Hej everyone!

I made vegan borscht, which is the national dish of Ukraine. The dish has a long history and is a staple of Eastern European cuisines. Different nationalities and ethnic groups each have their very own way of preparing the soup. I always thought that it fits well to our Nordic climate, winters and local vegetables.

Recipe

For the soup:

400 g potatoes

1 small carrot (about 70 g)

1 beetroot (about 200 g)

150 g white cabbage or pointed cabbage

2 medium sized onions

2 garlic cloves

1 chili pepper

1.5 L vegetable broth

2 bay leaves

3 tbsp. sunflower or rapeseed oil

50 g tomato paste

2 tbsp. sugar

A pinch of salt and pepper

For serving:

Vegan smetana (thick sour cream) or creme fraiche (I used an organic, soy-based version)

Dill

A splash of vinegar

Bread

Step 1

Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Peel the beets and cut them into sticks about 3 cm long. Cut the white cabbage or pointed cabbage into very thin strips. Finely grate the carrot. Finely chop the chili, onions, and garlic cloves.

**Step 2 **

Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a pot. Fry the potato cubes and cabbage strips for about 2 minutes. Then pour in the broth, add the bay leaves, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

**Step 3 **

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. oil in a frying pan and fry the beet sticks over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the grated carrots, finely chopped onions, and garlic, and fry everything for another 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sugar, and fry everything vigorously for another 3 minutes. Finally, fry the finely chopped chili pepper in the pan.

Step 4

Add the fried vegetables from the pan to the soup, and let everything simmer for 20–30 minutes over low heat. Season the soup with a little salt and pepper to taste. Garnish the finished borscht with a bit of vegan sour cream or creme fraiche and sprinkle dill sprigs over the soup. Serve with a few slices of bread.

Слава Україні! 🇩🇰❤️🇺🇦