In the kitchen with Elisa
Russian Borsch (Borscht) Soup with Chicken
Easy to make traditional Russian Soup
When I think about Russian soups, this soup must be my all time favorite. It is so different from any other soup with the sweet beetroot flavor balance with the creamy creme fraiche that it is served with. It is traditionally made with beef, but I wanted to make a recipe that suits as many eaters as possible and so my recipe uses chicken.
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I don´t remember my mom making this soup that often when I was a kid and to be honest I don´t make it that often myself either. It is not that I don´t love it, because I do! But it does require quite some time as there are many steps to it and that is why I rarely get the time to make it. I know this is not a marketing speach that you would excpect to hear, but I want to be honest with you and so I want you to know this recipe does require some time. But all that time is worth spending when at the end you get a delicious and hearty soup for days or for a big family.
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Take a big bowl of hot soup, add a dollop of creme fraiche (this really is essential) and enjoy!
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Stay warm Lovelies!​
Step by Step Video
RECIPE
Russian Borsch (Borscht) with Chicken
Easy to make traditional Russian Soup
​INGREDIENTS
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3L water
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3 medium white onions
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2 garlic cloves
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10 black peppercorns
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5 allspice peppercorns
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5 laurel leaves
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2 tsp salt
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2 chicken thighs (with or without drumsticks)
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6 medium potatoes
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1/4 of white cabbage
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2 beetroots pre-boiled and peeled
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250g cherry tomatoes
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some olive oil
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extra salt as needed
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ground black pepper
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creme fraiche for serving
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some fresh dill or parsley for serving
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DIRECTIONS
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Take a medium pot and add 3 liters of water to it.
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Then peel the onions and the garlic and add to the pot along with the black peppercorns, allspice peppercorns, laurel leaves, salt and the chicken. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for one hour.
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Remove the chicken from the soup, remove the skin if you don´t like it in your soup and slice the chicken into bite size pieces. Leave aside.
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Peel the potatoes, cube them into bite size pieces and add to the soup.
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Slice the cabbage into very thin stripes and also add to the soup. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.
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Add the chicken back to the soup. Cube the beetroots and add them also to the soup. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
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Heat a medium pan over medium heat. Once warm drizzle with olive oil, add the tomatoes and season with some salt and black pepper. Cook the tomatoes over medium heat for 10-25 minutes, then mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and add them to the soup.
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Mix the soup well and taste if it has enough salt. Add some more salt if needed.
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Turn the heat off and allow the soup to stand covered for an hour before serving.
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Serve warm with crème fraiche and some fresh dill or parsley.
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