Borscht
A fuss-free vegetarian built around beets, potatoes and carrot — roughly 70 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Peel and thinly slice the beets and potatoes, dice the onion, and slice the carrot, celery, and cabbage.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrot, and celery for about 7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the sliced beets and the water and bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 25 minutes until the beets are nearly tender.
- Add the potatoes, cabbage, and bay leaf and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the vinegar to brighten the color and flavor, then season with salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf.
- Ladle the borscht into bowls and serve hot, each topped with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh dill.
You'll use: Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Sour Cream
- plain Greek yogurt · crème fraîche
Tips & common questions
How long does Borscht take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 15 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Borscht vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Borscht is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Borscht with bread.jpg by Juerg Vollmer from Zürich, Schweiz, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.