Beet-Cabbage Borscht Soup
Beet-Cabbage Borscht Soup is as good in the summer as it is in cold weather - the key is to find beets with really fresh tops. Gluten-free, dairy optional.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 large beets about 2 pounds and their green tops
- 2 tablespoons olive oil coconut oil, or butter
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small head red cabbage cored and diced
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 6 cups chicken beef or vegetable broth
- Optional: lemon juice to taste
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, optional
- Garnish: Plain yogurt sour cream, or crème fraîche
- Garnish: Chopped fresh herbs: rosemary dill, parsley
Instructions
- Cut the greens off the beets and set in water so they don’t wilt. Boil the beets in salted water to cover until you can insert a fork into the center of the largest, about 20 minutes. Drain the beets and let them sit until cool enough to handle.
- Peel the beets (their skins should slip off easily after being boiled) and chop them coarsely. Remove the greens from the water and dice them.
- In a large pot over medium heat add oil and the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are just turning soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage wilts, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the beet greens and stir until they are just wilted, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, add the caraway seeds and chopped beets, and cook until the vegetables are tender and flavors blend, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add salt and lemon juice, if using, to taste. Serve hot, with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
Notes
I usually set one of the beets aside to make Beetroot Hummus.
In browsing through the great variety of recipes online I was interested to find, but have not yet made, this vegetarian version of borscht using white beans.