Vegan Borscht is my plant-based version of the beloved Ukranian classic. It’s a delicious beetroot soup packed with veggies that’s tangy, hearty, savory, filling and absolutely comforting. It’s an easy to make recipe that’s also budget-friendly and very customizable.
Borscht is one of those soups that might sound a little strange at first, but once you try it, you’ll instantly fall in love with. It’s a slightly sour beetroot soup with potatoes, carrots, cabbage, dill, and lots of lemon juice. To my vegan version I also like to add some white beans for extra protein and texture, plus some dried mushrooms for extra flavor.
This soup is simply perfect for the colder months, because it uses all kind of seasonal vegetables to make a perfectly filling and very warming soup. It’s a great soup for batch cooking as well, since you can easily make a huge portion then enjoy it throughout the week. Just serve it with a dollop of vegan sour cream on top and some crusty bread for dipping. And don’t forget about some extra lemon wedges on the side.
Vegan Borscht is…
- vegan and completely plant-based
- budget-friendly
- easy to make
- full of vegetables
- tangy and savory
- hearty and filling
- rich in umami flavor
- perfect for chilly days
- great for meal prep and freezing
- easy to customize
How to make Vegan Borscht
Start by heating a little vegetable oil in a large pot. Add diced onion and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
Meanwhile, grate beetroots and carrots, mince garlic, dice potatoes, and thinly slice cabbage. Add grated beetroot, carrots, and garlic to the pot with the onions. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the vegetables soften a little.
Add potatoes, vegetable broth, ground dried mushrooms, and bay leaves. Stir everything together and bring soup to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
Add sliced cabbage and drained white beans, then simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes and cabbage are tender.
Remove bay leaves and stir in some fresh dill and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and add more lemon juice if you’d like a tangier soup.
Serve warm with a dollop of vegan sour cream, extra fresh dill, and crusty bread on the side.
How to serve Vegan Borscht
Vegan Borscht is best served warm, with a dollop of plant-based sour cream on top, plus some crusty bread on the side. It’s a lovely filling soup that can be served as a starter or as a simple weeknight dinner by itself. If you want to make it a bigger meal, serve it with a sandwich or some savory pastries on the side.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days, and you can also freeze the soup in individual portions for when you need a quick meal. The flavors actucally get even better after a day in the fridge, making this a great recipe to prepare ahead of time.
Customize it the way you like it!
- I like to grate my carrots and beetroots for this soup, but you can also simply dice them if you prefer a different texture
- Many borscht versions use extra fresh veggies like celery, bell pepper and tomatoes, so feel free to add those in here too. You can also add canned diced tomatoes, tomato or paprika paste, or a little apple sauce
- Instead of white beans, try adding some chickpeas, vegan chicken, tofu or seitan to your soup. Or omit them all together
- I like my Vegan Borscht thick, but if you prefer a thinner soup, simply add a bit more broth or water. You can also experiment with the flavors of your broth: make it slightly sweeter with a pinch of sugar, add some soy sauce for more umami, or make it even tangier with a little vinegar
More comforting soup recipes to try:
- Hungarian Savoy Cabbage Soup
- Vegan Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
- Quick Leek & Broccoli Soup
- Roasted Carrot Soup with Lentils and Coconut
- Sauerkraut Soup with Smoked Tofu
- Healing Vegetable Soup with Corn
- Green Pea Soup w/ Pinched Noodles
Vegan Borscht (Ukranian Beetroot Soup)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 medium beetroots (10 oz / 300 g)
- 2 carrots (3.5 oz / 100 g)
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 medium potatoes (7 oz / 200 g)
- 3 tbsp dried mushrooms, ground into a powder
- 6.5 cups / 1.5 liters vegetable broth
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 head of cabbage (5 oz / 150 g)
- 1 can white beans, drained
- small bunch of fresh dill
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- salt, pepper
To serve
- vegan sour cream
- fresh dill
- lemon wedges
- bread slices
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat up oil in a pot, and add diced onions. Sauté for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions turn translucent.
- Meanwhile great beetroots and carrots, mince garlic, dice potatoes, and slice cabbage thinly.
- Add grated beetroot, carrot, and minced garlic to the onions, and cook for 2 minutes, so veggies soften a little.
- Now add potatoes, vegetable broth, powdered mushrooms and bay leaves, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let soup simmer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes add cabbage and white beans, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until cabbage and potatoes are cooked.
- Discard bay leaves, and add fresh dill to the soup. Taste, season with lemon juice, salt and pepper, as needed.
- Serve soup warm with a dollop of vegan sour cream and some chopped fresh dill on top, plus some sliced bread on the side. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
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