baba's borscht

(2 ratings)
Recipe by
Staci Cakes
On a farm in..., GA

This is a wonderfully hearty soup for beet and non-beet lovers. Use all of the water and extra seasoning for non-beet lovers, they'll never know they ate beets. This is one of those soups that you have to cook and taste as you go along. Feel free to make it your own by changing out some of the ingredients. I often make this with beef short ribs and using beef bullion paste.

(2 ratings)
yield serving(s)
prep time 1 Hr
cook time 1 Hr

Ingredients For baba's borscht

  • 3
    fresh kielbasa links (or 1 pound meat of your choice)
  • 2 md
    red potatoes
  • 1/2 md
    cabbage
  • 3 md
    carrots, grated
  • 1 lg
    onion
  • 2 can
    beets, (15 oz) - drain reserving juice
  • 1 can
    diced tomatoes (8 oz)
  • 3 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 2
    bay leaves
  • 2 Tbsp
    chicken bouillon - or to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 8 - 10 c
    water (or water and chicken stock combined)
  • 6 oz
    tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp
    dill
  • 2 Tbsp
    lemon juice or vinegar
  • GARNISH
  • dill
  • sour cream

How To Make baba's borscht

  • 1
    In large stock pot, brown sausage with bay leaves until no longer pink. Drain grease if there is a large amount. If using links, remove sausage and slice in to bite-sized pieces, return to pot.
  • 2
    Add diced potatoes, reserved beet juice, diced tomatoes, 4 cups of water, and chicken bouillon to pot. Bring to a full boil then reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • 3
    Add shredded cabbage, grated carrots, onion, dill, pepper and 2 cups of water. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
  • 4
    Stir in julienned beets, minced garlic, and tomato paste. Add remaining water. Cook until cabbage and beets are tender, about 20 - 30 minutes. Beets should begin to loose their color.
  • 5
    At this point, test vegetables for tenderness and broth seasoning. When the vegetables have been cooked to your desired tenderness, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice or vinegar.
  • 6
    Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill. A piece of warm crusty bread slathered with real salted butter puts this over the top. Enjoy!

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