Make Ahead

Borscht (Just Like Baba's)

February 21, 2010
4
3 Ratings
  • Makes 8-10 cupa
Author Notes

Every good Ukrainian family has their tried and true Borscht recipe. For years after my Baba's passing I've tried to recreate the earthy sweetness of her recipe. This is it! Keep it vegetarian, or add a ham hock if you like. —Cheryl Arkison

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3 quarts beets
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 celery ribs
  • 4 carrots
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 19 ounces can diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups water
  • leaves of celery bunch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Trim ends from beets, toss with a little bit of vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in oven for 1 and 1/2 hours. Let cool completely.
  2. Peel the beets. Julienne into 1/8 inch sticks, about 1-1.5 inches long. Do the same to the carrots. Set aside.
  3. Finely dice the onion and celery ribs. Sauté with vegetable oil until soft. Add in garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds. Stir in beets, carrots, tomatoes and their juice, and 6 cups water. If using the ham bone add it now. Let simmer over low heat for about 2 hours, covered.
  4. Turn off the heat, stir in the celery leaves and dill. Season well with salt and pepper. You can serve it immediately, but borscht benefits from sitting a day or two.
  5. To serve, garnish with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche. Alternatively, drizzle with some heavy cream.
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4 Reviews

Kateq January 31, 2018
I think I used about 2 pounds of beets. I've just made this again--it's so good and so pretty.
 
eliza July 7, 2016
what? beets are solid, quarts measure liquids. this measurement stumps me. I suppose if I had jars of pickled beets, I could tell how much three quarts of pickled beets is. However, I wouldn't roast pickled beets, but raw ones. Please clarify this measurement with one cooks can actually use.
 
Kateq October 19, 2013
Man that's good soup! I can't believe it will be even better tomorrow. I made it exactly as written (except I used fresh tomatoes) and it's phenomenal.
 
student E. February 22, 2010
Looks delicious! What a lovely photo too.