Borscht For One

a bowl of borscht topped with sour cream.

5 from 3 votes

This single serving borscht is a classic Eastern European beet soup made with fresh beets and vegetables. Ready in 30 minutes, it offers balanced sweet and tangy flavor in one bowl.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Polish, Russian, Ukranian

Diet: , Low Fat

Keyword: barszcz, beet soup, borscht, borshch

Servings: serving

Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

1-quart saucepan

Ingredients

½ tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup chopped onions
1 celery rib -chopped
1 medium carrot -chopped
1 clove garlic -minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt -divided
2 small beets (4.5 -5-oz) scrubbed, peeled, and diced - about 1 cup diced
1 small gold potato -peeled and diced
1 ½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
⅛ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1-2 tablespoons sour cream for topping

US - Metric

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a 1 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the diced raw beets and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat them in the oil and release their color.
Stir in the diced potato, broth, thyme, and allspice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the beets and potatoes are tender.
Stir in the red wine vinegar, honey, and additional ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, carefully transfer the soup and blend in batches if necessary.
Pour the soup into a bowl and top with sour cream before serving.
Recipe yields about 1 ½ cups of soup.

Notes

Cut the Beets: Dice the beets into small, even pieces so they cook evenly and blend smoothly.
Sauté Gently: Cook the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic over medium heat to build flavor without browning.
Add Vinegar Last: Stir in the vinegar near the end of cooking to help preserve the bright red color of the beets.
Adjust the Balance: Taste the soup before serving and adjust the vinegar or honey as needed. Borscht should have a balanced sweet and tangy flavor.
Thin if Needed: If the soup becomes too thick, add a splash of broth or water to loosen it.
Finish with Sour Cream: Add sour cream just before serving rather than stirring it into the pot for the best texture and presentation.

If doubling the recipe, use a 2-quart saucepan.

Using Pre-Cooked Beets For Borscht

Pre cooked beets are convenient, but they can change both the color and flavor of borscht. Because the beets are already cooked, their red color is more likely to fade during extended simmering, which can make the soup look duller or slightly orange.

To help preserve color and flavor, add pre cooked beets near the end of cooking and stir in acidic ingredients like vinegar after simmering. Fresh beets still give the deepest color and richest flavor, but this method works well when convenience matters.

How To Make Borscht With Pre-Cooked Beets

Heat the olive oil in a 1 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the diced potato, broth, thyme, and allspice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until the potato is tender.
Stir in the diced pre-cooked beets and simmer for 5 minutes, just until warmed through.
Stir in the red wine vinegar, honey, and additional salt if needed.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.
Taste and adjust seasoning, then spoon into a bowl and top with sour cream.

Nutrition

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