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Polish red borscht with mushroom dumplings in a white bowl garnished with some fresh green parsley on top.

Polish Red Borscht (Barszcz Czerwony)

Nataliia
Polish red borscht (Barszcz Czerwony) is a clear red soup made with beets, wild mushrooms, and root vegetables. For this recipe, instead of hard-to-find fermented beets and kvas, you will need both raw and cooked beets and the right amount of lemon juice and sugar to recreate the authentic taste.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Holiday dish, Main Course
Cuisine Eastern European, Polish
Servings 8
Calories 47 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large pot
  • 1 medium pot, for boiling beets
  • 1 medium bowl
  • 1 Box grater

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium beets you will need both raw and boiled beets
  • ½ cup dried mushrooms like porcini or mix
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1 small parsnip
  • ½ large yellow onion, peeled
  • 1 small apple Gala or granny smith
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 10 cups water
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoons salt, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 5 whole peppercorns

Instructions
 

  • In a medium pot, place 2 beets and fill the pot with water, ensuring the beets are fully submerged. Set the stove to high heat and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the beets simmer for 30-40 minutes or until tender. Peel and grate the cooked beets. Discard the water.
  • In a medium bowl, add dried mushrooms and hot water. Allow them to soak and hydrate for at least 10-15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, peel carrots, the remaining 2 raw beets and parsnip, roughly chop them into large pieces. Peel, core and cube the apple. Peel the garlic and onion. Cut the onion in half. If it is small, you can use the whole one.
  • Heat the large pot over medium heat. Place the onion facing the cut side down onto the hot surface of the pot. Let it brown for a few minutes to release the flavors.
  • Add carrots, raw beets, parsnip, apple, garlic cloves, 2-3, 10 cups water, 1 teaspoon marjoram,¼ teaspoon allspice, 3 bay leaves, 5 whole peppercorns, and salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat to low and let the borscht simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.
  • Now, add the grated cooked beets, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons sugar to the pot. Stir it and simmer for 5 more minutes over the low heat. Taste borscht and add more salt if needed. Strain it if desired, and serve in a bowl by itself or with polish dumplings.

Notes

Beets: combination of raw and cooked grated beets , lemon and sugar creates the best flavor without fermented beets and kvas.
Mushrooms: if you do not have wild dried mushrooms, use a store-bough mushroom broth.
Serving: the traditional way to serve clear polish red borscht is with dumplings called "Uszka". You can also enjoy the soup with bread, potatoes, crackers and more.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 47kcalCarbohydrates: 13.8gProtein: 1.6gFat: 0.6gSodium: 359mgFiber: 2.1gSugar: 6.1g
Keyword Barszcz Czerwony, polish red borscht
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