Authentic Russian Borscht

 As ya'll know, I love soups; soup is my comfort food. For me, when the weather is cold and chilly (as it has been the last 2-3 weeks) or if I'm upset or not feeling well, nothing warms me up quite like a bowl of hot delicious soup! I love the flavors of different soups and the textures you can add to soup--not for me, bowls of pureed liquid or thin broth--I want chunkiness, I want chew, I want something filling; I really lean more toward stews and chowders when it comes down to it. I also want something healthy; I love how many vegetables you can put in soups, making them really nutritious additions to your diet. The soup I'm gonna share with you today checks all those boxes.

I don't know what you think of when you hear the word "borscht". I've only had the one recipe myself, so I really can't compare it to other versions, but I can confidently assure you that this is real, authentic Russian borscht, straight from the mother country. I first tasted it at the wedding of a Russian classmate in college, and when I wanted to make it for my own family, I e-mailed him and his (American) wife to get his recipe. So it's the real deal! 

And it's delicious! Which is saying something, because I've never cared for beets (my sisters and I had competitions growing up on who could eat them without making a face), and I'm only a recent convert to cabbage, and of course, cabbage and beets are the star ingredients in borscht. This remains the only way I will eat beets, so there's a good reason to eat it right there! 😊

You can start with whatever meat you want to use--diced chicken, beef stew meat, ground beef--I usually use ground beef because I just like the way it tastes, and it's really easy to find. You can even go meatless and make it completely vegetarian if you want, though the fat from the meat adds a lot of flavor to the soup. Whatever you choose, brown your meat in a large stockpot and set it aside. 

Chop up your vegetables--onions, carrots, potatoes, beets and cabbage--before or while the meat is browning. I use whole produce for all of the above except for the beets. While it is certainly possible to use fresh beets in this recipe, I find it much easier to use canned sliced beets. Make sure you do NOT get pickled beets (that would taste horrible in soup!); you want the plain sliced beets that are right next to them on the shelf. I usually buy the Walmart brand, but I believe Del Monte also sells plain sliced beets.

Next you sauté your onions and carrots, then add them into the soup pot. Pour in your broth of choice (because I use beef, I use beef broth), and add in your potatoes, cabbage, beets, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste. 

Bring it to a boil and cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. And that's it! Now you're ready to enjoy a deliciously healthy, no-fuss meal. (Did I mention I also like soups because they're easy to cook? 😉)

In traditional Russian cuisine, this soup is served with a dollop of sour cream, but we always eat it just as is; either way, it's delicious. Even my kids (who usually pick out the beets and cabbage when they eat it--I guess they take after childhood me😆) tell me that the rest of the soup is good! 

I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does!