Ukrainian Red Borshch with Beef
Deep red, sweet and sour beetroot soup with tender beef, cabbage and potato, finished with dill and soured cream.
- Time2 hr 30
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.58 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 468kcal
- 27.6gcarbs
- 11.5gof which sugars
- 27.2gfat
- 11.6gsaturates
- 26.9gprotein
- 7gfibre
- 1.9gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the beef, water, bay leaf, peppercorns and half the salt in a large pan. Bring to the boil, skim off the grey foam, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the beef is very tender.
90 min - 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion and carrots for 8 minutes, until soft and golden.
8 min - 3
Add the beetroot, tomato purée, vinegar and sugar to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the beetroot has softened and the colour is a deep ruby red.
10 min - 4
Lift the beef out of the stock and shred it, discarding any fat. Add the potatoes to the stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
10 min - 5
Add the cabbage, the beetroot mixture and the shredded beef. Simmer for 10 minutes more, until the cabbage is tender but still has a little bite.
10 min - 6
Stir in the garlic and the rest of the salt and turn off the heat. Cover and leave for 15 minutes so the flavours settle. Taste and add a splash more vinegar if you want it sharper.
15 min - 7
Ladle into bowls and top each with soured cream and dill. It is even better the next day.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
