This is an unbelievably hearty yet bright and fresh tasting soup. It has an unforgettable umami flavour that you wouldn’t typically expect from a borsht. And that gorgeous colour!!! And not to mention those tender ribs, that make this a complete and filling meal. It also fits my two philosophies of cooking – the recipe has to either be perfect or exceptionally easy and straightforward to make.

I’m not a fan of Borscht recipes that go heave on vinegar, tomatoes or cabbage. I also don’t like dealing with hard raw beets. In this recipe, we are going to roast them whole, then chop them up once they are nice and tender. Consider wearing disposable gloves when chopping beets for an easy clean up afterwards.

The addition of sugar really helps all of the flavours come together and balances off sour notes in the soup. Sambal Oelek further differentiates this recipe from many other borscht recipes and elevates it to a whole new level. Go easy on Sambal. ½ tsp is what I’m recommending to start, but depending on your tolerance, you can absolutely increase that amount.

If you are one of those lucky people who happen to work from home, this is a perfect meal to make. Let the beets roast and ribs boil. Then throw them in the fridge until needed. Once your beets, ribs and cooking stock are ready, those can be refrigerated for hours or up to 2 days. So even if you don’t work form home, make those things at night, throw them in the fridge. The next day, when you are ready to cook – your borscht will come together in minutes.

This is one of my favourite meals, especially fall/winter meals and is frequently on the dinner rotation. But don’t be fooled – besides being a staple dinner item, it is worthy of any company and will surely impress your guests!

Yields8 Servings

3 lbs back pork ribs, sliced into individual ribs

1 whole yellow onion

2 bay leaves

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp kosher salt

4 medium beets

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 celery stalks, small dice

1 red bell pepper, small dice

¼ cup ketchup

4 yellow potatoes, cubed

2 carrots, sliced

1 ½ tsp sugar

½ tsp Sambal Oelek

1 can white or dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 garlic cloves, pressed

juice of 1/2 lemon, or more to taste

salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

sour cream for serving

Add ribs to a large pot. Add bay leaves, red pepper flakes, salt and onion. Cover with water. You will need about 8 cups. Bring to boil, reduce to maintain gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 1.5-2 hours until very tender. Once cooked, strain the liquid into a heat-safe bowl through a fine mesh sieve. This liquid will be used as a base for the soup. Reserve the ribs - we will add them to the soup shortly.

While the ribs are cooking, preheat the oven to 400F. Scrub the beets and cut off the roots off the beets. Cover each beet in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 1 - 1.5 hours until tender when tested with a butter knife (which should go all the way through the beet with little resistance.) Remove from the oven, allow to cool a bit, then peel and chop into cubes or matchsticks (with a mandoline). Set aside.

Make ahead instructions. Feel free to refrigerate ribs, reserved liquid from boiling the ribs and beets. Keep them covered and keep them in separate containers. You can refrigerate for hours or up to two days. Then you soup will come together in just about half an hour, once these items are made!!

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions, celery and red bell pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes until light golden and soft (not brown.) Add Ketchup and cook for about 30 seconds. Add reserved liquid we made in step 1. Add potatoes, carrots, sugar and Sambal Oelek. Bring to boil, reduce to maintain gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 112-5 minutes while potatoes are mostly tender.

After about 15 minutes, add reserved beets, beans and ribs. Cover the pot and allow everything to simmer for about 10 minutes (to desired tenderness and to warm through.)

Once done turn off the heat and add lemon juice, garlic and dill. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more sugar, salt, pepper, lemon juice or Sambal Oelek. Divide between bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Ingredients