Traditional borscht with beef and beans

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1:

Make the beef broth. Place the beef in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, skim off any foam, and simmer for 1.5 hours. This is the base for beef and bean borscht.

Step 2:

Prepare the vegetables. Grate the carrots, cut the beets into thin strips, dice the potatoes, finely chop the onions, and thinly slice the cabbage.

Step 3:

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan, fry the beets for 5 minutes, add the carrots and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and stir.

Step 4:

Add the beans (with their liquid) and cook for 3 minutes. If you prefer to cook the beans yourself, you can cook them in advance and use them without preserving them.

Step 5:

Add potatoes and cabbage to the boiling broth. Cook for 10 minutes, covered.

Step 6:

Transfer the fried vegetables from the pan to the saucepan. Add the bay leaf, salt to taste, and pepper. Cook the traditional borscht for another 15 minutes.

Step 7:

Ladle the bean borscht into bowls. Serve hot—it's a filling and flavorful first course.

Cooking tips:

For a richer color and flavor, use fresh beets—they will give the borscht its distinctive hue.

To make the beef borscht especially rich, cook the meat in advance.

You can vary the proportions of beans and beef - the dish will remain delicious.

Serve with garlic and sour cream – the bean borscht will be even more delicious.