Vegetarian borscht: recipe with beans for Russian beetroot soup

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Colorful, healthy and so delicious – there’s a reason why Russian beetroot soup is so popular. Here I show you a vegan borscht recipe with beans. A combination of different vegetables and beans makes this vegetarian soup unique in taste. It’s easy to make, so you can quickly whip up a delicious hot lunch or dinner on the dining table. You can find a detailed recipe for vegetarian Russian borscht with exact quantities and step-by-step instructions below.

What is borscht?

Borscht is a popular Russian beet soup and is one of the national dishes. It is also common in other Eastern European countries, such as Poland, Romania and Ukraine. Depending on the country and region, there are many different borscht recipes. The main ingredient of the soup is beet. In addition, white cabbage and meat are usually included in the soup. Also different vegetables may not be missing in borscht. There are borscht recipes without beet and instead only with tomato juice. Borscht can also be made vegetarian. In this case, beans are added to the beetroot soup, among other ingredients, as in this recipe. The soup is never pureed. It consists of pieces of vegetables and clear broth. In terms of consistency, borscht is similar to a stew.

How does the vegetarian borscht with beans taste?

Borscht tastes sweet and sour. The somewhat sweetness comes from beet. Tomatoes add some acidity to the soup. Thanks to beans and lots of vegetables, vegetarian borscht also tastes very versatile. Because some vegetables are sautéed or steamed beforehand, they give the vegan beet soup a delicious aroma. Bay leaves, which are very common in Russian cuisine and are often added to soups and main dishes, provide it with a certain spice. A combination of so many ingredients makes vegetarian borscht simply delicious. Especially on cold days, it not only fills you up, but also warms you from the inside. By the way, the Russian beetroot soup tastes even better the next day than right after cooking.

Healthy and tasty main meal or appetizer

Vegetarian borscht with beans contains a lot of vitamins and nutrients thanks to vegetables and legumes. So it is healthy, filling, tastes incredibly delicious and looks quite colorful to boot. You can serve the vegan beet soup as a warm starter. However, you will find that if you eat a whole plate of borscht possibly with some bread, it makes you pretty full. So the soup also passes as a warm main course. Since it can be made without much effort and with common ingredients, vegetarian beetroot soup is perfect as a delicious and nutritious lunch or dinner.

How to make vegetarian borscht: the recipe

The exact quantities and step-by-step instructions, according to which you can easily make the vegan borscht yourself, can be found below in the box recipe.

For the recipe, you’ll need beet first and foremost. It must be raw, because for the soup you do not have to boil it, but steam it in a pan. You will also need a variety of vegetables. These are carrots, peppers, tomatoes, onions and definitely white cabbage. Of course, you’ll also add dried beans. I used white beans in the recipe. But you can use any beans you want. They need to be cooked beforehand according to package directions. Do not drain the water after cooking. The borscht is prepared in it. Alternatively, you can use pickled beans. In this case, rinse them beforehand and put them in the pot with water without boiling them. For flavor, add bay leaves and of course salt and pepper to the soup.

How to make vegan borscht: this is how it works

1. Boil beans in water and set aside.
2. Chop onions and sauté in vegetable oil until translucent.
3. Add grated carrots and fry briefly.
4. Add bell bell pepper cut into strips, sauté again briefly and set aside.
5. Cut beet into cubes and fry briefly.
6. Add lemon juice and chopped tomatoes to beet and sauté over low heat until beet is cooked.
7. Cut white cabbage into strips, add to cooked beans in water in the saucepan and cook briefly.
8. Add the sautéed onions, carrots and peppers and continue to cook briefly.
9. Add the steamed beet and bay leaves, season the soup with salt and pepper, cook very briefly again and let it rest for about 20 minutes. Finished!

This vegetarian borscht with beans

• is vegan,
• is healthy,
• contains a lot of vegetables,
• contains legumes,
• is incredibly tasty,
• tastes versatile,
• fills you up,
• looks colorful,
• is low in fat,
• is meat-free,
• is easy and quick to make from common ingredients,
• is perfect as an appetizer or for lunch or dinner,
• tastes even better the next day and can be made in advance,
• warms from the inside on cold days,
• can be kept in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

Vegetarian Russian beet soup: so delicious and easy to make

A combination of many different ingredients, deliciously prepared beforehand and then mixed in the soup, makes the vegetarian borscht so delicious. These are mainly aromatic sautéed vegetables, refreshing white cabbage, soft beans and, of course, tender steamed beet, which are perfectly matched in taste and at the same time give a versatile flavor to the beetroot soup. As you’ve seen, the borscht recipe is pretty easy, so you can make the vegan soup yourself without much effort.

How to serve the Russian beetroot soup?

Serve the Russian borscht with beans warm with some sour cream or vegan natural yogurt and fresh herbs, for example dill or parsley. You can still serve bread with the soup. Especially with homemade bread it tastes best. Vegetarian borscht with beans is filling and suitable as a main dish. You can serve it for lunch or dinner.

How to make vegetarian borscht perfect: tips and tricks

• You can also add other vegetables to the soup or leave some out. However, white cabbage and tomatoes should be included in the soup.
• Use any beans according to your taste.
• Add spices according to your taste, but don’t overdo it, as the beetroot soup tastes versatile as it is.
• The next day, the vegan borscht with beans will taste even better.
• Store the vegetarian borscht in a closed pot in the refrigerator. It can be kept there for about 1 week. Do not heat the whole soup in the pot before serving, but only the portion that will be eaten immediately afterwards. If you heat the whole cooking pot with the soup several times, it will spoil quickly.
• Serve the vegan beet soup warm with vegan sour cream, fresh herbs and possibly bread.

Have you made the vegetarian borscht using this recipe? I look forward to your star rating and comment on the recipe below about how you liked the Russian beetroot soup.

Not enough of delicious Russian soups? Then try also:

• Shchi – vegan recipe for popular Russian cabbage soup
• Borscht without beets – vegan recipe with tomatoes
• Okroshka – vegetarian recipe for popular Russian cold soup
• Sorrel soup Russian – vegetarian green borscht recipe
• Holodnik / svekolnik: recipe for popular Slavic cold beet soup