Chilled Summer Borsht

Borsht is a tangy soup that is popular in Eastern European countries like Russia, Poland, and the Ukraine. It is usually made with beetroot as the base, but every region of Europe has its own variation of vegetables and ingredients that go into this rich looking "good for you" soup.

I make it in my Instant Pot and here is how

Winter Borsht;Summer Borsht 

My grandmother brought two borsht recipes with her from Russia. One was her winter recipe which included meat and was consumed hot, and the other was her summer recipe which had no meat and was always enjoyed chilled and blended with sour cream which yielded a pretty bright pink soup. 

My Parents Ate Borsht 

 I grew up watching both my parents devour this chilled beet root soup when summer temperatures and humidity where high and window air conditioners were few. I'm not sure if they ever convinced me to taste it until I was well into my upper teens, and then it wasn't a favorite. It is definitely an acquired taste.

Heat Wave 

We've been having a heat wave, and I just haven't felt like eating anything heavy. My grandmother's summer borsht idea popped into my head. I decided that since I do enjoy beets now, I might be able to appreciate a chilled glass of borsht. 

I was right; It was perfect in this hot weather and I actually enjoyed it. Not to mention that beets are really good for you: boasting lots of vitamins, minerals, valuable phytonutrients like carotenoids and healthy fiber.

If you are up for something different and refreshing in this hot weather, why not try a delicious bowl of borsht. I used my Instant Pot (pressure cooker) to cook the beets which does not give off heat. Then I blended, chilled, and enjoyed. It was simple. Of course everything in the borsht is gluten free|nut free|dairy free| (unless you add yogurt-you can sub vegan sour cream) which makes it a good allergy friendly soup!

Don't Worry About Peeling The Beets
Notes: 
* I buy organic red beets, so I soak and scrub them well but I don't bother to peel. It makes it easier. Since this soup is blended, the peels just disintegrates into the soup.
* My grandmother used "sour salt" in her borsht  which is citric acid- I substituted lemon juice and rice vinegar.


Ingredients: 
1/2 medium head of cabbage, quartered
1 large beet, washed, scrubbed and quartered
2 cups water
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup of rice vinegar
Cracked sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
1/4 chopped dill for the garnish
1/4 cup per bowl of Greek yogurt or vegan sour cream

Directions:
Place cabbage, beet, garlic, and water in the Instant Pot. Secure lid, close steam valve and set to cook for 16 minutes. When done cooking, allow to sit for 5 minutes and then carefully release steam according to the manufacturers instructions. Add lemon juice, rice vinegar, salt and pepper.  Allow to sit until vegetables cool off. I placed half of the mixture into my Nutribullet and whizzed until smooth. Top with Greek yogurt or vegan sour cream. Repeat for second half of batch.

Fresh Dill 

Shared on Beth Fish Reads where anyone can share a food related post.

Shared on Souper Sunday where anyone can share a soup, sammie, or salad.