I hope this recipe will live up to its name because for me it really is The Best Vegan Borscht. I’ve had a Borscht soup on my list of recipes for the blog for way too long now. And since I always have beetroot in my fridge and had some lovely red cabbage that really needed using I’ve finally made a pot, a pretty huge one too.
It was amazingly good and I’m making one again soon. Borscht is not a typical soup in my country, but I remember my auntie making an amazing borscht that I used to love as a child. I must have been obsessed with beetroot already then!
I packed this soup with plenty of veggies and made it really filling so you can happily have a bowl full for dinner and feel completely satisfied. The recipe is open to your own interpretation and you can leave out or add ingredients to your like. I’ve used red cabbage, but white cabbage would be more traditional. I’ve also added white butter beans to make the soup more substantial, cannellini or kidney beans would work too.
You will need plenty of dill to serve and something sour like apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, which really ties it all together. If you have beet greens, you can add them in towards the end of the cooking time, or just top your bowl with some freshly chopped ones. And finally, a dollop of coconut yoghurt makes it even better. Enjoy!
The Best Vegan Borscht
Ingredients
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 1 leek, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, cubed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1tsp caraway seeds
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 medium beetroot, peeled and cubed
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 1/2l water/vegetable stock/broth (6 cups)
- 1 small red cabbage, shredded
- 1 can butter beans (1 1/2 cup)
- sea salt & black pepper
- 2tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
To serve:
- bunch of dill, chopped
- vegan sour cream or coconut yoghurt
- raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large pot heat 2tbsp of olive oil, add chopped onion, celery, leek, carrots and bay leaf and leave to soften for about 10 minutes stirring frequently.
- After 10 minutes add garlic, caraway seeds, beetroot, potatoes and water. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- Add cabbage and beans and simmer for 10-15 minutes until everything is soft.
- Season with sea salt and black pepper and stir in 2tbsp of apple cider vinegar.
- Serve with plenty of chopped fresh dill, extra apple cider vinegar, and a dollop of vegan sour cream or coconut yoghurt.
- Enjoy!
Hi H, so I had a go at my casserole version of your borscht last night (hob still out of action!) and it really does live up to its name! YUM! This was so delicious and just perfect for this time of year. I loved the butter beans in your recipe, too, which really worked and made the whole dish more filling. The only thing I was missing was some coconut yoghurt – but I have some borscht left over so am hoping they’ll sell that at An Apple a Day… A big thumbs up from across the road! :-) Txxx
Yay, I’m so happy to hear that Teresa! Thank you so much for leaving me such great comment, I couldn’t be happier! Hxxx
This borscht looks absolutely delicious!! I love anything with beets, it’s such a beautifully earthy taste. :)
Thank you so much Sarah! Me too, I can eat beets everyday! x
I just made this soup yesterday and it was absolutely delicious! Cannot wait to tuck in to the leftovers for tonights dinner, :D
Hi Jana, thank you so much for leaving such lovely comment! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the borscht, I’ve just made another batch too:) xx
I made this last week as it’s getting cold in winter and the balance of flavours was just superb! As someone who likes a one pot dish with lots of artistry this was just perfect :)
Hi Olivia, I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed this Borscht! I make it regularly myself and happily eat it for days :) Thank you for your lovely comment.
I made this last night with fennel stalks instead of celery and a second onion instead of a leek, and it was the most delicious borscht I have EVER made (and it’s one of the few things I’ve made multiple times). It had a delicious natural and was thick and filling. Thanks for an awesome recipe, I’m definitely going to hold on to this one!
Hi Kia, thank you so much for this amazing comment! I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed this recipe and I love that you’ve used fennel stalks instead of celery, must try that myself :) xx
This recipe is exactly what I was seeking! The soup/stew came out fantastic. I didn’t have a bay leaf or beans, but didn’t seem to matter. I used veggie bouillon paste so didn’t need to add any extra salt. Perfect fall Borscht:)
Hi Tara, thank you so much for coming back and leaving me such lovely comment. I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed this recipe :)
Perfect except the coconut yogurt. Plain yogurt.
Hi Hila, wonderful! It most probably is, but it’s a good alternative :)
We just used your recipe for inspiration to make a Vegan Borscht today for our school lunch! We are the Scandinavian School of Jersey City, a pre-K school with a plant-based lunch program and edible garden. I’m always looking for inspiration and your recipe caught my eye. Today we served it with a side of mixed potato and sweet potato latke’s with a vegan cream and apple sauce. It was a hit and the colors were gorgeous. Thank you!
Thank you Manija for coming back and leaving me such lovely comment. So happy this borscht was a hit at your school, those latkes sound wonderful! :)