Lesya Ukrainian borscht with lentils is a delicious vegetarian take on the classic borscht, just as flavorful and nutritious as the original. In addition to lentils, you’ll need red beets, carrots, cabbage, tomato paste, potatoes, mushrooms, and onions and a few simple greens and spices. This hearty soup is perfect for any occasion and is especially comforting during the colder months of autumn and winter.
The key to the delicious flavor of this vegetarian borscht is the combination of earthy lentils and meaty mushrooms, which provide extra protein and a satisfying texture. The beets give this homemade red soup a vibrant color and a slightly sweet taste – characteristic of any traditional Ukrainian borscht. To balance the natural sweetness of the beets, add tomato paste. It will bring a subtle tang and enhance the soup’s depth of flavor. Our video provides a step-by-step instruction on how to make this vegetarian borscht with lentils, please check it out!
How to make Ukrainian Borscht with lentils
To make Ukrainian borscht with lentils, start by boiling lentils. They don’t need to be soaked or pre-cooked. Then, in a skillet, sauté chopped fresh red beets and carrots for about 5 minutes, then add tomato paste and simmer under cover. Then, add roasted vegetables and cubed potatoes to the lentil broth and continue to simmer. Closer to the end, add fried chopped mushrooms, onion, and garlic, and sliced cabbage. To finish, add chopped green onion, parsley, and dill for a burst of fresh flavor.
Cover the pot and let it rest for about 30 minutes after cooking. This will allow the flavors to meld together and deepen, resulting in a more flavourful soup. Once the borscht has rested, you can serve it immediately. Keep the leftovers in the refrigerator and warm them up when needed. You can make this vegetarian borscht with lentils on the stovetop or in a slow cooker.
Give our Ukrainian Borscht with Lentils recipe a try and discover the deliciousness of lentils in this classic beet soup!
Ukrainian Borscht with Lentils
Equipment
- 1 Pot 4 quart
- 1 Skillet
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 cups Red beets chopped
- 1 cup Carrots chopped
- 1 cup White cabbage finely sliced
- 1 cup Potatoes chopped
- 1 cup Lentils
- 3 Mushrooms any brown mushrooms
- 1/2 Large onion chopped
- 5 tbsp Tomato paste
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Dried dill
- Fresh dill to taste
- Fresh parsley to taste
- Spring onion to taste
- 3 Bay leaves
- 1 tsp Paprika
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 3 quarts Cold water
Instructions
- In a large pot, add cold water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and add lentils to the pot. Don't cover the pot with a lid. Allow the lentils to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a skimmer to clear any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
- While the lentils are boiling, prepare the vegetables. Wash and peel the beets, carrots, mushrooms, and onion. Chop them into small pieces. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.
- Preheat the skillet, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, and reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped beets and carrots, and simmer them for 5 minutes, stirring well.
- Add tomato paste to the sautéed vegetables on the skillet. Mix well. Then, add paprika and dried dill to the mixture and stir until combined. Cover the skillet with a lid and continue to sauté the vegetables over low heat for an additional 10 minutes.
- Once the beets and carrots are roasted, transfer them to the pot with boiling lentils. Reduce the heat to medium and add bay leaves to the broth. You may want to cool the skillet and rinse it or use another frying pan to fry onions and mushrooms over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, and mushrooms to the skillet and sauté them until golden. Then, transfer them to the pot with lentils, beets, and carrots.
- While the borscht is boiling at a low temperature, wash, peel, and chop potatoes. Then add them to the pot too, and stir the soup well. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
- Wash the cabbage and remove the tough outer leaves. Then, cut the cabbage in half and slice one half into thin strips using a sharp knife. Now, you can add the sliced cabbage to the soup too. Stir the borscht well again, and continue to simmer over low heat for 5 more minutes.
- Add chopped spring onions, chopped fresh dill, and parsley at the end.
- Salt and add black pepper to taste.
- Turn off the heat and let the borscht sit on the stove for about half and hour. You may want to cover the pot with a towel to keep the warmth.
- When serving the borscht, top it with a dollop of sour cream, fresh dill, or parsley. Accompany it with white or dark rye bread, and you can season the bread in Ukrainian style with garlic. Enjoy!
Are lentils a good substitute for beans in this recipe?
Lentils are a good substitute for beans in the recipe for vegetarian borscht. Unlike beans, which often require soaking overnight, lentils can be cooked in as little as 20 minutes. They also provide more consistent results, making them a convenient option for busy weeknights when you want to whip up a comforting meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Also, lentils offer a slightly different texture and flavor than beans, and this works pretty well in this recipe. Lentils add some nuttiness and creaminess to the soup that complements the other ingredients beautifully.
Are lentils a good source of protein?
Yes, lentils are a good source of protein and even tend to have slightly more protein content than beans. For example, one cup of cooked lentils contains around 18 grams of protein, while one cup of cooked black beans contains around 15 grams of protein. It is a relatively small difference, and both are excellent sources of plant-based protein that is important for overall health and well-being.
If you are a fan of beans and are searching for more comforting winter dinner ideas, please check out our recipe for Soup with Beans and Mushrooms. This hearty soup is packed with nutritious ingredients that will warm you up from the inside out during the colder months.
Can you make this recipe vegan and substitute sour cream with a plant-based alternative?
You can make this Ukrainian borscht with lentils recipe vegan by substituting the sour cream with a plant-based alternative. There are some options available on the market, such as vegan sour cream made from cashews or tofu. If you have time, you can probably make your own plant-based sour cream by blending cashews or tofu with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. This mixture won’t have the same taste as the traditional sour cream, however, it will have a similar texture and a tangy flavor. Simply add a dollop of the plant-based alternative to your bowl of red soup and enjoy this delicious and healthy dish!
What are some other variations of the traditional Ukrainian borscht?
There are many variations of the traditional Ukrainian borscht, which are popular in different regions of Ukraine. They can vary slightly in ingredients and preparation methods. The Traditional Ukrainian Borscht with Beef is considered one of the most popular and well-known beet soups. Our recipe for this incredible comforting dish includes step-by-step instructions and useful tips too. Instead of beef, you can use pork or chicken. Some recipes for the Ukrainian borscht with meat include several types of meat. Christmas borscht, another variation of this traditional dish, is made with red beets, mushrooms, and fruit and is served with varenyky (perogy). The mushroom borscht is made with dried or fresh mushrooms and served with sour cream. There are also other types of borscht, such as Cold Borscht, White Borscht, and Green Borscht. The Green borscht is a completely different recipe and doesn’t include beets. Instead, the Green Borscht requires sorrel leaves, hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, onion, and carrots. It is served with sour cream too.
How to store and reheat leftovers of the Ukrainian Borscht with Lentils?
Here are some tips for storing and reheating leftovers of the Ukrainian Vegetarian Borscht with Lentils:
- First of all, to store leftovers, let the soup cool to room temperature. Then put the pot with the soup in the refrigerator. You can even transfer the borscht to an airtight container and then refrigerate it for up to 4 days. If you want to store the borscht for later use, put the container in the freezer. In the freezer, the borscht can be stored for two or three months.
- To reheat the borscht, do it over low heat to prevent the soups from boiling over. You don’t need to bring it to the boiling temperature. You can warm up your borscht in a pot on the stove or in a microwave-safe bowl or container in the microwave. We prefer to reheat our borscht in a pot on the stove to better control the temperature that we want to achieve.
- The frozen borscht will have a slightly different texture, be sure to give it some time to melt naturally before reheating it.
- Don’t forget to add fresh herbs, such as spring onion, dill, or parsley to the reheated dish to brighten up and refresh the flavors!
- The borsht will continue to mature at a cold temperature in the refrigerator. However, don’t let it sit at room temperature for more than two hours to prevent the growth of bacteria. Discard the leftovers that were kept at room temperature for more than two hours. You can bring the borscht to a boil again, however, the nutritional value of the reboiled soup will be lost.
If you like red beet soups, please check out our recipe for Ukrainian Borscht with Chicken – it is very delicious and it has a video too!
Ukrainian Vegetarian Borscht with Lentils: Conclusion
In conclusion, the Ukrainian Borscht with Lentils is a hearty dish that offers rich flavors and an amazing taste! Don’t forget to top it off with sour cream and serve with bread seasoned with fresh garlic for an authentic Ukrainian experience. Give it a try and share your ideas with other readers and us! If you are looking for more Ukrainian recipes, be sure to check out our other recipes. Thank you for choosing our recipe and happy cooking! Pray for the brave people in Ukraine.
