Vegetarian Red Borscht

Name: Vegetarian Red Borscht
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or unsalted butter; 1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups); 1 cup diced celery; 1 large leek, diced (about 1 cup); Salt and pepper; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds; 1 bay leaf; 1 thyme sprig; 1 pound Yukon Gold or other starchy potatoes (about 6 potatoes), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks; 1 pound medium beets (about 6 beets), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks; 1/2 pound medium carrots (about 4 carrots), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks; 3 cups chopped kale; 1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar, or to taste; 2 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon salt; Pinch of granulated sugar; 1 cup crème fraîche or thick sour cream; Dill, parsley, tarragon and chives, for garnish

By David Tanis

Updated Feb. 28, 2022

Vegetarian Red Borscht — David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 1 hour
Rating: 4(1,580)
Comments: Read comments

A traditional vegetable soup made for centuries throughout Eastern Europe, borscht is well loved by many. There are white versions, made with potatoes and cabbage, and green versions, made with sorrel and spinach. Most familiar, though, is the red version, made with beets. Many recipes add simmered beef, lamb or pork, but here, the meat is skipped for a quick-cooking vegetarian red borscht.

Featured in: Sweet, Sour and Brilliantly Red

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

For the Soup

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or unsalted butter
1large onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
1cup diced celery
1large leek, diced (about 1 cup)
Salt and pepper
4garlic cloves, minced
1tablespoon tomato paste
1teaspoon paprika
½teaspoon caraway seeds
1bay leaf
1thyme sprig
1pound Yukon Gold or other starchy potatoes (about 6 potatoes), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
1pound medium beets (about 6 beets), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
½pound medium carrots (about 4 carrots), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
3cups chopped kale
1tablespoon apple-cider vinegar, or to taste

For the Horseradish Cream

2tablespoons grated fresh horseradish
1tablespoon lemon juice
½teaspoon salt
Pinch of granulated sugar
1cup crème fraîche or thick sour cream
Dill, parsley, tarragon and chives, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Put olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Step 2
When oil is hot, add onion, celery and leek, stir to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until onion has softened and just begun to brown. Add garlic, tomato paste, paprika, caraway, bay leaf and thyme, and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
Step 3
Add potatoes, beets and carrots, 6 cups water and 1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Simmer with lid ajar for 20 minutes, or until potatoes, beets and carrots are fork tender.
Step 4
Add kale and vinegar, and stir to distribute. Taste broth and adjust seasoning. Simmer until kale is done, about 8 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, make the horseradish cream: Put horseradish, lemon juice, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Let macerate 5 minutes, then stir in crème fraîche.
Step 6
To serve, ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with chopped dill, parsley, tarragon and chives. Pass the horseradish cream at the table.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,580 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Janet Esser6 years ago

Why kale when, if you shop carefully, you should have those beautiful beet greens? Fresh beet greens, so often discarded, are delicious (and good for you!) More delicate than kale they are versatile and cook quickly.

Jaana6 years ago

In my Finnish version, the differences are: - julienne or shred the vegetables instead of cutting into chunks; more pleasant to eat - using cabbage, not kale - no potatoes - no tomato paste - using a vegetable broth as base - balsamic vinegar - 3-4 cloves If you want a meat version, cut up some sausages into the soup.

Amita6 years ago

Add the beet greens in place of or in addition to kale! This recipe looks delicious and healthy.

Barb2 months ago

Good borscht, with lots of possibilities. A nice addition I learned from a chef on the Oregon coast: add some caraway seeds. And since I had an opened jar of sauerkraut, I added about 1 1/2 - 2 cups sauerkraut and some of the juice instead of the vinegar. It worked well!

Debbie4 months ago

Some of the people suggesting beet greens don’t seem to know how seasons or growing vegetables work. Beets are roots that keep beautifully and allow them to be available even in the winter. Beet greens only grow in the spring and summer and only keep for a few days. By all means use beet greens if you have them, but don’t pass over a wonderful winter root soup because you’re a beet green purist.

Sky4 months ago

Good foundational recipe that can be adapted as people prefer. I recommend replacing some or all of the celery with chopped fennel (and I used fennel seeds instead of caraway), I also used cabbage most because I think the sweetness is what makes borscht such a treat.

Private comments are only visible to you.