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| Meta Title | Borscht (Barszcz Czerwony) ā Authentic Polish Recipe - Eating European |
| Meta Description | Borscht - an authentic Polish soup, is also known as Barszcz Czerwony. It's a classic dish that is traditionally served on Christmas Eve. It's made from beets, and it has a clean, almost see-through consistency; it can be served in mugs to drink or in bowls with Polish mushroom "uszka" pierogi, or Sauerkraut and Mushroom |
| Meta Canonical | null |
| Boilerpipe Text | Borscht ā an authentic Polish soup,Ā is also known as Barszcz Czerwony. Itās a classic dish that is traditionally served on Christmas Eve. Itās made from beets, and it has a clean, almost see-through consistency; it can be served in mugs to drink or in bowls with Polish
mushroom āuszkaā pierogi,
or
Sauerkraut and Mushroom Pierogi.Ā
Borscht ā Traditional Polish Soup Served on Christmas Eve
Clean red borscht
(Barszcz czysty czerwony) is served in most Polish homes for Christmas Eve. Some families have a different tradition of serving mushroom soup, but in my house, this borscht was always served on Christmas Eve. I brought this tradition with me to America. I make it once a year for Christmas Eve, and itās become something my family and I look forward to during the holidays.
If youāre a bit curious about some of theĀ Polish Christmas Eve culinary traditions, I wrote more about it in this post for
Polish Pierogi with Potato and Cheese
and how much my American side of the family loves all these dishes.
I also get a lot of requests from readers to make
more Polish dishes
, as many of them are looking for recipes that their grandmas used to make. So hereās traditional Polish borscht that is made with simple ingredients that can be found in any American grocery store. But, as always, Iāll show you a few other options, too.
What are the IngredientsĀ in Polish Red Borscht
The ingredients needed for the borscht are super simple and
can be found in any grocery store
. Hereās your shopping list:
Beets
Apple
Carrots
Celery Root
Parsnip
Leeks
Dry Porcini Mushrooms
Garlic
Parsley
What Spices to Use In Polish Borscht
There are a few
critical spices
to use in borscht, as well as a couple of pantryĀ staple condiments to make it super flavorful and delicious. Hereās your list:
Bay leaves
Whole allspice
Dry Marjoram (not a marjoram powder)
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Lemon Juice
White Vinegar
How Do You Make Authentic Beetroot Borscht
The process of making
authentic Polish borscht
is two-fold. First, youāll need to make a broth:
Step 1:
Place dry mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot boiling water. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
Step 2:
Peel, wash and cut into chunks your vegetables (carrots, parsnip, celery root, leeks, and parsley);
Step 3:
Place your vegetables and your soaked mushrooms in the large pot, cover with water, add a tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, and allspice, and boil for about 30 minutes, uncovered; (
tip: mushrooms can be sandy, so donāt stir the water when picking them up; you can use a strainer to add some of the mushroom water into your pot).
Step 4:
Prepare beets ā peel them and slice in 1/2 inch slices; peel your garlic and slice the apple;
Step 5:
Add beets, garlic, apple, and spices (salt, sugar, and marjoram) to the vegetable broth. At this time, add one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of lemon to preserve the beautiful color of the beets. Cook it for another half hour uncovered;
Step 6:
Add the remaining vinegar, and adjust seasoning with vinegar, salt & pepper, as needed.
Ā Ā Ā Ā
Step 7:
Discard the vegetables and pour your borscht through the strainer into mugs for drinking or bowls to serve with mushroom pierogi.
Other Methods to Make Polish Red Borscht
The method I presented above uses ingredients easily found in any grocery store. However, if you live close to any Polish specialty grocery store, you can get something
called Beet Concentrate.
Borscht with Beet Concentrate
Basically, this is a very concentrated borscht. It is very flavorful, and I typically like to add it to my borscht. But, if you use it then your method of cooking needs to be a little bit different.
When you cook your vegetable broth, use very little salt as the beet concentrate is pretty salty, so it will be better to adjust the seasoning at the end.
Once you have your vegetable broth cooked, add beets, garlic, apple, and half the bottle of the beet concentrate (do not add sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, or other spices). Let cook for a half-hour and then taste.
At this point, you can add a bit more of the concentrate, a little at a time, until the right amount of acidity and sweetness suits you, and if needed, add salt & pepper.
Borscht using Beet Kvass
In a lot of Polish houses, instead of using vinegar or beet concentrate, the cooks would make
beet kvass
to use for the borscht. I love beet kvass, and we drink it in my home all the time.
If you want to use this method, make
beet kvass from my recipe (that can be found here)
5 days prior to making your borscht. You should use this instead of vinegar and lemon juice. Also, be mindful that beet kvass is salty, so be sparing with your salt until the end of the process.
To make borscht using beet kvass
, you will start the same way with vegetable broth. Then when you add beets, apples, and garlic, you would add 1 cup of beet kvass and let it all cook for half an hour. Then add more kvass and seasoning as needed.
Here is why I donāt use this method. Beet kvass is a wonderful source of good bacteria and nutrients. Therefore we love to drink it alone. The cooking process will kill the beneficial bacteria, so in my opinion, it is better to use vinegar and lemon juice for the borscht and drink beet kvassā¦.but thatās a personal preference.
Anyhow, you have options here. Use whichever works best for you!
Other Polish Recipes often served on Christmas Eve
Sauerkratut and Mushroom Pierogi
Pierogi with Potato and Cheese
Bigos ā Polish Hunter Stew
Kapusta ā Sauerkrout and Mushrooms
Russian Salad (Olivier Salad or Salatka Jarzynowa)
And Here are Amazig Chrismas Cookies
Linzer Cookies (Traditional Czech Recipe)
5 Ingredients Butter Vanilla Cookies
20 European Christmas Cookies Recipes
What is your traditional recipe that is served on Christmas Eve? Let me know, Iām curious.
Hereās Your Printable Recipe for Borscht
4
Carrots
medium size
1
Parsnip
medium size
1/2
Celery root
If it's big then 1/4 will be enough
1
Leek
4
sprig
Parsley
1
cup
Dried Porcini Mushrooms
2
Bay leaves
4
whole
Allspice
6
Beets
medium size
1
Apple
any kind, sliced with the skin
3
cloves
Garlic
peeled
2
tbsp
White Vinegar
+ more if needed
1
tbsp
Lemon Juice
freshly squeezed
2
teaspoon
Sugar
+ more if needed
2
tbsp
Salt
+ more if needed
1/4
teaspoon
Marjoram
dry
Freshly ground pepper
to taste
Place dry mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot boiling water. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
Peel, wash, and cut into chunks your vegetables (carrots, parsnip, celery root, leeks, and parsley);
Place your vegetables and soaked mushrooms* (see notes below) in the large pot, cover with 10 cups of water, add a tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, and allspice, and boil for about 30 minutes, uncovered;
Prepare beets - peel them and slice in 1/2 inch slices; peel your garlic and slice the apple;
Add beets, garlic, apple, and spices (salt, sugar, and marjoram) to the vegetable broth. At this time, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of lemon to preserve the beautiful color of the beets. Cook it for another half hour, uncovered;
Add the remaining vinegar, and adjust the seasoning with vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper, as needed.
Discard all the vegetables and use a strainer to pour your borscht either into mugs to drink or to bowls to be served with mushroom pierogi.
*Be mindful that some dry mushrooms can be sandy, so allow the sand to fall onto the bottom of the pot or bowl in which they were soaking. You can use some of this water for the broth, but use a strainer, and don't stir the water so the sand stays at the bottom.
Calories:
107
kcal
|
Carbohydrates:
25
g
|
Protein:
2
g
|
Sodium:
1859
mg
|
Potassium:
599
mg
|
Fiber:
5
g
|
Sugar:
11
g
|
Vitamin A:
5355
IU
|
Vitamin C:
15.8
mg
|
Calcium:
58
mg
|
Iron:
1.4
mg
Read about
the author Edyta here
or follow Eating European on social media:
Facebook
, Instagram,
Pinterest
, and
Twitter.
Get new posts direct to your inbox...
Edyta
Recipe developer, photographer and the writer behind the Eating European food blog of European and Mediterranean healthy and delicious recipes |
| Markdown | [Skip to content](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#main)
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[Home](https://eatingeuropean.com/) / [Ethnic Recipes](https://eatingeuropean.com/category/ethnic-recipes/) / [European Recipes](https://eatingeuropean.com/category/ethnic-recipes/european/) / Borscht (Barszcz Czerwony) ā Authentic Polish Recipe
# Borscht (Barszcz Czerwony) ā Authentic Polish Recipe
By[Edyta](https://eatingeuropean.com/)
December 12, 2023
December 19, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links which wonāt change your price but will share some commission.
[Jump to Recipe](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#recipe)
[Print Recipe](https://eatingeuropean.com/wprm_print/borscht-authentic-polish-recipe)
Borscht ā an authentic Polish soup, is also known as Barszcz Czerwony. Itās a classic dish that is traditionally served on Christmas Eve. Itās made from beets, and it has a clean, almost see-through consistency; it can be served in mugs to drink or in bowls with Polish [mushroom āuszkaā pierogi,](https://eatingeuropean.com/mushroom-pierogi-uszka-for-borscht/) or [Sauerkraut and Mushroom Pierogi.](https://eatingeuropean.com/sauerkraut-and-mushrooms-pierogi-from-scratch/)
Borscht ā Traditional Polish Soup Served on Christmas Eve
**Clean red borscht** (Barszcz czysty czerwony) is served in most Polish homes for Christmas Eve. Some families have a different tradition of serving mushroom soup, but in my house, this borscht was always served on Christmas Eve. I brought this tradition with me to America. I make it once a year for Christmas Eve, and itās become something my family and I look forward to during the holidays.
If youāre a bit curious about some of the Polish Christmas Eve culinary traditions, I wrote more about it in this post for [Polish Pierogi with Potato and Cheese](https://eatingeuropean.com/authentic-polish-pierogi-potatoes-cheese/) and how much my American side of the family loves all these dishes.
I also get a lot of requests from readers to make **more Polish dishes**, as many of them are looking for recipes that their grandmas used to make. So hereās traditional Polish borscht that is made with simple ingredients that can be found in any American grocery store. But, as always, Iāll show you a few other options, too.
### What are the Ingredients in Polish Red Borscht
The ingredients needed for the borscht are super simple and **can be found in any grocery store**. Hereās your shopping list:
- Beets
- Apple
- Carrots
- Celery Root
- Parsnip
- Leeks
- Dry Porcini Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Parsley
### What Spices to Use In Polish Borscht
There are a few **critical spices** to use in borscht, as well as a couple of pantry staple condiments to make it super flavorful and delicious. Hereās your list:
- Bay leaves
- Whole allspice
- Dry Marjoram (not a marjoram powder)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sugar
- Lemon Juice
- White Vinegar
### How Do You Make Authentic Beetroot Borscht
The process of making **authentic Polish borscht** is two-fold. First, youāll need to make a broth:
**Step 1:** Place dry mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot boiling water. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
**Step 2:** Peel, wash and cut into chunks your vegetables (carrots, parsnip, celery root, leeks, and parsley);
**Step 3:** Place your vegetables and your soaked mushrooms in the large pot, cover with water, add a tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, and allspice, and boil for about 30 minutes, uncovered; (*tip: mushrooms can be sandy, so donāt stir the water when picking them up; you can use a strainer to add some of the mushroom water into your pot).*
**Step 4:** Prepare beets ā peel them and slice in 1/2 inch slices; peel your garlic and slice the apple;
**Step 5:** Add beets, garlic, apple, and spices (salt, sugar, and marjoram) to the vegetable broth. At this time, add one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of lemon to preserve the beautiful color of the beets. Cook it for another half hour uncovered;
**Step 6:** Add the remaining vinegar, and adjust seasoning with vinegar, salt & pepper, as needed.
**Step 7:** Discard the vegetables and pour your borscht through the strainer into mugs for drinking or bowls to serve with mushroom pierogi.
### Other Methods to Make Polish Red Borscht
The method I presented above uses ingredients easily found in any grocery store. However, if you live close to any Polish specialty grocery store, you can get something **called Beet Concentrate.**
#### Borscht with Beet Concentrate
Basically, this is a very concentrated borscht. It is very flavorful, and I typically like to add it to my borscht. But, if you use it then your method of cooking needs to be a little bit different.
When you cook your vegetable broth, use very little salt as the beet concentrate is pretty salty, so it will be better to adjust the seasoning at the end.
Once you have your vegetable broth cooked, add beets, garlic, apple, and half the bottle of the beet concentrate (do not add sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, or other spices). Let cook for a half-hour and then taste.
At this point, you can add a bit more of the concentrate, a little at a time, until the right amount of acidity and sweetness suits you, and if needed, add salt & pepper.
#### Borscht using Beet Kvass
In a lot of Polish houses, instead of using vinegar or beet concentrate, the cooks would make **beet kvass** to use for the borscht. I love beet kvass, and we drink it in my home all the time.
If you want to use this method, make [beet kvass from my recipe (that can be found here)](https://eatingeuropean.com/how-to-make-beet-kvass/) 5 days prior to making your borscht. You should use this instead of vinegar and lemon juice. Also, be mindful that beet kvass is salty, so be sparing with your salt until the end of the process.
**To make borscht using beet kvass**, you will start the same way with vegetable broth. Then when you add beets, apples, and garlic, you would add 1 cup of beet kvass and let it all cook for half an hour. Then add more kvass and seasoning as needed.
Here is why I donāt use this method. Beet kvass is a wonderful source of good bacteria and nutrients. Therefore we love to drink it alone. The cooking process will kill the beneficial bacteria, so in my opinion, it is better to use vinegar and lemon juice for the borscht and drink beet kvassā¦.but thatās a personal preference.
Anyhow, you have options here. Use whichever works best for you\!
### Other Polish Recipes often served on Christmas Eve
- [Sauerkratut and Mushroom Pierogi](https://eatingeuropean.com/sauerkraut-and-mushrooms-pierogi-from-scratch/)
- [Pierogi with Potato and Cheese](https://eatingeuropean.com/authentic-polish-pierogi-potatoes-cheese/)
- [Bigos ā Polish Hunter Stew](https://eatingeuropean.com/bigos-polish-hunter-stew/)
- [Kapusta ā Sauerkrout and Mushrooms](https://eatingeuropean.com/kapusta-sauerkraut-mushrooms/)
- [Russian Salad (Olivier Salad or Salatka Jarzynowa)](https://eatingeuropean.com/russian-salad-olivier-salad/)
#### And Here are Amazig Chrismas Cookies
- [Linzer Cookies (Traditional Czech Recipe)](https://eatingeuropean.com/linzer-cookies-linecke-cukrovi-traditional-czech-recipe/)
- [5 Ingredients Butter Vanilla Cookies](https://eatingeuropean.com/5-ingredient-butter-vanilla-cookies/)
- [20 European Christmas Cookies Recipes](https://eatingeuropean.com/european-christmas-cookie-recipes/)
What is your traditional recipe that is served on Christmas Eve? Let me know, Iām curious.
### Hereās Your Printable Recipe for Borscht
## Borscht (Authentic Polish Recipe)
Borscht - an authentic Polish soup, is also known as Barszcz Czerwony. It's a classic dish that is traditionally served on Christmas Eve. It's made from beets and it has a clean, almost see-through consistency; it can be served in mugs to drink, or in bowls with Polish mushroom "ear" pierogi (coming soon), or Sauerkraut and Mushroom Pierogi.
4\.87 from 22 votes
[Print](https://eatingeuropean.com/wprm_print/borscht-authentic-polish-recipe)
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[Rate](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#commentform)
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Polish
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Servings: [8](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/)
Calories: 107kcal
Author: Edyta
### Ingredients
- 4 Carrots medium size
- 1 Parsnip medium size
- 1/2 Celery root If it's big then 1/4 will be enough
- 1 Leek
- 4 sprig Parsley
- 1 cup Dried Porcini Mushrooms
- 2 Bay leaves
- 4 whole Allspice
- 6 Beets medium size
- 1 Apple any kind, sliced with the skin
- 3 cloves Garlic peeled
- 2 tbsp White Vinegar \+ more if needed
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoon Sugar \+ more if needed
- 2 tbsp Salt \+ more if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon Marjoram dry
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
### Instructions
- Place dry mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot boiling water. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
- Peel, wash, and cut into chunks your vegetables (carrots, parsnip, celery root, leeks, and parsley);
- Place your vegetables and soaked mushrooms\* (see notes below) in the large pot, cover with 10 cups of water, add a tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, and allspice, and boil for about 30 minutes, uncovered;
- Prepare beets - peel them and slice in 1/2 inch slices; peel your garlic and slice the apple;
- Add beets, garlic, apple, and spices (salt, sugar, and marjoram) to the vegetable broth. At this time, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of lemon to preserve the beautiful color of the beets. Cook it for another half hour, uncovered;
- Add the remaining vinegar, and adjust the seasoning with vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper, as needed.
- Discard all the vegetables and use a strainer to pour your borscht either into mugs to drink or to bowls to be served with mushroom pierogi.
### Notes
\*Be mindful that some dry mushrooms can be sandy, so allow the sand to fall onto the bottom of the pot or bowl in which they were soaking. You can use some of this water for the broth, but use a strainer, and don't stir the water so the sand stays at the bottom.
### Nutrition
Calories: 107kcal \| Carbohydrates: 25g \| Protein: 2g \| Sodium: 1859mg \| Potassium: 599mg \| Fiber: 5g \| Sugar: 11g \| Vitamin A: 5355IU \| Vitamin C: 15\.8mg \| Calcium: 58mg \| Iron: 1\.4mg
Tried this recipe?Show me [@eatingeuropean](https://www.instagram.com/eatingeuropean) or tag [\#eatingeuropean](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/eatingeuropean)\!
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Recipe developer, photographer and the writer behind the Eating European food blog of European and Mediterranean healthy and delicious recipes
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## 58 Comments
## Comments navigation
[Older comments](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-1/#comments)
1.  **Gary Di Franco** says:
[January 4, 2023 at 10:53 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-104861)
The first time I tried to make this it was WAY TOO SALTY. Then I tried again using a total of 2 teaspoons salt (1 tsp for the broth, 1 when I added the beets) and I thought it just right. The complex flavors of the soup are wonderful. Thanks for sharing the recipe\!
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-104861)
2.  **Meagan Kuras** says:
[January 10, 2023 at 2:10 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-104891)
So authentic and delicious! We make multiple times a year and serve with the mushroom filled noodles.
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-104891)
3.  **[Norman Johnston](http://Microsoft%20Windows)** says:
[July 6, 2023 at 2:57 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-106076)
Good day.
When I was in my twenties (a long time ago) I lived and worked on a farm in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) Owned by an old Polish gentleman named Bruno āTelatiskiā??
He was a great cook and entertainer. One thing I have always regreted was not paying enough attention to his making of Borscht.
His soup was served cold and was as clear as a good red wine. Could you give me any advice on acheiving such a good product?
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-106076)
1.  **Kathryn** says:
[December 20, 2023 at 8:56 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-111430)
Norman, email me at [kathryndaniellemcmorrow@gmail.com](mailto:kathryndaniellemcmorrow@gmail.com)
I will send you the recipe which is as clear as claret and while similar to this one, it actually contains no added salt\!
What can you lose?
Kathryn
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-111430)
4.  **Wendi Zuk** says:
[December 16, 2023 at 7:56 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-111175)
Hi! I found your recipe during / post pandemic when we were separated as families. My brother in law always hosted Wigilia (sp) so I was a little nervous to try. My husband was born in Poland and he has taken on so many amazing recipes. We lost his mom last year and his brother in law this past week and he was the ultimate host for 25+ years the Wigilia. (He was only 63 and so very rich with his heritage, faith and family ā he came to America when he was 25!! His favorite day of the year to host was Christmas Eve and and his wife surely did the most amazing job l. Your recipe is off the charts !! But last year I thought maybe 10 cups of water wasnāt enough for the people we have. So I tripled it? I donāt recall if I tripled the ingredients ? I wish I made a note. I did make
A note at first I was doing 40 cups of water and too much not
Concentrated enough. 30 worked as I wanted a good amount ? I would appreciate any advice you can give me as to the ratio of ingredients to liquid. If
It is triple ingredients to 30 cups of water I will do that (again maybe I did
That last year I just donāt recall ad I didnāt make a note lol. I so appreciate your listening all around me to my lengthy e mail and so happy to find an authentic
Recipe which I will now treasure forever. My sister in law and nieces never had mine as I said , I had to do our own due to separation šš. They will be coming to Christmas Eve and I know they will love this recipe and I so wish my brother in law could be herešš. Any response is greatly appreciated.
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-111175)
1.  **[Edyta](https://eatingeuropean.com/)** says:
[December 17, 2023 at 6:44 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-111210)
Wendi, I am very sorry for your losses.Please tripple of the ingredients if you want to make 3 times the amount of this recipe. The best idea would be to have the Beet Concentrate that I talk about in the post. If you can find a Polish store around you, it would help a lot, as you would add a little bit at the beginning and then just only as much as you need tasting as you go. Good luck and Merry Christmas\!
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-111210)
1.  **Wendi Zuk** says:
[December 20, 2023 at 9:09 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-111432)
Thank you so very much for your response, I am finally seeing it I missed it earlier. I am making the borscht tomorrow morning earlier and did not realize about the beet concentrate (we also are very lucky the city next to where we reside has ālittle polandā so we have a plethora of polish stores etc. where we often pay visits. Are you saying this would be good in addition to your recipe (the beet concentrate?). Or in place ā we did not use the concentrate last year and it worked out good still, but maybe you are saying to add some? I believe my brother-in-law always used A concentrate but I do not think he did any other ingredients like your recipe, I could be wrong ā but again your recipe is just amazing and to smell it cooking is amazing!! I appreciate all of your communication.
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-111432)
5.  **AG** says:
[June 14, 2024 at 11:45 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-118952)
Delicious\!
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-118952)
6.  **Sarah S** says:
[December 18, 2024 at 3:33 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-129270)
I am about to try this recipe for the first time! I realize the entire point of such a special recipe is to be true to the recipe and its origins, but if someone (ahem) were to try a couple of shortcuts, would it work to hydrate the creminis, then skip the step of making homemade broth and using store-bought vegetable broth? And what about using pre-cooked beets in this recipeā¦ would they still need to stew as long in the broth to release their flavors? Thank you in advance for any guidance you can give\!
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-129270)
1.  **[Edyta](https://eatingeuropean.com/)** says:
[December 22, 2024 at 4:38 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-129586)
You can use store bought broth but your borscht will not be clear and taste the same. I would definitely NOT use pre cooked beets as the color is coming from actually cooking beets
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-129586)
1.  **Sarah S.** says:
[December 23, 2024 at 4:09 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-129650)
Thank you! I followed your recipe exactly with fresh beets, and grated them to maximize the color. This turned out perfectly.
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-129650)
7.  **Christopher** says:
[January 25, 2025 at 9:20 am](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-132819)
I make this for my 103 year old friend. She loves it! She says itās like her Polish mother made and she is so excited every time I make it for her. Having never made or tasted borscht before, this recipe was a life saver. After a few times, now I tweak it here and there. But I always use this recipe.
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-132819)
8.  **Robert Orvalla** says:
[March 26, 2025 at 8:34 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-138522)
Hi Edyta..youāre lovely. My Grandmother was Julia Lukachick -Check/Yugoslavian and she made Pitahey (pit-ah-hey). They were pierogis. Some had meat/potato/egg/onion filling, some had sauerkraut, and some had jam. She would put them all in a crockpot and sprinkle bacon and onion over them and let them cook. They were so good and no one has the recipeā¦a piece of our history gone. Are you aware of anything like this? Thank You.
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-138522)
9.  **Annette** says:
[July 14, 2025 at 5:55 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-145071)
My grandmother taught my mother the borstch recipe. it always included beef, boiled cut up and the fat skimmed off and the beets cut up and put in along with whatever spices and such and blah blah blah. this was always served at Christmas, but I donāt know if it was because they were in America and now things were good but they would make mashed potatoes with onions and a little bit of bacon and put it in the middle and pour the boarstch around it. pierogies and cod were also served, but Iām thinking that maybe they save the borscht till Christmas Day. I apologize to everyone, I have a head injury from 2003 I just know this was at Christmas I think the pierogies and cod were Christmas Eve and the borstch with all the goodies was Christmas Day
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-145071)
10.  **tom** says:
[September 6, 2025 at 4:58 pm](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/comment-page-2/#comment-147463)
this is great soup.
[Reply](https://eatingeuropean.com/borscht-recipe/#comment-147463)
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| Readable Markdown | Borscht ā an authentic Polish soup, is also known as Barszcz Czerwony. Itās a classic dish that is traditionally served on Christmas Eve. Itās made from beets, and it has a clean, almost see-through consistency; it can be served in mugs to drink or in bowls with Polish [mushroom āuszkaā pierogi,](https://eatingeuropean.com/mushroom-pierogi-uszka-for-borscht/) or [Sauerkraut and Mushroom Pierogi.](https://eatingeuropean.com/sauerkraut-and-mushrooms-pierogi-from-scratch/)
Borscht ā Traditional Polish Soup Served on Christmas Eve
**Clean red borscht** (Barszcz czysty czerwony) is served in most Polish homes for Christmas Eve. Some families have a different tradition of serving mushroom soup, but in my house, this borscht was always served on Christmas Eve. I brought this tradition with me to America. I make it once a year for Christmas Eve, and itās become something my family and I look forward to during the holidays.
If youāre a bit curious about some of the Polish Christmas Eve culinary traditions, I wrote more about it in this post for [Polish Pierogi with Potato and Cheese](https://eatingeuropean.com/authentic-polish-pierogi-potatoes-cheese/) and how much my American side of the family loves all these dishes.
I also get a lot of requests from readers to make **more Polish dishes**, as many of them are looking for recipes that their grandmas used to make. So hereās traditional Polish borscht that is made with simple ingredients that can be found in any American grocery store. But, as always, Iāll show you a few other options, too.
### What are the Ingredients in Polish Red Borscht
The ingredients needed for the borscht are super simple and **can be found in any grocery store**. Hereās your shopping list:
- Beets
- Apple
- Carrots
- Celery Root
- Parsnip
- Leeks
- Dry Porcini Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Parsley
### What Spices to Use In Polish Borscht
There are a few **critical spices** to use in borscht, as well as a couple of pantry staple condiments to make it super flavorful and delicious. Hereās your list:
- Bay leaves
- Whole allspice
- Dry Marjoram (not a marjoram powder)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sugar
- Lemon Juice
- White Vinegar
### How Do You Make Authentic Beetroot Borscht
The process of making **authentic Polish borscht** is two-fold. First, youāll need to make a broth:
**Step 1:** Place dry mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot boiling water. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
**Step 2:** Peel, wash and cut into chunks your vegetables (carrots, parsnip, celery root, leeks, and parsley);
**Step 3:** Place your vegetables and your soaked mushrooms in the large pot, cover with water, add a tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, and allspice, and boil for about 30 minutes, uncovered; (*tip: mushrooms can be sandy, so donāt stir the water when picking them up; you can use a strainer to add some of the mushroom water into your pot).*
**Step 4:** Prepare beets ā peel them and slice in 1/2 inch slices; peel your garlic and slice the apple;
**Step 5:** Add beets, garlic, apple, and spices (salt, sugar, and marjoram) to the vegetable broth. At this time, add one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of lemon to preserve the beautiful color of the beets. Cook it for another half hour uncovered;
**Step 6:** Add the remaining vinegar, and adjust seasoning with vinegar, salt & pepper, as needed.
**Step 7:** Discard the vegetables and pour your borscht through the strainer into mugs for drinking or bowls to serve with mushroom pierogi.
### Other Methods to Make Polish Red Borscht
The method I presented above uses ingredients easily found in any grocery store. However, if you live close to any Polish specialty grocery store, you can get something **called Beet Concentrate.**
#### Borscht with Beet Concentrate
Basically, this is a very concentrated borscht. It is very flavorful, and I typically like to add it to my borscht. But, if you use it then your method of cooking needs to be a little bit different.
When you cook your vegetable broth, use very little salt as the beet concentrate is pretty salty, so it will be better to adjust the seasoning at the end.
Once you have your vegetable broth cooked, add beets, garlic, apple, and half the bottle of the beet concentrate (do not add sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, or other spices). Let cook for a half-hour and then taste.
At this point, you can add a bit more of the concentrate, a little at a time, until the right amount of acidity and sweetness suits you, and if needed, add salt & pepper.
#### Borscht using Beet Kvass
In a lot of Polish houses, instead of using vinegar or beet concentrate, the cooks would make **beet kvass** to use for the borscht. I love beet kvass, and we drink it in my home all the time.
If you want to use this method, make [beet kvass from my recipe (that can be found here)](https://eatingeuropean.com/how-to-make-beet-kvass/) 5 days prior to making your borscht. You should use this instead of vinegar and lemon juice. Also, be mindful that beet kvass is salty, so be sparing with your salt until the end of the process.
**To make borscht using beet kvass**, you will start the same way with vegetable broth. Then when you add beets, apples, and garlic, you would add 1 cup of beet kvass and let it all cook for half an hour. Then add more kvass and seasoning as needed.
Here is why I donāt use this method. Beet kvass is a wonderful source of good bacteria and nutrients. Therefore we love to drink it alone. The cooking process will kill the beneficial bacteria, so in my opinion, it is better to use vinegar and lemon juice for the borscht and drink beet kvassā¦.but thatās a personal preference.
Anyhow, you have options here. Use whichever works best for you\!
### Other Polish Recipes often served on Christmas Eve
- [Sauerkratut and Mushroom Pierogi](https://eatingeuropean.com/sauerkraut-and-mushrooms-pierogi-from-scratch/)
- [Pierogi with Potato and Cheese](https://eatingeuropean.com/authentic-polish-pierogi-potatoes-cheese/)
- [Bigos ā Polish Hunter Stew](https://eatingeuropean.com/bigos-polish-hunter-stew/)
- [Kapusta ā Sauerkrout and Mushrooms](https://eatingeuropean.com/kapusta-sauerkraut-mushrooms/)
- [Russian Salad (Olivier Salad or Salatka Jarzynowa)](https://eatingeuropean.com/russian-salad-olivier-salad/)
#### And Here are Amazig Chrismas Cookies
- [Linzer Cookies (Traditional Czech Recipe)](https://eatingeuropean.com/linzer-cookies-linecke-cukrovi-traditional-czech-recipe/)
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- [20 European Christmas Cookies Recipes](https://eatingeuropean.com/european-christmas-cookie-recipes/)
What is your traditional recipe that is served on Christmas Eve? Let me know, Iām curious.
### Hereās Your Printable Recipe for Borscht
- 4 Carrots medium size
- 1 Parsnip medium size
- 1/2 Celery root If it's big then 1/4 will be enough
- 1 Leek
- 4 sprig Parsley
- 1 cup Dried Porcini Mushrooms
- 2 Bay leaves
- 4 whole Allspice
- 6 Beets medium size
- 1 Apple any kind, sliced with the skin
- 3 cloves Garlic peeled
- 2 tbsp White Vinegar \+ more if needed
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoon Sugar \+ more if needed
- 2 tbsp Salt \+ more if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon Marjoram dry
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Place dry mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot boiling water. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
- Peel, wash, and cut into chunks your vegetables (carrots, parsnip, celery root, leeks, and parsley);
- Place your vegetables and soaked mushrooms\* (see notes below) in the large pot, cover with 10 cups of water, add a tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, and allspice, and boil for about 30 minutes, uncovered;
- Prepare beets - peel them and slice in 1/2 inch slices; peel your garlic and slice the apple;
- Add beets, garlic, apple, and spices (salt, sugar, and marjoram) to the vegetable broth. At this time, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of lemon to preserve the beautiful color of the beets. Cook it for another half hour, uncovered;
- Add the remaining vinegar, and adjust the seasoning with vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper, as needed.
- Discard all the vegetables and use a strainer to pour your borscht either into mugs to drink or to bowls to be served with mushroom pierogi.
\*Be mindful that some dry mushrooms can be sandy, so allow the sand to fall onto the bottom of the pot or bowl in which they were soaking. You can use some of this water for the broth, but use a strainer, and don't stir the water so the sand stays at the bottom.
Calories: 107kcal \| Carbohydrates: 25g \| Protein: 2g \| Sodium: 1859mg \| Potassium: 599mg \| Fiber: 5g \| Sugar: 11g \| Vitamin A: 5355IU \| Vitamin C: 15\.8mg \| Calcium: 58mg \| Iron: 1\.4mg
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