Blender Borscht - a.k.a. Cold Beet Soup

This blender borscht recipe is my take on a classic. Borscht is a soup made with beets that can be served hot or cold. Its origin can be traced to Eastern Europe. The cold version traveled to the United States with Jewish immigrants.

Since I live in the area once referred to as the Borscht Belt, I figured it was only right to share my take on this vegetarian soup. Besides, I’m always game for eating beets. Check out my roasted beet salad recipe.

Side Story

My husband and mother-in-law are of Polish descent. Both have memories of my husband’s immigrant grandmother making borscht and neither was fond of it. Beets are among the foods my husband generally avoids. However, being the ever-supportive spouse, he is always willing to be my taste tester. He declared this recipe surprisingly good. His mother also enjoyed it.

Blender Borscht

My version of borscht is mostly raw. The beets are the only item cooked. A blender does the rest – thus the name, blender borscht. The soup is super easy to make. If you cook the beets ahead of time, it’s also super quick.

In addition to beets, this blender borscht includes:

• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Apple
• Garlic
• Onion
• Lemon

The bite of cabbage, garlic and onion complements the sweetness of beets, carrots and apple. The tang of lemon nicely rounds out the flavor.

Pleasing taste aside, the color of this velvety soup is absolutely gorgeous! A dollop of cashew sour cream finishes the dish.

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Blender Borscht

A mostly raw version of a classic, this blender borscht is just the right mix of sharp, sweet and tangy flavors.

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

Cashew Sour Cream

• ½ cup raw cashews
• ½ Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• ⅛ tsp. fine sea salt
• 2 ½ Tbsp. water

Borscht

• 6 beets - medium
• 1 ½ cups low sodium vegetable broth
• ½ cup shredded cabbage (Consider making coleslaw with the leftover cabbage!)
• ½ cup baby carrots
• ½ medium apple cored and peeled
• 1 clove garlic - small
• ¼ cup red onion chopped
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Cashew Sour Cream

• Cover cashews in boiling water and soak for 30 minutes, then drain.
• Add cashews and remaining sour cream ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth and creamy. (You may need to scrape the sides a couple of times.)
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Borscht

• Place beets on a sheet of aluminum foil and fold up the edges to create a sealed packet.
• Place the packet on a baking sheet and roast in 400-degree oven for approximately one hour. (I use my toaster oven with the convection setting turned on. If you are using a traditional oven you may need to adjust the time/temp.)
• Allow roasted beets to cool for at least one hour, then trim stem and root ends with a paring knife and use a paper towel to rub the skins off. Slice into quarters and set aside.
• Add vegetable broth, cabbage, carrots, apple, garlic, onion and lemon juice to a high-speed blender and blend on high for approximately 30 seconds.
• Add beets to blender and blend on medium until desired consistency is achieved.
• Divide borscht between 3-4 soup bowls and top each bowl with a dollop of cashew sour cream.
• Serve chilled or at room temperature.
• Refrigerate leftovers for up to two days.

Notes

This soup can be made in just minutes if beets are roasted ahead of time.

 Note: I do not include nutrition information with my recipes because I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients.