Borscht Russe

Name: Borscht Russe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 70 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 lb beef chuck or short ribs, bone-in; 8 cups water or beef broth; 3 medium beets, peeled and grated; 4 cups shredded green cabbage; 3 medium potatoes, cubed; 2 medium carrots, grated; 1 large onion, chopped; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp white vinegar; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 bay leaf; Salt and black pepper, to taste; Sour cream and fresh dill, for serving

A deep crimson beet soup simmered with beef and cabbage, crowned with a swirl of sour cream — the most famous bowl in the Slavic world.

⏱ 25 minPrep time

🔥 1 hr 10 minCook time

🍽 8Servings

🏷 Russian KitchenCategory

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A deep crimson bowl of beets, cabbage, and beef that tastes of cold winters and warm kitchens, borscht is the most famous soup of the Russian table. Sweet, earthy beets meet tangy broth and tender vegetables in a symphony of color and flavor.

Every family stirs its own pot, but the ritual is the same: ladled steaming into bowls and topped with a generous spoonful of sour cream and fresh dill. It tastes even better the next day, so cook ahead and let it mellow.

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Step by stepInstructions

Simmer the beef in the water with the bay leaf until tender, about 1 hour; remove the meat, shred it, and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, sauté the onion and carrots in oil until soft, add the tomato paste and vinegar, and cook 2 minutes.
Add the beets, potatoes, and cabbage to the pot and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the onion-carrot mixture and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 10 minutes more.
Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and plenty of dill.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Grate the beets so they release their color and sweetness quickly into the broth. A splash of vinegar at the end brightens the soup and keeps the beets ruby red.

Recipe details

Prep25 min

Cook1 hr 10 min

Servings8

CategoryRussian Kitchen

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Borscht Russe

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Borscht Russe

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