Best Vegetarian Borscht Recipes

VEGETARIAN RED BORSCHT

Steps:

• Put olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• When oil is hot, add onion, celery and leek, stir to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until onion has softened and just begun to brown. Add garlic, tomato paste, paprika, caraway, bay leaf and thyme, and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
• Add potatoes, beets and carrots, 6 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Simmer with lid ajar for 20 minutes, or until potatoes, beets and carrots are fork tender.
• Add kale and vinegar, and stir to distribute. Taste broth and adjust seasoning. Simmer until kale is done, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the horseradish cream: Put horseradish, lemon juice, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Let macerate 5 minutes, then stir in crème fraîche.
• To serve, ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with chopped dill, parsley, tarragon and chives. Pass the horseradish cream at the table.

VEGETARIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Combine beets and vinegar in a small frying pan over low heat. Cook, while stirring, until soft, about 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan over low heat while beets are cooking. Add onion and stir for 2 minutes. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• In the meantime, bring water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Add cabbage and lentils. Cook for 10 minutes. Add potatoes and cook for 10 minutes more. Stir in cooked beets and onion-carrot mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes more. Serve with sour cream and dill.

WORKDAY BORSCHT (VEGETARIAN/ CROCK POT)

Steps:

• Remove tops from beets and set aside for another use. Peel beets and cut in half if larger than 2 inches in diameter.
• Place beets, potato, onion, broth, and tomato paste in slow cooker and cook on high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 8 hours.
• Process soup in batches in a blender until smooth and return to slow cooker. Take great care when blending hot liquids. Do not fill blender canister more than half full, and make sure that the top is securely attached.
• Before you are ready to serve, bury the cabbage in the puree. Cook on high, covered, for 45 minutes. Add 1/4 cup dill, vinegar and lemon juice and season to taste with salt.
• In a separate bowl, mix remainder of dill with sour cream. Serve with a dollop of the sour cream in each bowl of soup and with lemon wedges.

DOUKHOBOR VEGETARIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• 1. Have the water boiling in a 20 quart canner, add salt and whole beets with a few cuts in them. Add halved potatoes, chopped carrots and 2 cups of the chopped onion.
• 2. In a large pot, put 1/4 lb. butter, stewed tomatoes, 1 cup of the chopped onion, grated beet, 1 cup of grated carrot, 1/4 cup of the celery and 1 cup of chopped green pepper. Simmer over low heat until thick.
• 3. Put 1/4 lb. of butter in a frying pan with the remaining 2 c. of onion and 1 c. of crated carrots. Saute until tender.
• 4. In a separate frying pan, put 1/4 lb. butter, 8 cups of shredded cabbage, 2 c. green pepper and a pinch of dill. Salute for 10 minutes.
• 5. When the halved potatoes become tender in the canner, remove them and mash adding the last 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 1/2 cups of cream and 4 cups of the tomato mixture from Step 2. Mash this mixture well.
• 6. Add the rest of the tomato mixture, the remaining cream and diced potatoes to the canner and bring to the boil.
• 7. Stir the mashed potato mixture from Step 5 into the canner and let boil for 1 minute.
• 8. Add the rest of the shredded cabbage to the canner and bring just to the boiling point. Stir and discard the whole beets.
• 9. Turn off the heat and add the cabbage mixture from step 4 and the onion mixture from step 3 to the canner. Do not stir.
• 10. Sprinkle 1 c. green onion, 1/4 c. celery, 1 c. green pepper, 1 c. dill and 1/2 tsp black pepper (optional) on top of the Borscht. Cover and let stand at least 10 minutes before stirring.
• 11. Serving suggestions Borscht is best served piping hot with bread and butter. Try serving with cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Some like borscht sprinkled with cayenne pepper or crushed fresh garlic.

VEGETARIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and squeeze out the excess liquid. Strain all the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve the liquid (there should be 1 cup) and the mushrooms separately.
• In a tall narrow stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
• Add the beets, carrots, parsnip, celery root, 8 cups water, and the mushroom soaking liquid. bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, cabbage, garlic, and, if using, the beet greens. Dissolve the tomato paste in 1/2 cup of the liquid and stir back into soup. Return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the reconstituted mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
• Remove from the heat. Stir in the dill, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.
• Pass bowls of chopped dill and sour cream at the table.

VEGETARIAN BEET BORSCHT

Steps:

• 1. Place sliced potatoes and beets in a medium saucepan over high heat; cover with stock, and boil until vegetables are tender. Remove potatoes and beets with a slotted spoon, and reserve stock. 2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, caraway seeds, and salt; cook until onions become soft and translucent. Then stir in celery, carrots, and cabbage. Mix in reserved stock; cook, covered, until all vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. 3. Add potatoes and beets to the skillet. Season with black pepper and dill weed. Stir in cider vinegar, honey, and tomato puree. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer at least 30 minutes. Serve topped with sour cream, extra dill weed, and chopped fresh tomatoes.

VEGETARIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and squeeze out the excess liquid. Strain all the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or cloth. Reserve the liquid (there should be 1 cup) and the mushrooms separately.
• In a tall, narrow stockpot, warm the oil over medium heat. Stir in the fresh mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Stir in the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
• Add the beets, carrots, parsnips, celery root, 8 cups water and the mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, cabbage, garlic, and if using, the beet greens. Dissolve the tomato paste in 1/2 cup of the liquid, and stir back into the soup. Return to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the soaked dried mushrooms, and simmer for 5 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
• Remove from the heat. Stir in the dill, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pass around bowls of the chopped dill and sour cream for garnish

VIBRANT VEGETARIAN PURPLE BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place the beets into a large pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, 20 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes and tomato puree in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, tomato mixture, half of the dill, and the vegetable bouillon. Continue cooking and stirring until the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the beets from the cooking liquid and place them in the freezer in a bowl. Stir the mushroom mixture, potatoes, kidney beans, including the liquid, and 6 cups of water into the beet water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Peel, then grate the chilled beets. Stir the beets, cabbage, and remaining dill into the soup. Cover and simmer until the cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow soup to rest for at least 2 hours. Bring soup to a boil, and serve hot with a dollop of sour cream.

VEGETARIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes.
• Drain, reserving the liquid, and squeeze out the excess liquid.
• Strain all the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Reserve the liquid (there should be 1 cup) and the mushrooms separately.
• In a tall narrow stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat.
• Stir in the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.
• Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
• Add the beets, carrots, parsnip, celery root, 8 cups water, and the mushroom soaking liquid.
• bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the potatoes, cabbage, garlic, and, if using, the beet greens.
• Dissolve the tomato paste in 1/2 cup of the liquid and stir back into soup.
• Return to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the reconstituted mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
• Remove from the heat.
• Stir in the dill, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.
• Pass bowls of chopped dill and sour cream at the table and enjoy!

HEALTHY VEGETARIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• 1. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour on 1 quart boiling water. Let sit 30 minutes, then strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract any remaining flavorful liquid. Rinse the mushrooms thoroughly in several changes of water, and chop. 2. While the mushrooms are soaking, combine the beets, garlic and 5 cups of water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add a teaspoon of salt and the sugar. Reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir in the vinegar. Strain and set aside the broth. 3. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until just tender, three to five minutes. Add the turnips, carrots, cabbage, diced beets, the chopped dried mushrooms, the mushroom stock and 2 cups water. Add the bouquet garni and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes. Add the chopped beet greens, and simmer another 10 minutes. Stir in the cooking water from the beets. Stir together, add the lemon juice, taste and adjust seasonings. Remove the bouquet garni, heat the soup through, stir in the parsley and serve, garnishing each bowl with a generous spoonful of thickened yogurt. Yield: Serves six to eight Advance preparation: You can cook the beets a day or two ahead. Keep them in the refrigerator in the broth. You can make the complete soup a few days ahead; it gets better overnight. Don't add the parsley until serving.