Sharing My Borscht Recipe

Everytime I make borscht, the house is filled with a delicious smell. It is absolutely wonderful. Some of our mouths, including mine, water for the flavorful Russian soup. Add a dollop of sour cream to it, and you've got one flavorful mouthful.

Sounds like something you want to whip right up, right? Well, sorry folks, this soup is time consuming to say the least. There is lots of measuring, washing, chopping, can opening....... That's why I make so much at one time. But I promise, it is well worth the trouble.

Finally, I am sharing my recipe. I don't think you will find one quite like it, but after trying numerous recipes, I do think you will thoroughly enjoy it.

Christine's Borscht

20 quarts water
80 teaspoons beef bouillon (or equivalent i.e. cubes, soup base)
Crunchy veggies
2 pounds carrots chopped
2+ cups fresh green beans chopped
2+ cups bell peppers chopped
1 whole celery bunch chopped
8 cups potatoes chopped
soft veggies
3 cups squash chopped
1 head cabbage finely shredded
frozen veggies
16 oz. frozen peas
16 oz. frozen lima beans
sauteed veggies
1 large onion
1 stick butter
cans
2 15 oz. cans of shoestring beets chopped
1 15 oz. can kidney beans
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
1 28 oz. diced tomatoes
5 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
seasonings
1/4 cup dried dill
2 teaspoons black pepper
3 teaspoons salt

Measure water. Add bouillon. Bring to boil. Chop crunchy veggies. Add to soup. Cook on medium for 30 minutes. Chop soft veggies. Add to crunchy veggies in soup. Cook 30 additional minutes. While cooking, chop onion and saute in separate pan with butter till tender. Add onions, frozen veggies, and cans. Cook for 2 hours stirring occasionally. Add seasonings and cook for 1 more hour or until it has come to a full boil. Turn off heat, and let sit till cool enough to serve. Serve with sour cream, and toasted buttered bread.


Rachel and Julia helped chop veggies.

Jonny and Andrew unwrapped bouillon cubes.

This is what I mean by 2+ cups.

Your hands will be tired by the time you finish chopping even if you have three helpers.

Anna helped chop squash.

Saute the onions until they are nice and tender.

Don't be surprised when the beets lose their color in the soup. They add a nice flavor.

This pot of borscht could easily feed all the kids at an orphanage. What a nutritious meal it would be for them. Instead I will ladle it into Ziploc baggies for my family to enjoy over the next two months.

This pot is so heavy, John cannot physically lift it by himself.

What a colorful bowl of soup. Come on over so you can enjoy a bowl.