A thick, hearty borscht combining white and red cabbage, beetroot, carrots and beef, rounded out with smoked beef tongue for a fuller flavor. It is served with a warm garlic roll and a spoonful of sour cream, which balances the earthiness of the beetroot and the smoky aroma of the meat.
- Category
- soup
- Portion
- 400 g
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Nature (TCM)
- warming
TCM: Beef and root vegetables warm and nourish; sour cream cools and rounds out the flavor.
Ingredients
Borscht
- White cabbage (thinly sliced) – 670 g
- Red cabbage (thinly sliced) – 670 g
- Carrots (grated) – 270 g
- Onion (diced) – 165 g
- Garlic (grated, for the vegetable base) – 27 g
- Beetroot (grated) – 500 g
- Tomato paste – 67 g
- Beef (e.g. shoulder, cubed) – 830 g
- Smoked beef tongue (cubed, skinned) – 330 g
- Strong beef stock – 700 ml
- Vegetable stock (for thinning) – approx. 500 ml
- Allspice – 3 g (approx. 1 tsp)
- Bay leaf – 6 g (2 tbsp)
- Salt – to taste
Garlic roll
- Wheat rolls (65 g each) – 10
- Garlic (for the brushing oil) – 20 g
- Olive oil (Koroneiki) – 70 ml
Serving
- Sour cream – 330 ml (approx. 33 ml per portion)
- Fresh parsley leaves or scallions – for sprinkling
Method
Making the base
- Over low heat, sauté the onion, carrots, beetroot and tomato paste with the grated garlic until the water evaporates and the mixture takes on a deep color and aroma.
Cooking the borscht
- Put the cabbage, spices, sautéed vegetables and meat (both fresh and smoked) into a large pot.
- Pour in the strong stock and top up with vegetable stock as needed so everything is submerged.
- Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, until the cabbage softens and the flavors come together. Season with salt.
Garlic rolls
- Lightly score the tops of the rolls, brush them with a mixture of olive oil and pressed garlic, and salt lightly if you like.
Serving
- Ladle 350 g of borscht into a deep bowl and add 1 garlic roll and 1 tbsp (approx. 33 ml) of sour cream.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley leaves or scallions.
Serving
Ladle a portion of borscht into a deep bowl, add a garlic roll and a spoonful of sour cream. Sprinkle with fresh parsley leaves or scallions.
Key ingredients
- Beef
- Quality protein, haem iron and B12; slow braising makes it easier to digest.
- White cabbage
- Fibre and glucosinolates; slow-cooked, it supports digestion and the gut flora.
- Carrot
- Beta-carotene (vitamin A) for skin and eyesight, fibre, natural sweetness.
- Onion
- Prebiotic fibre for the gut flora, anti-inflammatory flavonoids.
- Garlic
- Antibacterial and antiviral; supports immunity and the circulatory system.
- Tomatoes (peeled / passata)
- Lycopene (an antioxidant), the umami base of sauces.
- Sour cream
- Milk fat and probiotics; rounds off and cools spicy or sour soups.
- Beetroot
- Betaine and nitrates; traditionally supports the liver and circulation.
Why it’s good for the body
- Beef is a source of quality protein, heme iron and vitamin B12.
- Beetroot and cabbage provide fiber and antioxidants.
- Slow cooking makes the meat easier to digest and releases nutrients into the broth.
- Sour cream rounds out the earthy flavor of the beetroot and adds dairy fats.
Traditional and functional notes on the ingredients — not medical claims.
Notes
- For a bolder flavor, add part of the cabbage only at the end of cooking — it keeps its color and crunch.
- Smoked tongue can be replaced with smoked beef or finely cut beef brisket.
- For a lighter version, leave out the smoked meat and use only beef stock and more vegetables.