My Grandmother used to make this soup. Like her, its roots are in Eastern Europe.

Grandma’s version usually included a couple of pounds of beef short ribs. She let it simmer for hours and served it with the meat still on the bones. There was often a small boiled potato in each bowl, as well. Although she served it as a first course, it’s a very hearty dish when made this way. With a salad and a chunk of crusty bread, it makes a full and satisfying meal. 

That was Grandma’s soup.

This is going to be your soup. 

I’m all about choices.

For a beefy beet soup, follow the directions below, adding the meat when you add the stock, and simmer the soup over medium/low heat until the meat is very tender and ready to fall off the bone, about 2—3 hours.

Add the potatoes in the last 20 minutes—simmering the soup until they’re cooked through but not falling apart.

But the addition of meat is not necessary for a great soup. 

This vegetarian version has plenty of flavor.

Either way, it’s a delicious nutritional powerhouse.

You could add potatoes to the vegetarian version as well, but I’m not using them here. It’s going to be served as a first course, so I want to keep it light.

If you have a jar of dill pickles in the fridge, take it to the next level and add a couple of spoonfuls of the pickle juice to the soup. If you haven’t got any, don’t fret. Your soup will still be great.

Hot Vegetarian Borscht

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 medium leek, white part only, cut into half-moons

• 4 medium beets, peeled and coarsely grated

• 1 cup finely shredded white cabbage

• 2 medium carrots, coarsely grated

• ¼ cup grated celery root—you can substitute sliced celery stalk, but the flavor will be less intense

• 1 bay leaf

• ¼ teaspoon allspice

• 8 cups vegetable or “no-beef” stock, or beef stock if you’re adding meat

• Juice of ½ lemon

• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• Optional: 2 tablespoons juice from a jar of dill pickles

• Optional: sour cream

Method:

• In a soup pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, leeks, and garlic with a pinch of salt and let them cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes or so.

• Add the beets, the cabbage, the carrots, and the celery root and continue cooking the vegetables for another 3-4 minutes, stirring often.

• Add the stock, the bay leaf, the allspice, the lemon juice, the pickle juice, the chopped dill, and a few grindings of pepper.

• Simmer the soup for 30 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.

The rest is up to you.

• You can serve it as is, with lots of vegetables to sink your teeth into, or use an immersion blender or a food processor to purée it into a smooth soup. If using potatoes, you can purée them with the soup to make it extra thick or remove the potatoes before puréing and then add them back in after.

• Stir in a large dollop of sour cream to create a rich, creamy, beautiful pink soup. Or, keep that lovely red color and add a small dollop of sour cream to the center of each bowl.

• Whichever way you go, top each bowl with a generous amount of chopped dill.

Did you make it? Was it fabulous?