Ingredients

• Low-sodium beef broth OR approx. 900g beef bones/marrow bones with meat + cold water to make your own broth12 cups (approximately 2.8 - 3 li
• Green or red cabbage, thinly sliced5 cups
• Large onion, finely chopped1
• Medium carrots, cut into pieces/slices3
• Large red beets, peeled and cut into thin strips (matchsticks)3
• Large potatoes, peeled and diced4
• Olive oil (divided)2 tablespoons
• Tomato paste (low-sodium)1 small can (approx. 170g)
• Salt2 teaspoons
• Bay leaves3
• White vinegar1 tablespoon
• Sugar or maple syrup1 pinch
• Garlic, grated or pressed3 large cloves
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Fresh dill or parsley, finely chopped¼ cup
• Sour cream (or thick/Greek yogurt with >2% fat)
• Rye bread (or sourdough bread)
• Extra cloves of raw garlic (traditionally eaten separately alongside)

Tap a step to tick it off.

1. 1Step 1: Prepare the broth and cabbage
2. 21. Bring the beef broth (or the beef bones with cold water and optional meat) to a boil together with the bay leaves in a large soup pot. (If using bones: first let this simmer for about 60 minutes and skim off the foam).
3. 32. As soon as the broth boils, add the thinly sliced cabbage.
4. 43. Cover the pot, bring back to a boil, turn the heat down low and let this simmer for 20 minutes. (Tip: Meanwhile, peel and cut the rest of the vegetables).
5. 5Step 2: Make the "Zazharka" (fried vegetable base)
6. 61. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
7. 72. Add the chopped onion and carrots and fry them for about 5 minutes until translucent and soft (stirring regularly).
8. 83. Then add the raw beets, cut into strips, and the 2nd tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Fry this for another 3 to 4 minutes for that deep, full flavor.
9. 9Step 3: Combine everything and cook
10. 101. Scoop the fried vegetables out of the frying pan and add them to the large soup pot with the broth and cabbage.
11. 112. Also add the diced potatoes, tomato paste and salt to the pot.
12. 123. Cover the pot, bring to a boil and let everything cook over low heat for another 20 minutes until the potatoes and beets are soft. (If you used bones with meat for the broth, briefly take the meat out now, cut it into small pieces and put it back in the pot).
13. 13Step 4: Finish and let rest
14. 141. Turn off the heat.
15. 152. Add the white vinegar, a pinch of sugar/maple syrup, the grated garlic and black pepper and stir well.
16. 163. Leave the pot covered for 10 minutes (off the heat) so the flavors can fully infuse.
17. 174. Finally, stir in the finely chopped fresh dill and taste to see whether any extra salt or pepper is needed.
18. 18Step 5: Serve
19. 19Serve the borscht nice and hot. Accompany it with a generous spoonful of sour cream (or yogurt), a sprig of fresh dill, a slice of rye bread and optionally a clove of raw garlic.