Borscht: Eastern Europe's Sour Soup

Borscht is a sour soup famous for its deep red color.

Borscht is common in Eastern Europe, Central Europe and Northern Asia.

Borscht began as soup from pickled common hogweed stems and leaves.

Typical borscht combines meat or bone stock with sautéed vegetables.

Meat stock usually cooks about two hours for full flavor.

Bone stock simmers four to six hours for richer depth.

Beet sour is fermented beet juice adding sweet and sour flavor.

Vegetables are cooked separately then combined with stock for balance.

Borscht may include meat, fish, or be fully vegetarian.

Sour cream, hard-boiled eggs, or potatoes commonly garnish borscht.

Ukrainian borscht recipes vary widely by region and season.

Polish clear red borscht is served hot or as a beverage.

Jewish borscht adapts recipes for kosher meat and dairy rules.

Cold borscht blends beet juice with sour dairy and fresh vegetables.

Borscht is a symbol of hospitality and tradition across cultures.