The flavor of this classic Borscht recipe is bright and complex, beautifully sweet and sour. The natural sweetness from beets and carrots balance a splash of red wine vinegar added at the end. Beef makes it hearty and filling, and potato and hint of tomato paste add depth and thicken the broth slightly.
Heat the oil in a 5-quart pot over medium-high heat; once hot, add the meat in a single layer and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes, flipping once. (You might need to do this in 2 batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.)
Add the bay leaf and 4 cups (.95 L) beef broth, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, turn heat down to simmer, and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
While the beef cooks, chop all the vegetables. For the beets, shred ⅓ of the beets and finely chop the remaining ⅔. Add the finely chopped beet to the pot; bring back up to a boil, then cover the pot and cook 10 minutes.
Add the shredded beet, carrot, celery, onion, potato, cabbage, garlic, salt, black pepper, allspice, tomato paste, and remaining 4 cups beef broth. (The vegetables should be just covered with liquid; you can add water if you need more liquid to cover them.) Cover the pot and bring it back up to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Add the vinegar, then turn off the heat and stir in the dill. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls; top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh dill.
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Notes
The Vegetables: For the vegetables for this recipe, I use organic beets, carrots, and potato, and give them a good scrub before using. I don’t peel them because the skin holds a lot of nutrition. (Beets Tip: Look for smaller beets since their skin is more tender.) The potato sort-of melts right into the soup so you will be left with little bits of potato skin, which I didn’t mind at all; however, if you prefer, you can peel the potato.
Paleo Version: Omit the sour cream when serving. Some people consider potato paleo, and some don't; do what's best for you.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutritional Information: The nutrition information for this recipe was calculated without the optional sour cream garnish.