Easy Recipe for Borscht with Meat (Yummy Russian Beet Soup)

Borscht is a traditional soup made with beets that is popular in Russia and Eastern Europe. This Russian Borscht recipe has beef in it to make it extra hearty – perfect for a cold day. Come learn how to make this delicious beet soup with beef, how to adapt it for slow cooker or Instant Pot, and how to freeze it.

This Russian Borscht Recipe was originally published October 22, 2009. It’s been updated with new photos and additional information for clarity.

What is Borscht?

Borscht is a traditional soup hailing from Russia and Eastern Europe, and its vibrant colors comes from beets, giving it a distinct red color.

It’s a versatile dish, with variations that can include meat, fish, or keep things purely vegetarian.

Depending on your preference, borscht can be served hot or cold, ranging from a hearty meal to a lighter broth or drink, and is commonly served topped with smetana or sour cream.

Its popularity has crossed borders, making its way to North America, where it’s often associated with Jewish and Mennonite communities.

Various ethnic groups claim borscht as their own, incorporating it into ritual meals within different religious traditions.

Making this Tasty Beet Soup with Beef

One of my kids’ dad’s favorite soups to eat when we were married was this recipe for Beefy Borscht. He lived in Russia for 2 years before we met and enjoyed many bowls of Beet Borscht – a Russian cuisine staple.

Knowing that Borscht became his favorite recipe to eat while he lived in Russia, his mom found him this recipe so he could make it at home. He said in his experience that this was an authentic Russian Borscht recipe.

He first introduced me to this recipe when we were in college. I’ll admit that I was skeptical of the beets. At this point in my life, I think I had only had beets on one other occasion and I don’t recall liking them.

I distinctly remember the first time we made this Beef Borscht Recipe together. We were in his apartment kitchen. He was working on the beets, because they’re so messy, while I was doing most everything else.

I tasted the soup before we added the beets and thought it was a great recipe as is. I even said: “This is tastes great without the beets. Do we really need to add them?”

What an insult to borscht! I obviously didn’t know anything back then!

Anyway…we shared this first pot of soup with a few of our roommates for dinner after preparing it and everyone agreed it was a hit.

Ingredients for Beef Borscht

Beets are traditionally considered to be one of the main ingredients in this iconic beet soup. Plus they’re what’s responsible for the gorgeous dark reddish-purple color of the soup.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this borscht soup recipe:

• Olive Oil
• Stew Meat
• Yellow Onion
• Garlic Cloves
• Carrots
• Green Bell Pepper
• Cold Water
• Red Beets
• Potatoes
• Beef Broth
• Diced Tomatoes
• Tomato Paste
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Brown Sugar
• Dried Thyme
• Caraway Seed
• Salt
• Black Pepper

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this borscht soup with fresh beets, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Borscht with Beef

Preparing this Beef Borscht is pretty similar to preparing most wintery hearty soup recipes. Here’s a quick overview of the instructions:

1. First you will heat the oil in a large, heavy stock pot. I like to use my Le Creuset. You can use any large skillet or dutch oven to saute the vegetables.
2. Then, brown the beef on all sides and season with salt and pepper.
3. Next you will saute onion, carrots, celery, and garlic over medium heat for a few minutes until they start to soften.
4. After cooking all the veggies, you will add water, beets, potatoes, beef, beef broth, tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, and caraway seeds to a large soup pot.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
6. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, about 6-7 hours.

The above is simply a quick summary of this Russian recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Tips for Preparing Russian Borscht

Here are a few of my favorite tips for preparing this Borscht recipe so you get the best results:

Russian Borscht FAQs

Got questions about how to make this Russian borscht recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can I Make this Borscht Recipe in a Slow Cooker

Yes! You can definitely prepare this recipe in your slow cooker as long as it is large enough to accomodate all of the ingredients without overflowing.

Follow the recipe as instructed, but transfer all of the ingredients to a slow cooker. Place the lid on and cook over high heat for 1 hour. Then, switch to low heat for 6-7 hours, or until the meat is tender.

Can You Make Borscht with Beef in the Instant Pot?

Yes! For a quicker version, you can also prepare this beet soup recipe in an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker, which is great for busy days!

You’ll need to use a size with a large pot so you can accomodate all of the ingredients up to the max fill line. If your instant pot isn’t large enough, then I recommend making a half sized recipe.

You can use the sauté function on the instant pot to brown the beef and sauté all of the vegetables before you add the remaining ingredients to the pot. After sautéing the vegetables, press cancel.

Then, stir everything to combine it well, then place the lid on the instant pot and cook it over high pressure for 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. After 15 minutes, quick release the remaining pressure. Then, serve.

Precautions: Do not touch the steam escaping because it is very hot and can burn. Do not remove the lid until all of the pressure has released.

Can I make this with less beets?

If like college age me, you aren’t a fan of beets, you can certainly use less beets or even eliminate them completely from this recipe. However, it won’t taste like the original recipe.

Note: if you leave the beets out, your soup wont have the beautiful ruby-red color that you see in these photos.

If you want your beets to be smaller and less noticeable, some people like to grate beets using the large grater holes rather than chop them. You could try that instead.

Another alternative is to look for a green borscht recipe – it doesn’t contain beets. That was the second borscht recipe I tried, but I didn’t find it as flavorful.

Can I make this Russian borscht recipe vegetarian?

Yes, you can prepare this beet soup recipe without meat if you are vegetarian, vegan, or simply don’t consume beef.

Here’s how to adapt this borscht recipe:

• Omit the stew beef and use vegetable broth in place of beef stock.
• You will want to increase the vegetables to compensate for the loss of the beef.
• I recommend adding an extra 4 ounces each of carrot, celery, beet, and potatoes to equal the 1 pound of beef that was eliminated.

Serve garnished with plant based sour cream if you are dairy-free or vegan.

How should I store leftover Russian Borscht?

Transfer any leftover borscht beet soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days.

Can you freeze this beet soup recipe?

When our kids were little and wouldn’t eat this beet soup, I found that this recipe made so much that I often grew tired of its distinctive taste before we’ve finished the pot.

It really is best to freeze some of the extras in single serve portions to keep on hand for quick meals or lunches unless you like eating leftovers or you have a big family.

You can also make a double batch if you’d like to plan ahead for future meals by keeping soup in the freezer. Check out my post about How to Freeze Soup for all my best tips!

What to Serve with Beef Borscht

We always serve our Borscht garnished with a dollop of sour cream and fresh parsley or fresh dill for garnish.

I would definitely also recommend serving this beet soup recipe with a thick slice of crusty bread. You might like one of these bread recipes to dip in this delicious soup:

• Rustic Rosemary Garlic Bread
• Light Whole Wheat Baguette
• Whole Grain Bread
• Rustic White Bread

Russian Borscht Side Dishes

Along with the bread, we typically serve something simple like a basic green salad on the side. Because this soup is so hearty, I’ve found that it doesn’t need much to round out the meal.

What People are Saying About Russian Borsht

Try this Russian Borscht!

Next time you’re looking for a recipe for borscht with beef, give this Beefy Borscht a try!

Did you love how hearty this Russian soup is? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me @goodlifeeats #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of classic beet soup!

More Beet Recipes

Looking for more recipes with beets to try? Here are a couple other beet recipes that I love:

This recipe for Fall Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin with Honey Balsamic Roasted Vegetables makes dinner super quick. This easy fall sheet pan meal features roasted pork, carrots, golden beets, red onion, Brussels Sprouts, and parsnips.

Fuel up and support heart health with this Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Walnut Sherry Molasses Vinaigrette. This recipe features lots of delicious produce, hearty quinoa, protein rich chicken, salty goat cheese, and nutty heart-healthy walnuts for a filling, satisfying meal. 

Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.

Get More Recipes via Email

Did you love this recipe for Russian Borscht? Sign up to receive Good Life Eats Email Updates and never miss another recipe!

Have you ever made red borscht?

Photography: photos taken in this post are by Rachael from Set the Table.