Homemade Beet Borscht
A comforting homemade beet soup made with beets, root vegetables, potatoes, tomato, bell pepper, and fresh lovage. A family recipe inspired by my grandmother.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 parsnip finely diced
- about 100 g celeriac celery root, finely diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 2 small beets peeled and diced, or 1 large beet
- 3 liters water or vegetable broth
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 tomato diced
- 4 potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried lovage or a handful of fresh lovage chopped
- Fresh parsley or dill optional, instead of lovage
- 400 ml additional water
For Serving
- Fresh lemon juice to taste
- Sour cream optional
- Fresh parsley or dill optional
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, parsnip, carrot, celeriac and beets. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the liquid: Pour in 3 liters of water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the remaining vegetables: Add the bell pepper, tomato, potatoes, and tomato paste. Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the vegetables and potatoes are tender.
- Finish cooking: Add another 400 ml of water and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
- Serve: Serve hot with a little fresh lemon juice and a spoonful of sour cream, if desired.
Notes
Don't add everything at the beginning: For this recipe, I prefer to add the salt, tomato, and tomato paste later in the cooking process. I let the root vegetables cook first before adding these ingredients. Lovage: Fresh lovage gives this soup its distinctive savory flavor. If you cannot find it, substitute fresh parsley, dill, or a combination of both. Parsnip: If parsnip isn't available, you can substitute celeriac (celery root) or use a little extra carrot. Bouillon: If your vegetable bouillon is salty, taste the soup before adding additional salt. Serving: Lemon juice adds a lovely tangy contrast to the earthy sweetness of the beets, while sour cream makes the soup creamy and rich.
