- Hearty and comforting- Borscht is a very filling, hearty soup. It is the ultimate cozy comfort food, that is sure to satisfy hungry bellies!
- Economical- Vegetables are very affordable (especially when they are in season). And, because this soup simmers for so long, you can use a cheaper, tougher type of beef roast and the meat will still turn out tender.
- This recipe makes a large amount of soup to feed a large crowd or a small family for a few days.
- Especially a perfect recipe for homesteaders and gardeners- You can grow most of the ingredients needed for this borscht recipe. It’s a great way to use your garden harvest!
What You’ll Need to Make This Borscht Soup Recipe
Kitchen Supplies
Large kettle or Dutch Oven- minimum size-8 quarts.
Grater
Ingredients
- Olive oil- (not pictured) for sautéing
- Sweet onion
- Celery
- Large carrots- Shredded and sautéed for enhanced flavor
- Red beets- I shredded half of the red beets and diced the other half. These are sautéed as well.
- Garlic cloves
- Water
- Beef bone broth- bone broth gives this borscht a rich flavor, but you could also use beef stock or beef broth instead.
- Beef roast- Use any type of roast you like. Cook your beef roast however you prefer—in the oven, crockpot, or Instant pot. *Note: the cook time in the recipe card does not include cooking the beef.
- Potatoes- I like Yukon Gold potatoes for this soup, but you could use Russets or Red potatoes instead.
- Diced tomatoes
- Mineral salt
- Black pepper
- Dried parsley
- Fresh dill fronds or dried dill weed- fresh dill fronds are the feathery leaves on a dill plant. You will likely need to grow them yourself or the dried dill weed works well too.
- Bay leaves- Dried and found in the spice section of the grocery store.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Cabbage
- Raw honey
- Sour cream- (optional) For serving as a topping on individual bowls. It adds just the right amount of tangy and creaminess.
How to Make This From-Scratch Beef Borscht
Let’s get cooking! First you will need to cook the beef roast using whatever method you prefer— slow roasted in the oven, crockpot, or Instant pot. I chose to slowly cook my roast in the oven over many hours at a low temperature and it turned out nice and tender.
Start by washing the vegetables. Peel the beets. Using a grater shred about half of the beets and dice the other half of the beets into cubes. You could do all shredded or all cubed, but I like having both textures in this borscht. Shred the carrots. Dice the onion and celery and mince the garlic. Dice the potatoes. Leave the skins on the potatoes for a more rustic soup and less work, or you could peel them. Shred the cabbage and chop it up a little bit.
In a large kettle or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shredded beets, cubed beets, shredded carrots, diced onion, diced celery, and the minced garlic. Set aside and save the potatoes and cabbage for a bit later.
Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shredded vegetables just start to soften. You don’t want to cook them all the way through because that would result in the vegetables turning to mush later on. The goal of sautéing is just to enhance the flavors. Don’t worry about the cubed beets being soft yet, they will have plenty of time to soften later on after a long simmer.
After you are done with the sautéing, go ahead and add the beef bone broth, water, shredded beef, diced potatoes, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, parsley, dill, apple cider vinegar, and bay leaves. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. It should take about 15-20 minutes to come to a boil. Once the borscht reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium and maintain a gentle simmer.
Cover and cook (stirring occasionally) for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes and cubed beets are fork tender.
Stir in the shredded cabbage. Continue simmering, covered, for another 30-45 minutes or until the cabbage reaches your desired tenderness.
When the cabbage is cooked and all the vegetables are soft, turn off the heat. Find and remove the bay leaves and discard. Stir in the raw honey. Taste to determine if you would like extra honey or apple cider vinegar.
Gather your people, fill some bowls of this delicious From-Scratch Beef Borscht—add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped fresh dill on top and enjoy!
From-Scratch Beef Borscht (Simple Beet Soup)
Equipment
- Large Kettle or Dutch Oven Minimum-8 quarts
- Grater
Ingredients
For the Sautéed Vegetable Base
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 Large sweet onion Diced
- 3 Celery stalks Diced
- 3-4 Large Carrots Shredded
- 5 Red beets (about 1 ½ pounds) Peeled and split: ½ shredded, ½ cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 Garlic cloves Minced
For the Soup
- 1 Quart (32ounces) Beef bone broth
- 1 Quart (32 ounces) Water
- 2 Pounds Beef roast Cooked and shredded
- 5 Large Yukon Gold potatoes Diced, with skins on
- 1 Quart (two 14–15-ounce cans) diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Mineral salt Or to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dried parsley
- ¼ Cup Fresh dill fronds (chopped) Or 1 Tablespoon dried dill weed
- 2 Bay leaves
- 6 Tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
To Finish
- 3-4 Cups Green cabbage Shredded
- 1 Tablespoon Raw honey
For Serving(optional)
- Sour cream
- Fresh dill fronds Chopped
- Additional apple cider vinegar To taste
Instructions
Prep the Vegetables
- Wash and peel the beets. Shred half of the beets and cut the remaining half into 1-inch cubes. Shred the carrots, dice the onion and celery, mince the garlic, dice the potatoes, and shred the cabbage.
Sauté the Vegetable Base
- In a large kettle or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.Add the shredded beets, cubed beets, shredded carrots, diced onion, diced celery, and minced garlic. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shredded vegetables begin to soften.(The cubed beets will finish cooking later in the broth).
Build the Soup
- Add the beef bone broth, water, shredded beef, diced potatoes, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, parsley, dill, apple cider vinegar, and bay leaves.Increase the heat and bring to a boil, (this takes about 15-20 minutes). After bringing the soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium and maintain a gentle simmer.Cover and cook for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender and the cubed beets are fully cooked. Stirring occasionally.
Add the Cabbage
- Stir in the shredded cabbage. Continue simmering, covered, for another 30-45 minutes, or until the cabbage reaches your desired tenderness.Longer simmering will deepen the flavor and soften the vegetables further.
Finish and Serve
- Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the raw honey. Taste and adjust. Add salt and pepper if needed and additional apple cider vinegar if you desire a more tangy soup.Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill on top.
Notes
Beef Borscht FAQ
What is borscht made of?
Borscht is typically made with red beets, broth, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and usually some kind of meat. This recipe uses a beef roast.
Is borscht served hot or cold?
Borscht is served both hot and cold depending on the recipe and your preference. This version is best served hot.
Can I make borscht without bone broth?
Absolutely! You can use beef stock or broth. The bone broth gives the borscht a richness, but it isn’t necessary.
How long does borscht last in the refrigerator?
Borscht will keep 4-5 days in an airtight container.
Can borscht be frozen?
Yes. Let it cool completely. Then place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Is borscht gluten-free?
Yes. Borscht is traditionally made without using any thickeners or flours. This recipe doesn’t contain any gluten in the ingredients.
