Ukrainian borsht, like “vyshyvanka” (embroidered shirt), is part of Ukrainian culture and identity. This incredible sour soup, made with red beetroots, was added to UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage and is known in all world countries.
Borscht is an iconic Ukrainian dish that is perfect for any occasion. Typically it is made with simple and locally grown ingredients, such as beets, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and onion.
The tradition of making borscht dates back centuries and is passed on from generation to generation. In Ukraine, borscht is a symbol of a strong family and is prepared for Christmas dinners, weddings, holidays, and family celebrations, and without any special occasions. This delicious beet soup doesn’t only nourish our bodies but also our souls by uniting us and making us proud of our beautiful traditions. There is even an unofficial holiday in Ukraine, “Borsht Day,” – a tribute to this fantastic Ukrainian national dish.
The word “borscht” comes from the name of the ancient “Borscht” market, situated on the outskirts of Kyiv. People were coming to this market to buy fresh produce for borscht from local farmers – beets, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onion, tomatoes, and meat. These products remain the main ingredients of borsht as we know it nowadays. The sour taste of this red soup comes from the addition of sour cream. However, in ancient times, the sour taste was more attributed to adding some fruit or beet kvas (fermented beet beverage). Learn more about the sour taste of borscht in the section “Where the sour taste of borscht comes from.” In one of the Ukrainian cookbooks, we found an old recipe for borscht that includes only the beet kvas and “halushky” (small perogies). Most likely, this recipe originated in Western Ukraine. We describe the history of borscht more in the section “The Origins of Borscht.”
In our family, we cook borscht quite often and know several recipes – with meat and without it. Sometimes, we use the beet kvas too. Traditionally, Ukrainians add either beef or pork to borscht. Other ingredients and methods of cooking vary depending on the region of Ukraine. The vegetarian version of borscht has evolved into a delicious and healthy beet soup, which we like very much. When we make vegetarian borscht, we substitute meat with mushrooms or beans. Also, we like adding dried dill, fried onion, and fried pieces of lard (salo) to borscht. The sour taste can be achieved by adding sour cream to borscht when you serve it. Yet, the good borscht should be slightly sour even without it. We make our borscht sour-sweet by adding tomatoes or tomato paste at the end of cooking. There is another little secret that all Ukrainians know – borscht tastes better the next day and tastes the best the day after. It is because borscht needs some time to mature and to bring all the aromas into interplay. We describe in detail how to prepare a Traditional Ukrainian Borscht With Beef, including step-by-step instructions and tips, so come check it out and discover easy it actually can be to make this classic Ukrainian dish at home.
The origins of borscht
Borscht is a Ukrainian gastronomic tradition that dates back to the 14th century. It was mentioned in 1584 by the trader from Germany, Martin Grueneveg, who was traveling from Lviv (Western Ukraine) to Kyiv. With other traders, he stayed in a village by the river Borschivka on the outskirts of Kyiv, the capital of the old Kyivan Rus. The name of this river came from the “Borscht” market, where people could buy produce for borscht from nearby villagers. The trader didn’t describe the recipe; however, he mentioned that locals ate borscht almost daily, which was their most popular food. Another reference to Ukrainian borscht occurred in the 17th century as it was mentioned as part of the usual dinner. That dinner menu included hand pies and borscht.
The origin of the word “borscht” derives from the combination of two words, “bor” (that in old times meant “red”) and “sch” (the first sound in the word “Schie,” the cabbage soup). This composite name indicates the presence of two main ingredients in borscht – red beetroots and cabbage. Over time, the recipe evolved into several dozens of recipes that include carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, meat, red peppers, beans, and mushrooms. Yet, the name of this dish tells us that the main ingredient has always been the beetroot.
Variations of borscht
Although the traditional recipe for borscht has survived centuries and remained unchanged, many variations of this flavourful beet soup have developed over time. Some recipes call for adding pork or chicken instead of beef; others include beans, mushrooms, and red pepper. We have encountered recipes with ingredients uncommon to Ukrainian cuisine, such as Savoy cabbage or marjoram. Like any national dish, borscht requires good knowledge of the ingredients and the original “know-how.”
Apart from these “non-authentic” recipes, the recipes from Ukraine describe the cooking process and ingredients that originated in the motherland of borscht. One of the most exciting and expensive red borscht recipes is “Kyiv Borscht.” The broth requires three types of meat: beef, pork, and mutton. Also, you will have to add the bread kvas to create an acidic taste. In the Poltava region of Ukraine, they make broth from chicken and add “halushky” (small dumplings) to borscht. In the Chernihiv region, another version of borscht, “Pereyaslivsky,” is cooked with mushroom dumplings.
There are other variations of borscht with fresh or dried mushrooms and even dried fruit. In some areas of Western Ukraine, they cook borscht without cabbage. The recipe for “Lviv borscht” involves only beetroots and potatoes. The recipe for Bukovynsky borscht (named after the Bukovyna region in Western Ukraine) includes fermented beets, smoked pork ribs, beans, and other common ingredients. Instead of leaving some components out, in this recipe, more different tastes and flavors unite to make the taste of borsch a richer experience.
The vegetarian borscht recipe is popular among those who try to balance keeping the original taste and eliminating meat at the same time. Mushrooms, for example, are an excellent meat substitute, which also adds the earthy flavor of fresh or dried mushrooms to the broth. Borscht with beans has a slightly different flavor and is for those who appreciate the health benefits of beans. Borscht with Lentils and Mushrooms is another flavorful variation of the traditional borscht in which lentils successfully substitute beans. Borscht made with sauercraut can be too sour if you don’t keep the right combination of sweet and sour tastes. We prefer to use fresh cabbage to avoid the invasive “Schie” (cabbage soup) dominance in the beet soup. The cold borscht requires a different preparation method and is more prevalent during summer times. The green borscht is an entirely different soup and, as such, is not part of the traditional Ukrainian red borscht made with beets.
Where the sour taste of borscht comes from
The sour taste of borscht comes from adding fermented beverages, sour fruit, vegetables, or tomatoes. The good borscht should be sour-sweet before it is served with sour cream. In ancient recipes for borscht, there is a reference to beet kvas (fermented beet beverage), a healthy fermented drink by itself. The Bukovynsky borscht (named after Bukovyna, the region in Western Ukraine) involves fermented beets instead of fresh beets.
In old times they used whey, sour milk, sauerkraut, unripe apples, or berries to make borscht more acidic. However, as mentioned earlier, there is a silver lining to adding sauerkraut – the beet soup can turn too sour and resemble “schie” (the cabbage soup) instead of borscht. In Halychyna (Western Ukraine), they use cherry or apple juice. You can add apple cider vinegar or lemon juice if you like this kind of acidity in borscht. We prefer to add tomatoes or tomato paste, a relatively more modern method, as tomatoes became popular in Ukraine only at the beginning of the last century.
What is Borscht Day
Borscht Day is an unofficial Ukrainian holiday dedicated to the beloved Ukrainian national dish, borscht. The tradition of cooking borscht goes back to the 14th century. However, the idea of celebrating this fantastic dish came only recently. This unique holiday is observed on the second Sunday of September and occurs in many regions of Ukraine. On this day, Ukrainians get together to honor the beautiful ancient tradition of making borsht, taste the borscht prepared by skillful cooks, and show solidarity about Ukrainian traditions. On Borsht Day, Ukrainians feel proud of this famous dish, which has become a staple in Ukrainian cuisine.
Some families and friends gather to cook borscht together – they share their recipes and good memories about borscht. Some communities organize borscht contests to see who can make the most delicious borscht. These competitions are taken very seriously – all the visitors can taste borschts prepared by contesters, and only the best borscht will make it to the finals. There are many variations of Ukrainian borscht, yet the best recipe is the old one – simple and delicious, made from locally grown vegetables and herbs.
On this day, some communities arrange festivals to feature Ukrainian music and dance and showcase unique Ukrainian souvenirs – embroidered towels, table clothes, and pottery. Visitors can get total exposure to Ukrainian traditions but, most of all, enjoy a bowl or two of this delicious and hearty beet soup!
Ukrainian borscht in Ukrainian restaurants and cafes
Ukrainian cafes and restaurants always have borscht on the menu. They offer a variety of borschts to suit different dietary needs – meat-based as well as vegetarian variations. On Borscht Day, they make it “the soup of the day” and try to impress their customers with the delicious taste of this national dish. Restaurants serve borscht with garlic buns (“pompushka”) and sour cream. Several years ago, we were on a plane from Kyiv to Toronto. In the chair next to ours was a woman from the United States, a frequent traveler to Europe, who shared with us her experience of eating in Ukrainian restaurants in Kyiv. In addition to the words of high praise about borscht, holubtsi (Ukrainian cabbage rolls), and perogy (“varenyky”), she showed us small containers with samples of these meals that she managed to take with her on the plane. She couldn’t stop eating and enjoying these dishes!
Ukrainian borscht: Conclusion
Thank you for visiting our site and article on borscht – the Ukrainian national dish! We hope you found this information interesting and would like to learn how to cook this fantastic Ukrainian beet soup. Please share your thoughts with other readers and us; we are always happy to read your comments! Pray for Ukraine and peace!
