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Preparation method:
Vegetable preparation:
First, peel the beets, carrots, parsley, and celery. Cut the beets into thin slices or grate them on a coarse grater. Cut the carrots, parsley, and celery into small pieces. Finely chop the garlic, peel, and dice the onion.
Cooking the beans:
Cook the beans, previously soaked overnight, in water for about 45 to 60 minutes until tender. If using canned beans, simply rinse them in a colander to remove excess salt.
Cooking the broth:
In a large saucepan, bring 2 liters of water to a boil. Add the chopped vegetables: beets, carrots, parsley, celery, onion, bay leaves, and allspice. Cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Adding the beans:
Add the cooked beans to the cooking vegetables. At this point, you can also add spices: salt, pepper, marjoram, sugar, and vinegar (or lemon juice) to give the soup a distinctive, slightly acidic flavor.
Sauté the garlic:
In a separate pan, heat the butter and sauté the chopped garlic until golden. Add it to the soup to release its full flavor.
Seasoning:
Finally, stir the soup well and taste. If necessary, season with additional salt, pepper, sugar, or vinegar to achieve the desired flavor balance. If desired, you can add more butter to make the soup creamier.
Serve
the red bean borscht hot, preferably with fresh dill. You can also serve the soup with cream, which you mix with a little hot broth and then pour onto a plate.
Serving and storage tips:
Red borscht tastes best the next day, when the flavors have blended, so it’s worth preparing it in advance.
Store the soup in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. You can also freeze it in portions for later use.
If you wish, you can serve borscht with boiled potatoes, which will perfectly complement the taste of this soup.
Variations:
Sausage soup: If you want to add a little extra flavor to your borscht, you can add fried sausage or bacon. This will give the soup a deeper, meatier flavor.
Beetroot borscht: You can also add some grated beetroot to the soup at the end of cooking to increase the intensity of the color and flavor.
Vegan version: To make the borscht completely vegan, simply replace the butter with vegetable oil and the cream with vegan oil, or simply serve the borscht without the cream.
FAQ:
Should I add beans?
Beans add all their flavor to the soup and make it more substantial, but you can leave them out if you prefer a more classic version of red borscht.
Can I use canned beans?
Yes, canned beans are a quick solution, but it’s a good idea to remember to rinse them well before adding them to the soup.
What spices can I add to borscht?
In addition to marjoram, garlic, pepper, and salt, you can experiment with additives such as sweet paprika, cumin, or bay leaf. Borscht reacts well with various spices.
What vegetables go best with borscht?
In addition to beets, you can also add parsley root, celery, or carrots, which will enrich the soup’s flavor and add depth.
Can borscht be frozen?
Yes, red bean borscht is ideal for freezing. However, remember not to add cream before freezing – you can only add it after the soup has thawed.
