A Vibrant, Nourishing Bowl of Comfort

When the weather turns cooler, there’s something especially satisfying about a big pot of homemade soup simmering on the stove. This colorful Borscht is exactly the kind of recipe that belongs in the fall and winter rotation. It’s hearty enough to be a meal, loaded with vegetables, and full of the earthy-sweet flavor of beets, balanced by a bright splash of apple cider vinegar and lemon.

What makes this version especially interesting is the addition of BareOrganics Beet Root Powder. Along with frozen organic beets, purple cabbage, carrots, celery, garlic, and potatoes, the beet root powder gives this classic soup an extra dose of beet flavor, an intensely beautiful ruby color, and a convenient way to incorporate beetroot into the recipe.

The result is a comforting bowl that looks as good as it tastes.

Why You’ll Love This Borscht

A classic soup gets a colorful, nutrient-rich update

Traditional borscht recipes vary widely, but beets are the ingredient that gives many versions their signature deep red color and earthy sweetness. This recipe keeps that essential character while making the preparation easy with frozen diced beets.

It also packs plenty of vegetables into every bowl. You’ll get beets, purple cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and potatoes, all simmered in savory beef bone broth.

And then there’s the beet root powder.

Adding BareOrganics Beet Root Powder near the end of cooking is a simple trick that intensifies the soup’s gorgeous color and beet flavor without requiring more chopping or cooking. The recipe specifically calls for whisking the powder with a little hot broth before adding it to the pot, which helps it dissolve smoothly.

What Is Borscht?

A beloved beet-based soup with a long culinary history

Borscht is a traditional soup associated particularly with Ukrainian and Eastern European cuisine, although many countries and regions have their own versions. Recipes vary considerably from one family or region to another.

Some versions are vegetarian, while others use beef, pork, chicken, or broth. Cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions, and beets are common ingredients, although the exact combination depends on the recipe.

One of the defining characteristics of beet-based borscht is its beautiful color and balance of earthy, sweet, and tangy flavors. That’s exactly the combination this recipe aims for, using beets and beet root powder alongside apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and a touch of maple syrup.

The Health Benefits of Borscht Ingredients

A delicious way to get more vegetables into your day

One of the best things about this soup is that its ingredients aren’t just there for flavor. The combination provides a variety of nutrients and plant compounds.

It’s important to remember that no single food is a cure-all, and the benefits of individual ingredients don’t necessarily translate into specific health outcomes from eating one bowl of soup. However, building meals around a variety of vegetables is a great way to increase nutrient and phytochemical diversity.

Beets

Beets are the nutritional star of this soup. They provide dietary fiber, folate, potassium, and naturally occurring plant compounds, including betalains, the pigments responsible for their distinctive red-purple color.

Beets also naturally contain dietary nitrates. Research has focused on how nitrate can be converted through the body into nitric oxide, a molecule involved in blood-vessel dilation and blood flow. Beetroot and beetroot-derived products have therefore been studied for cardiovascular and exercise-related effects. (PubMed Central (PMC))

Beets are also rich in betalains and other bioactive compounds that have demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential in laboratory and human research. However, it’s important not to overstate these findings as proof that beets prevent or treat disease. (PubMed)

Purple Cabbage

Purple cabbage brings gorgeous color and a satisfying texture to the soup while contributing fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and plant compounds called anthocyanins.

Those anthocyanins are responsible for the cabbage’s deep purple color and are part of the reason colorful vegetables are such a valuable addition to a varied diet.

And because the cabbage is finely shredded, it becomes tender enough to blend beautifully with the hearty broth without disappearing completely.

Carrots

Carrots add natural sweetness that helps balance the earthy flavor of the beets. They’re also a source of beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A.

Vitamin A is important for normal vision, immune function, and maintaining healthy skin and tissues.

Celery

Celery adds a classic savory foundation to the soup. It’s also a source of fiber and contributes vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds while adding very few calories.

Along with onion and carrot, celery forms the classic vegetable base that gives the broth its depth.

Garlic

Garlic adds plenty of flavor without requiring a long list of seasonings. It also contains sulfur-containing compounds that have been widely studied for their potential antioxidant and cardiovascular effects.

Here, three cloves provide just enough garlic flavor to complement the beets without overwhelming them.

Russet Potatoes

Potatoes make this borscht more substantial. They provide carbohydrates for energy as well as potassium and vitamin C.

Cutting the potatoes into ½-inch cubes is important because it helps them cook evenly alongside the beets.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

A little extra-virgin olive oil is used to sauté the vegetables at the beginning of the recipe. Besides helping develop flavor, olive oil is a source of monounsaturated fat and contains naturally occurring polyphenols.

It also helps carry fat-soluble flavors throughout the soup.

Beef Bone Broth

Beef bone broth provides the savory foundation for this version of borscht. It adds richness and depth that pairs particularly well with the earthy sweetness of the beets.

If you’re using packaged broth, look for a gluten-free variety and check the label if you’re cooking for someone with celiac disease or a food allergy.

Fresh Dill

Fresh dill is more than just a pretty garnish. Its bright, herbaceous flavor is a classic complement to beets and helps keep the soup from tasting too rich or earthy.

The recipe adds fresh dill at the end and uses additional dill for serving.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Lemon

These two ingredients are small but important.

Beets and carrots bring natural sweetness, while the broth and potatoes add savory richness. Apple cider vinegar and fresh lemon juice provide acidity that balances those flavors and gives the finished soup a brighter, fresher taste.

A Little Maple Syrup

Just one tablespoon of maple syrup rounds out the flavors without making the soup taste sweet. It works especially well with the earthy beets, carrots, and tangy vinegar.

Why Add BareOrganics Beet Root Powder to Borscht?

More beet flavor, more color, and an easy shortcut

This is the ingredient that gives this version its extra-special quality.

You might wonder why you need beet root powder when the soup already contains beets. The answer is concentration and convenience.

The frozen beets provide the texture and substantial pieces of beet throughout the soup. The beet root powder, meanwhile, disperses throughout the broth, intensifying the characteristic beet flavor and deepening the color.

Beetroot powder is made from concentrated beetroot, so it provides beet-derived compounds in a convenient powdered form. 

That makes the powder a particularly natural fit for borscht.

It intensifies that gorgeous ruby color

Let’s be honest: part of the appeal of borscht is that stunning color.

The beets provide the foundation, but adding beet root powder near the end of cooking helps make the finished broth especially vibrant. In this recipe, the powder is whisked with a small amount of hot broth first, then stirred into the soup to prevent clumping.

It’s an easy technique that makes a noticeable difference.

It adds concentrated beet flavor without more chopping

Using beet root powder is also a practical cooking shortcut. Instead of adding additional whole beets, peeling them, chopping them, and cooking them, you can simply measure the powder and whisk it into the soup.

That’s particularly helpful when you’re already using frozen diced beets.

How to Make This Borscht

It’s easier than you might think

Start by sautéing the onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant.

Next, add the beef bone broth, potatoes, seasonings, and optional caraway seeds. After the potatoes have had a head start, add the frozen beets and purple cabbage. Everything simmers together until the potatoes and beets are tender.

Then comes the beet powder.

Whisk it with a little hot broth until smooth and stir it into the soup. Finally, add the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, and fresh dill.

Taste before serving and adjust the vinegar, salt, or maple syrup as needed.

Tips for Making the Best Borscht

A few simple tricks make a big difference

Cut the potatoes evenly. The recipe calls for ½-inch cubes, roughly the same size as the beets. This helps everything cook at about the same rate.

Don’t add the beet powder at the beginning. Stir it in toward the end of cooking for the best color and to prevent clumping.

Don’t skip the acid. The apple cider vinegar and lemon juice are essential for balancing the earthy sweetness of the beets.

Taste at the end. Depending on the sweetness of your beets and carrots and the saltiness of your broth, you may want a little more vinegar, salt, or maple syrup.

Serve with sour cream. A dollop of sour cream provides a cool, creamy contrast to the hot, earthy soup. For a dairy-free version, use a dairy-free sour cream or plain dairy-free yogurt.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Last Bite

A beautiful bowl that’s as comforting as it is colorful

This Borscht is proof that a wholesome, vegetable-packed soup doesn’t have to be boring. The combination of earthy beets, sweet carrots, tender potatoes, purple cabbage, savory beef bone broth, fresh dill, and bright lemon and vinegar makes every spoonful flavorful.

It’s a soup that’s hearty enough for dinner, beautiful enough to serve to guests, and easy enough to make on a weeknight.