Borscht

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 medium beets, peeled and julienned
• 2 large carrots, julienned
• 1 small head of cabbage, shredded
• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• Sour cream for serving
• Fresh dill for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté onion until softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add beets, carrots, and cabbage, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add potatoes, canned tomatoes with juice, broth, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
8. Remove bay leaf and serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.

Notes

• Wear gloves when handling raw beets to avoid staining your hands.
• Julienne the beets last to prevent cross-contamination with other vegetables.
• Borscht can be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated; flavors deepen overnight.
• For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth for beef broth.
• If beets are unavailable, use red cabbage for a similar color, though flavor will differ.