I’ve never had traditional borscht before, so this vegetarian version from NYT cooking is my first taste of borscht. The beets are beautiful, staining your hands, then then soup, turning the carrots and potatoes into pink jewels. I kept thinking the kale was red chard!
The dill brings life to the broth, with a fresh and unique flavor. I didn’t have the ingredients to make a horseradish topping as described in the recipe, but I would be interested to try it in the future.
Much like lasagna, this soup is so much better the next day. I recommend making it the night before, and letting all the flavors sit and get to know each other for 24 hours before tasting it. You won’t regret it. It’ll allow the vegetables to get soft, especially the potatoes, which will dissolve into granules in your mouth.
Ingredients:
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 leek, diced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 lb beets, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 lb potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 3 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 3 cups kale, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions:
- First, cook down the onions, celery, and leeks in 2 tbsp oil, in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven on medium-high heat, for 7 minutes.
- Once onion is soft, add in spices and aromatics, cooking for an additional minute.
- Add the beets, potatoes, carrots, 6 cups of water, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer slightly uncovered for 20 minutes, or until roots are tender.
- Add kale and vinegar, stir until kale is submerged and simmer until kale is cooked, about 8 minutes.
- Taste the broth for seasoning, and add additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve and garnish with dill (or parsley, tarragon, and chives), enjoy!
