Lenten borscht
12 servings
45 minutes
Lenten borscht is a hearty and aromatic dish of Russian cuisine, distinguished by its rich flavor and appetizing color. Its history dates back to times when Lenten dishes were an important part of the diet, especially during religious restrictions. The main ingredients—beetroot, cabbage, beans, and potatoes—create a harmony of sweetness, acidity, and tender texture. Lemon juice enhances the flavor of beetroot while allspice and bay leaves add refined spiciness. This dish wonderfully satisfies hunger, warms you up, and fills you with energy, especially on cold days. The longer the borscht infuses, the richer its taste becomes. It is served hot with fresh herbs and garlic to enhance the aroma—a great choice for those seeking a nutritious and healthy meatless dish.
1
Prepare all the ingredients.
2
Peel the beetroot and grate it on a coarse grater.
- Beetroot: 3 pieces
3
Place the beetroot in a small saucepan, add a liter of cold water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until soft.
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
4
Add canned beans with liquid to 3 liters of cold water. Bring to a boil.
- Canned red kidney beans: 400 g
5
Slice the onion into thin half-rings; if the onion is large, it's better to cut it into quarter rings.
- Onion: 1 head
6
Grate the carrot on a fine grater.
- Carrot: 1 piece
7
Cut the sweet pepper into short strips (you can take half of peppers of different colors or a whole yellow or red pepper).
- Bell pepper: 1 piece
8
Pour vegetable oil into the pan, add chopped vegetables, place on heat and sauté over medium heat until soft.
- Vegetable oil: 50 ml
9
Cut the cabbage into short thin strips.
- White cabbage: 300 g
10
Send the cabbage to the pot with beans and bring to a boil again.
- White cabbage: 300 g
11
Cut the potatoes into sticks and add them to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are almost done.
- Potato: 2 pieces
12
Cut the tomato into small cubes, chop the garlic, and chop the herbs without stems.
- Tomatoes: 1 piece
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Dill: 2 sprigs
- Parsley: 2 sprigs
13
Add sautéed vegetables to the pot, turn off the heat, and add the stewed beetroot.
- Beetroot: 3 pieces
- Vegetable oil: 50 ml
14
Bring the borscht to the desired taste by adding prepared tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. Add bay leaf, allspice, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
- Bay leaf: 3 pieces
- Allspice berries (whole): 12 pieces
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Salt: to taste
- Sugar: to taste
15
You can serve it right away, but it will taste even better after a day.
