Hearty & Delicious Borscht
Whether you like it hot or cold, this recipe for borscht is sure to satisfy! Roasting the veggies brings out their flavor and makes for a truly delicious cup of soup. And whatever you do, don't skip the sour cream!
Ingredients
- 5-6 medium-sized beets, peeled and diced small
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (I use Better Than Bouillon mixed with water) Substitute vegetable broth for a vegan/vegetarian variation!
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2-2½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced (I use a slaw mix)
- 3 Tbsp fresh or freeze-dried dill (I use Litehouse Freeze-Dried Dill)
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup reduced-fat sour cream (I like Tillamook)
Instructions
- Begin by roasting your root vegetables to bring out their flavor. Preheat your oven to 400°. While it's heating up, pile the beets, carrots, and potatoes onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and give them a good toss with your hands to evenly coat. Spread them out into a single layer and once the oven's reached temperature, pop them in. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Once your roasting veggies are about halfway done, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until just softened, about 5-7minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another couple minutes.
- Slowly pour the broth into the pot and take a moment to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Then add in the fresh thyme, bay leaf, and tomato paste and give it all a good stir.
- By this point, your root veggies should be ready to pull out of the oven. Transfer them directly into your pot and give it all another good stir. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup for 40 minutes up to an hour. Once the veggies are tender to your liking, add the sliced cabbage, dill, and red wine vinegar. Stir well and simmer for another 5 or so minutes until the cabbage has softened a bit and the flavors have melded.
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with extra dill, if you wish. Enjoy!!
- (Note: This soup is definitely one that gets better the next day, making for fantastic leftovers!)
Notes
Nutrition Facts per Serving (1/12 of recipe or about 1 cup served with 1 tbsp light sour cream): 120 calories, 4 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 18 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein