{"id":"recipe_2fc55d4412","slug":"authentic-ukrainian-borscht","title":"Authentic Ukrainian Borscht","description":"A vibrant, hearty, and deeply comforting Ukrainian national dish. This ruby-red beet soup is packed with tender beef, crisp vegetables, and finished with fresh herbs and a dollop of sour cream.","serves":6,"time":{"prepMinutes":20,"cookMinutes":70,"totalMinutes":90,"activeMinutes":40},"ingredients":[{"id":"ingredient-1","original":"500g beef shank or brisket","name":"Beef Shank","quantity":500,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1.1,"usUnit":"lb","form":"shank or brisket","notes":"bone-in preferred for better broth","group":"Broth","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-2","original":"3 medium beets, grated","name":"Beet","quantity":3,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":3,"usUnit":"piece","form":"grated","notes":"medium sized","group":"Vegetables","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-3","original":"300g cabbage, shredded","name":"Cabbage","quantity":300,"unit":"g","usQuantity":0.66,"usUnit":"lb","form":"shredded","notes":"white cabbage","group":"Vegetables","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-4","original":"3 medium potatoes, cubed","name":"Potatoes","quantity":3,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":3,"usUnit":"piece","form":"cubed","notes":"yellow or red potatoes","group":"Vegetables","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-5","original":"1 large carrot, grated","name":"Carrot","quantity":1,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"piece","form":"grated","notes":"large","group":"Vegetables","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-6","original":"1 medium onion, finely diced","name":"Onion","quantity":1,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"piece","form":"finely diced","notes":"yellow onion","group":"Vegetables","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-7","original":"2 tbsp tomato paste","name":"Tomato Paste","quantity":30,"unit":"g","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"paste","notes":"","group":"Sauté","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-8","original":"3 garlic cloves, minced","name":"Garlic","quantity":3,"unit":"clove","usQuantity":3,"usUnit":"clove","form":"minced","notes":"","group":"Seasoning","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-9","original":"1 tbsp apple cider vinegar","name":"Apple Cider Vinegar","quantity":15,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"liquid","notes":"to preserve color","group":"Sauté","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-10","original":"2 tbsp sunflower oil","name":"Sunflower Oil","quantity":30,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"liquid","notes":"","group":"Sauté","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-11","original":"2.5 liters water","name":"Water","quantity":2.5,"unit":"l","usQuantity":10.5,"usUnit":"cup","form":"liquid","notes":"","group":"Broth","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-12","original":"2 bay leaves","name":"Bay Leaves","quantity":2,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"piece","form":"dried","notes":"","group":"Broth","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-13","original":"Fresh dill, chopped","name":"Dill","quantity":15,"unit":"g","usQuantity":0.5,"usUnit":"oz","form":"chopped","notes":"for garnish","group":"Garnish","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-14","original":"Sour cream for serving","name":"Sour Cream","quantity":120,"unit":"g","usQuantity":0.5,"usUnit":"cup","form":"cream","notes":"to serve","group":"Garnish","optional":false}],"instructions":[{"id":"instruction-1","text":"Place the beef and bay leaves in a large pot with 2.5 l (10.5 cups) of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 45-60 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.","group":"Broth","title":"Place the beef and bay leaves","timerMinutes":60,"sourceTitle":"Broth"},{"id":"instruction-2","text":"While the broth is simmering, heat sunflower oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions and carrots until softened (about 5-7 minutes).","group":"Sauté","title":"Heat sunflower oil","timerMinutes":7,"sourceTitle":"Sauté"},{"id":"instruction-3","text":"Add the grated beets, tomato paste, and vinegar to the skillet. Stir well and cook for another 10 minutes. The vinegar helps the beets maintain their ruby color.","group":"Sauté","title":"Add the grated beets, tomato paste, and vinegar","timerMinutes":10,"sourceTitle":"Sauté"},{"id":"instruction-4","text":"Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot, dice it into bite-sized pieces, and return it to the broth. Add the cubed potatoes and shredded cabbage to the pot. Cook for 15 minutes.","group":"Assembly","title":"Remove it from the pot, dice it","timerMinutes":15,"sourceTitle":"Assembly"},{"id":"instruction-5","text":"Add the sautéed beet and carrot mixture into the main pot. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes.","group":"Assembly","title":"Add the sautéed beet and carrot mixture","timerMinutes":10,"sourceTitle":"Assembly"},{"id":"instruction-6","text":"Stir in the minced garlic and half of the dill. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.","group":"Finishing","title":"Stir in the minced garlic and half of the dill","timerMinutes":15,"sourceTitle":"Finishing"},{"id":"instruction-7","text":"Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and the remaining fresh dill on top.","group":"Serving","title":"Ladle the hot soup","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Serving"}],"notes":"The secret to a perfect borscht is sautéing the beets separately with an acid (like vinegar) to preserve their deep red color. It tastes even better the next day!","cuisine":{"group":"Eastern European","specific":["Ukrainian"]},"course":["soup"],"cookingMethod":["boil","simmer","saute"],"equipment":["large pot","skillet","box grater","knife"],"diet":["high_protein","gluten_free"],"allergens":["milk"],"difficulty":"medium","yield":{"amount":2.5,"unit":"l","note":"Makes a large pot of soup"},"makeAhead":{"instructions":"Borscht is famously better the next day as flavors meld."},"storage":{"food":{"instructions":"Store in an airtight container once cooled.","reheatingNotes":"Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat. Do not let it boil vigorously to keep the color bright."}},"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_2fc55d4412%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=5d813228-0e9d-4062-b687-2552b83c53fa","imageAlt":"Authentic Ukrainian Borscht — recipe cover","aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","sourceUrl":"","tags":["healthy","beetroot","soup","traditional","comfort food","vibrant"],"schemaVersion":1,"sourceTitle":"Authentic Ukrainian Borscht","sourcePublishedAt":"2026-02-04T05:54:07.787Z","sourceUpdatedAt":"2026-02-04T05:54:07.787Z","related":[{"id":"cesnecka_3c0664ee63","slug":"cesnecka-czech-garlic-soup","title":"Česnečka (Czech Garlic Soup)","description":"A restorative and punchy Czech garlic soup, traditionally served with crispy croutons and melted cheese. Known for its healing properties, it's a comforting staple of Eastern European cuisine.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":10,"cookMinutes":20,"totalMinutes":30,"activeMinutes":15},"cuisine":{"group":"Eastern European","specific":["Czech"]},"course":["soup"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["high_protein","mediterranean"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fcesnecka_3c0664ee63%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=f94edd5a-d39d-486a-aee1-63c98bcf6625","imageAlt":"Česnečka (Czech Garlic Soup) — recipe cover","tags":["garlic","soup","czech","comfort food","healthy"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":10,"stepCount":6},{"id":"ciorba_de_burta_62fdf7bcb5","slug":"ciorba-de-burta","title":"Ciorbă de burtă","description":"A velvety, rich, and tangy Romanian tripe soup, celebrated for its creamy texture, intense garlic aroma, and distinctive yellow hue.","serves":6,"time":{"prepMinutes":30,"cookMinutes":120,"totalMinutes":150,"activeMinutes":45},"cuisine":{"group":"Eastern European","specific":["Romanian"]},"course":["soup"],"difficulty":"medium","diet":["high_protein","low_carb"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fciorba_de_burta_62fdf7bcb5%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=288d19f6-197f-4d2a-8ae0-1ee3ee338371","imageAlt":"Ciorbă de burtă — recipe cover","tags":["tripe","creamy","sour soup","traditional","romanian","garlic"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":11,"stepCount":5},{"id":"ciorba_de_perisoare_c9d922f43d","slug":"ciorba-de-perisoare","title":"Ciorbă de perișoare","description":"A classic, tangy Eastern European soup featuring tender meatballs seasoned with rice and herbs, simmered with root vegetables in a flavorful broth, and soured with lemon or borș.","serves":6,"time":{"prepMinutes":20,"cookMinutes":40,"totalMinutes":60,"activeMinutes":30},"cuisine":{"group":"Eastern European","specific":["Romanian"]},"course":["soup"],"difficulty":"medium","diet":["high_protein","dairy_free"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fciorba_de_perisoare_c9d922f43d%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=f080c382-8549-4c6f-88d3-766c86f83ed9","imageAlt":"Ciorbă de perișoare — recipe cover","tags":["meatballs","sour soup","traditional","healthy","high protein"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":10,"stepCount":6}]}