Classic Borscht Recipe (Beet Soup)

Our family's go-to recipe for Borscht (Red Beet Soup). It's best to have all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go which makes this soon super easy and care free. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or real mayo.

Prep time: PT30M

Cook time: PT40M

Total time: PT70M

Rating

4.95 stars (848 reviews)

Keywords

Borsch, Borscht

Ingredients

3 medium beets (peeled and grated)
4 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
8 cups chicken broth (+ 2 cups water)
3 medium yukon potatoes (peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces)
2 carrots (peeled and thinly sliced)
2 celery ribs (trimmed and finely chopped)
1 small red bell pepper (finely chopped, optional)
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
4 Tbsp ketchup or 3 Tbsp tomato sauce
1 can white cannelini beans with their juice
2 bay leaves
2-3 Tbsp white vinegar (or to taste)
1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
1 large garlic clove (pressed)
3 Tbsp chopped dill

Cuisine

Russian
Ukrainian

Steps

Peel, grate and/or slice all vegetables (keeping sliced potatoes in cold water to prevent browning until ready to use then drain).
Heat a large soup pot (5 1/2 Qt or larger) over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add grated beets and sauté 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beets are softened. 
Add 8 cups broth and 2 cups water. Add sliced potatoes and sliced carrots then cook for 10-15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
While potatoes are cooking, place a large skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper. Saute stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden (7-8 minutes). Add 4 Tbsp Ketchup and stir fry 30 seconds then transfer to the soup pot to continue cooking with the potatoes.
When potatoes and carrots reach desired softness, add 1 can of beans with their juice, 2 bay leaves, 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 pressed garlic clove, and 3 Tbsp chopped dill. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes and add more salt and vinegar to taste.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 181 kcal
Carbohydrates: 25 g
Protein: 8 g
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 473 mg
Sugar: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g

Reviews

Louise Lavoie on 2026-09-27 (5 stars):
Added the cabbage but didn't change a thing. We love it!
Adri on 2026-09-20 (5 stars):
I don't like beet, but I like to test different recipes, I've been craving some vegetable soup, and borscht looks tasty, so I decided to give it a try. Your recipe was the first one with simple and clear instructions, and with a family recipe I guess it couldn't go wrong. I improvised a bit with the chicken broth since I didn't have any, and added cabbage, and it was so delicious I spent a whole week having it for dinner. Thank you for your recipe!
Wendy Funk on 2026-09-17 (5 stars):
I made your soup yesterday. I had never made beet borsct before but my mom has although her cooking years are over now. I had some beets to use up and went searching for a beet borsct recipe and yours was the first one to come up. I figured I couldn't go wrong with a traditional Ukrainian family's recipe! It was absolutely delicious! I used tomato paste, I skipped the beans and fried up some farmer sausage instead. That's how my mom always made it. I am in the sour cream camp! I've never heard of mayo, that sounds a bit odd but I'll take your word for it!
Lorena Borella-Clements on 2026-09-14 (5 stars):
It was so delicious and the instructions were very easy to follow. I left out the 1tbsp sugar. It brought back sweet memories of my babushka.🙏Thank you!!😋❤️🇺🇦
Darryl on 2026-09-13 (5 stars):
My mother passed away and like everyone says “You will miss them when they’re gone”. I watched my Polish/Ukrainian mother cook and can and preserve food and I only wish I had had paid more attention. Your recipe's are very similar to her’s but she used broad beans instead of cabbage. I somehow liked that dry taste as a kid! I saw a video from Nichole on you tube and she suggested that you put the onion in the microwave for 20 seconds and it will stop your eyes from tearing. Just saying and hope it helps. Love your channel and your content.!