This beet borscht recipe is easy, vegetarian, and full of nourishing vegetables. Earthy beets, carrots, and cabbage are simmered in a rich, tangy broth, then topped with fresh dill. Make it on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. Chef-tested and reader-approved. Video.
No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.
Hal Borland
The color of this borscht alone feels like therapy during the cold winter months - bright, vibrant, and full of life. I return to this soup again and again during the holiday season, a little reprieve in between all the weekend parties and indulging. This is one of those nourishing soups I like to have on hand for weekday meals, gentle and restorative.
Borscht has its roots in Eastern European cuisine, where it has been cherished for generations as both comfort food and a way to celebrate humble seasonal vegetables. In this vegetarian version, the beets provide an earthy sweetness, vinegar adds a tangy lift, and a generous sprinkle of fresh dill makes it feel like a whisper of spring.
Over the years, I've made many variations of borscht for both my catering clients and at home, and I've found this simple meatless version to be my favorite. It's nourishing, light yet satisfying, and easy to adapt, whether simmered slowly on the stovetop or made quickly in an Instant Pot. A deeply comforting bowl of color and flavor, just when you need it most.
Why You'll Love This Borscht Soup Recipe!
The color of this borscht feels therapeutic during the winter months! Bright and vibrant and full of healthy fresh veggies, borscht nourishes body and soul. Earthy, tangy and subtly sweet from the beets, borscht is elevated with a generous sprinkling of fresh dill. A whisper of spring to come.
Make it quickly in your Instant Pot or simmer it slowly on your stove – either way, it is sure to delight. A little bit of color therapy, just when we need it most!
- Nourishing winter recipe! A veggie-packed soup that is full of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals to heal body and soul.
- Easy to make! A simple recipe that can quickly be made in the instant pot or in 40 minutes on the stove.
- So much flavor! Beets are earthy and subtly sweet, and dill offers a hint of herby, fresh flavor.
- Vegan-friendly! A plant-based recipe that can be served with vegan yogurt!
Craving beets? Take a peek at our favorite Beet Recipes for more ways to cook this nutritious little gem!
What is Borscht?
Borscht hails from Eastern Europe – Russia and Ukraine – and is traditionally made with beef bone broth, giving it delicious depth to balance the tartness. If so inclined, feel free to use bone broth – or keep it vegan with veggie broth – up to you!
Borscht Recipe ingredients
- Beet: You’ll need about 2 cups thinly sliced or diced, so an extra-large beet should do the trick! You will also need a cup of beet stems and greens, or substitute with an extra cup of cabbage.
- Other vegetables: Onion, garlic cloves, celery stalks, carrots, and cabbage. Feel free to add potatoes if you like!
- Olive oil: Or butter, for sautéing the veggies.
- Veggie broth: Or use chicken broth or traditional beef stock or bone broth.
- Tomato paste: Intensifies the flavor of the soup and helps to thicken it a bit.
- Spices: Bay leaves, celery seeds (optional), allspice, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Apple cider vinegar: A splash of acidity that enhances all of the flavors of the dish. Substitute with red wine vinegar.
- Fresh dill: A pop of fresh, herby flavor that tastes like spring to come!
- Sour cream, Greek yogurt, or vegan yogurt useed to garnish.
How to Make Borscht on the Stovetop
1. Sauté the aromatics. Warm olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and stir for 4-5 minutes, until golden. Reduce heat, add garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes.
2. Add vegetables. Add celery, carrots, beets, cabbage, and beet greens to the pot and stir. Add broth, tomato paste, celery seeds, allspice, cayenne, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
3. Simmer. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the beets and carrots are tender.
4. Add vinegar, taste, and adjust. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, then taste and adjust the soup, adding salt and pepper as needed.
5. Garnish and serve. Transfer soup to bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt (or vegan yogurt) and fresh dill.
How to make Beet Borscht in the Instant Pot
Step 1: Sauté veggies. Set the Instant Pot to the “saute” function. Add olive oil (or butter) and diced onions and sauté 4-5 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add remaining veggies (cloves of garlic, celery, carrots, beets, cabbage, beet stems and greens) and stir.
Step 2: Add broth and seasonings. Add broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, spices, salt, and pepper. Stir, then press “cancel”.
Step 3: Pressure cook. Place lid on top and lock, making sure the steam release is locked. Set to high pressure for 10 minutes. Naturally release for 5 minutes, then place kitchen towel over the pressure release button and turn to manually release. When the float valve drops, remove the lid.
Step 4: Add vinegar, taste and adjust. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, then taste and adjust for salt and black pepper.
Step 5: Serve. Serve in bowls with spoonfuls of sour cream, Greek yogurt, or vegan yogurt. Garnish with ample amounts of fresh dill! Feel free to add other fresh herbs too!
Chef’s Tips
Use a food processor. Instead of peeling and cutting, use your food processor! Scrubbed beets and carrots can be grated or sliced, using the grater attachment or slicer attachment in your food processor– especially nice if making big batches of soup, as we did in our catering business.
Balance the salt and vinegar to taste for the best punchy flavor!
What do I eat with borscht?
This hearty soup is typically served with a dollop of sour cream. You can also serve it with Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt! Some enjoy it with a hard-boiled egg.
Storing Beet Borscht Soup
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Borscht can be frozen for up to 6 months- a great freezer meal! Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Enjoy chilled or reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Traditionally, borscht is made with beef stock or beef broth and boiled vegetables. Some Russians or Ukrainians may include pork ribs, pork belly, shanks, or short ribs. Here, we use veggie broth and a sautéing method. You can sub chicken or beef stock.
In this recipe we use beets, onion, celery, carrots, and red cabbage, however you can also use common borscht veggies like white cabbage, parsley root, potatoes, or tomatoes.
Either way! That’s one of the many reasons we love this versatile dish. But in the wintertime, it is especially comforting to enjoy hot borscht. When spring rolls around, you may want to try cold borscht.
Yes! Borscht is full of vitamins and antioxidants from all of the colorful veggies. Beets are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Rich in fiber, borscht promotes a healthy digestive system.
Serve with sourdough, a salad like Endive Apple Salad or Waldorf Salad, mashed potatoes, or Crispy Herby Smashed Potatoes, or a side of white beans.
The beets should add subtle sweetness, and the tomato paste and vinegar helps to balance the sweetness with a touch of acidity. If it still tastes too sweet, the dollop of sour cream or yogurt really helps to balance it!
We hope you enjoy this iconic beet soup – made with colorful beets, cabbage and fresh dill. Share your adaptations and let us know what you think in the comments below! I hope this one becomes part of your regular rotation!
More Favorite Beet recipes!
Borscht Recipe | 60-Sec Video
🌟 After you try this Borscht recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Borscht Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: soup, vegan, instant pot, vegetarian, gluten-free
- Method: Stove top, Instant pot
- Cuisine: Russian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A simple, delicious recipe for vegetarian Borscht, a healthy, vegan-adaptable beet and cabbage soup that can be made in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. Warming and nourishing, Borscht is full of flavor and nutrients!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 6 large garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, sliced or diced small
- 1 extra large beet, thinly sliced, or small dice (approx. 2 cups)
- 2 cups red cabbage, shredded or chopped
- 1 cup beet stems and greens, chopped (optional or add another cup cabbage)
- 4 cups veggie broth (or chicken stock or traditional beef stock)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds- optional
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- a pinch of cayenne (more to taste)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1– 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste- depends on the broth you use)
- 1/4– 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
Garnish: dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt
Instructions
- Saute aromatics: In a dutch over or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat, add oil and onions. Stir 4-5 minutes until golden. Lower heat and add garlic, saute 2 minutes.
- Add veggies: Add celery, carrots, beets, cabbage, beet greens, stirring to coat with the onions and olive oil. Add broth and tomato paste. Add celery seeds, allspice, cayenne, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
- Simmer: Cover and simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes or until beets and carrots are tender.
- Finish: Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve: Top with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt ( or vegan yogurt) and ample amounts of fresh dill.
Notes
Instant Pot: Set to Sauté. Add olive oil and onions; cook 4-5 minutes, stirring so they don't stick. Add the remaining veggies and stir to coat. Add broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, spices, salt and pepper. Stir, then press Cancel. Seal the lid and set to High Pressure for 10 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then place kitchen towel over the pressure release button and turn to manual release. Once the valve drops, open the lid, stir in apple cider vinegar, and adjust seasonings. Serve in bowls with sour cream or yogurt and plenty of fresh dill.
Leftovers will stay in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or placed in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups -without sour cream
- Calories: 106
- Sugar: 7.6 g
- Sodium: 491.4 mg
- Fat: 5.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.7 g
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 2.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Very balanced and tasty soup. Thank you so much for all these wonderful recipes. You make a difference in my life.
Glad you enjoyed this and are finding the blog useful!
My mother use to buy Manaschewitz borscht in a jar. As a kid I just coulsn’t bring myself to taste it. I made this recipe and all I can say is… I get it Mom… it’s delicious!!!
Thank you again!
Glad you enjoyed Pam! Mom is usually right!?
Another soup recipe knocked out of the park! Loved the cayenne and pepper in it. A very good balance of flavors. I used the beef broth which went so well with the beets. My only change was not adding allspice. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Glad you enjoyed this Lauri! Thanks for taking time to review.
Delicious and hearty soup. I left out the cayenne pepper as I didn’t want it to be too spicy hot.
Glad you enjoyed Janet!
VERY peppery
Feel free to adjust to your taste. 🙂
That’s real simple
This is delicious! I cut the salt to 1 tsp and added a potato to it. I will definitely make this again! Thanks
Sounds great Linda!
My word to start off 2024 is Healthy. I wanted something warm, comforting and low calorie. Super tasty. I just added some kidney beans for protein and it makes a perfect meal. Thank you!
Nice, so glad you enjoyed! Here’s to a Healthy year!
It was good but I found it to peppery. I will try it next time with half the amount of pepper and maybe less cayenne.
Thanks for giving it a go Linda. Please do adjust to your taste!
Delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed!