This easy and elegant beet soup recipe will be on regular rotation all year.
Vibrantly colored beets are cooked with cabbage and carrots in a savory seasoned broth and served with a dollop of sour cream.
You Will Love this Beet Soup Because…
- Beet soup (AKA borscht) has an earthy, sweet flavor simmered into a jewel-toned soup that works as a first course or hearty main dish.
- Nutrient-packed beet soup can be served hot or chilled so it’s a perfect year-round recipe for low-carb lovers.
- Make a double batch because beet soup freezes beautifully and is always a welcome addition to any table, especially around the holidays.
- Keep beet soup as a vegetarian option or add beef, pork, or bacon bits to make it a cozy main dish soup.
Ingredients
Beets: Available year-round, fresh beets are easy to find, economical, and don’t need to be peeled. Scrub off any dirt and cut into uniform pieces so they cook evenly. Save beet stems and leaves to add to a salad or smoothie if you have them.
Cabbage: Red cabbage will deepen the color of beet soup, but any cabbage works. If time is short, toss in a bag of coleslaw mix, which usually includes shredded carrots.
Vegetables: Onions and carrots add sweet and savory flavor to beet soup. For even fewer carbs with the same level of sweetness, omit the carrots and use finely diced red bell peppers instead.
Broth: Use any lower-sodium beef, chicken, turkey, or vegetable broth.
Variations
- That dollop of sour cream is important to counter the acidic flavor of the beets, but you can also use a scoop of plain Greek yogurt for extra protein.
- Thicken the soup by adding a little heavy cream or small cubes of softened cream cheese in Step 4.
- For a thicker, bisque-style soup, blend the finished soup with an immersion blender or a regular blender and garnish. Be sure to remove the bay leaf before blending.
How to Make Beet Soup
- Prep beets (recipe below).
- Cook onion and garlic. Add broth, beets, cabbage, carrots, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer (recipe below).
- Remove bay leaf and stir in fresh dill, lemon juice, and salt and pepper before serving.
- Top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill, if desired.
Beet Soup Tips
Wear kitchen gloves to avoid staining your hands with beet juice while chopping them. They will also stain your cutting board, so be prepared to soak your cutting board in hot water with lemon juice or bleach if you want to remove the stain.
Leftover Solutions
Keep leftover beet soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or up to 4 months in the freezer in zippered bags. Thaw overnight in the microwave, or on low heat on the stovetop, adding some extra beef broth to loosen the soup if desired.
Low Carb Soup Recipes
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Beet Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 ½ lbs beets peeled and chopped
- 4 cups cabbage chopped ¾-inch
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
- sour cream optional, for serving
Instructions
- While wearing gloves, peel the beets and cut into ¾-inch pieces.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add the broth, beets, cabbage, carrots, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the beets and carrots are tender.
- Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh dill and lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream and additional fresh dill.
Notes
- It is a good idea to wear gloves when handling beets to avoid staining your hands.
- For a thicker soup, remove a cup of soup and blend using an immersion, or regular blender, then return to the pot.
- Recipe makes about 8 cups of soup.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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Lightly adapted from Spend with Pennies Borscht
