I'm not good at describing flavor notes, but you've received some good feedback here.

I just wanted to share my favorite recipe. It is devine!

https://www.feastingathome.com/borscht/

P.s. in summer we do also “green borsch” with sorrel. It’s really good. Here is a recipe, mine is denser:
https://natashaskitchen.com/shchavel-borscht-sorrel-soup/

Can be eaten with a hard boiled egg to the plate and sour cream.

We always had the cold beet borscht with sour cream growing up. It was my grandmothers specialty. I always assumed it was a Jewish food, but sounds like it isn't.

If you’re asking about the Ukrainian Borsch - there is no “t” at the end. The taste varies with the cook, and I had good borsch and not so great. It depends on the stock, we mostly do it with chicken or pork stock (never did it with beef stock), or vegetarian - usually eaten during lent, but also in summer cause it can be eaten cold and we add white beans to it.

The taste of beets is not overpowering in it and is not dominant, for example, I would use may be 1/2 beet for 4 quarts of borsch that would also include 1-2 carrots, potatoes, onions, leek, cabbage (depending on size 3/4), tomatoes, etc... ds likes the “beety” color, so I sometimes add 2 quarters at the end for the color.

Anyway, I do a really good borsch, so find someone Ukrainian and ask them to invite you over for borsch.

Anonymous wrote:I really hate the cold kind they serve in NY delis. I love the hot kind they serve in Russia. I've made it with beef and without -- I just use broth (the veggie better than bullion stock is a good base) if I don't want meat in it. The sour cream finish is key. It has a sweet, sour, rich umami taste that is really good. Even better if you can get a good pumpernickel or Russian dark rye to go with it!

Shti is cabbage soup -- I'm unclear what the difference between shti and "white borscht" is. Living in Russia, I ate many different kinds of borscht and shti, but I don't think anyone ever fed me anything called white borscht.

I posted about white borscht. I’d never heard of beef in borscht until this thread. (Beet borscht we make,of course, but I’m not a fan.)

Here is a recipe for white borscht (bialy barszcz) from a quick Google search — maybe it’s more of a Polish thing?


https://www.internationalcuisine.com/polish-white-borscht/

Delicious is what it tastes like!

My mom always made it with beets and beef and cabbage.

Anonymous wrote:Dirt. It tastes like dirt.

You're supposed to wash the beets first Julia.

Oh, borscht! Just had some for lunch - hot, hearty, cooked on homemade beef stock, served with sour cream, scallion for garnish and freshly baked rye bread. Heaven on Earth.

I really hate the cold kind they serve in NY delis. I love the hot kind they serve in Russia. I've made it with beef and without -- I just use broth (the veggie better than bullion stock is a good base) if I don't want meat in it. The sour cream finish is key. It has a sweet, sour, rich umami taste that is really good. Even better if you can get a good pumpernickel or Russian dark rye to go with it!

Shti is cabbage soup -- I'm unclear what the difference between shti and "white borscht" is. Living in Russia, I ate many different kinds of borscht and shti, but I don't think anyone ever fed me anything called white borscht.

This thread inspired me to make the non beef kind. It is super delicious! I bet with beef it’s even better.

Anonymous wrote:I like it with grated beets, tomato puree, onions, cabbage, and beef. It is SO good. You can taste the sweetness and earthiness of the beets, which meld with the tomato and the beef.

+1. This is what my Ukrainian mama makes and it's so good.

My grandmother used to make a Polish version of borscht. Her Polish mother-in-law who was from Poland taught her how to make it. It was made with beets and beef. The sour cream was mixed in with the broth while cooking. It was so good. I have had a meatless version of it that tasted just as good, but you could tell there was no beef in it. There is a subtle sweetness to it. As a kid I hated beets but loved borscht.

My Russian MIL makes a special vegetarian version for me, with homemade stock made from dried wild mushrooms she gathers herself. It tastes divine and is the only time I eat beets. She serves it with sour cream and rye bread.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On it’s delicious. I love it so much. With some sour cream...omg the best. I do prefer it without beef.

A PP said it tastes like dirt and it’s true. It tastes like dirt but in a good way.

Without beets it's called stchi

PP. I know a lot of Russians ans Ukrainians and they call it both that and “borscht without beef.”

Regional specifics. Some Ukrainian and Russians from southern regions do cook borscht without beets, with a

I like it with grated beets, tomato puree, onions, cabbage, and beef. It is SO good. You can taste the sweetness and earthiness of the beets, which meld with the tomato and the beef.