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One of my favourite ways to add vegetables to our meal plans is to make vegetable soups.

This easy healthy recipe for borscht (beet soup) takes less than ten minutes of active prep time.

My exposure to soup growing up was with some decidedly non-gourmet, canned varieties. At 50 cents a can on sale, it was also a staple for me in my undergraduate, so by the time I was cooking for my family, I had completely dismissed soup as a healthy, filling option.

However, after reading Sophie Dahl’s recipe for Butternut Squash and Parmesan soup, it sounded so delicious and healthy that I gave it a try — and quickly became a soup convert.

A soup that is full of nutritious, quality ingredients is a great option for a busy family and can pack some amazing flavour.

This recipe for borscht comes straight from Sophie Dahl’s fabulous cookbook, Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights. The only adaption that I made to the recipe was omitting the vodka, as that’s not really something I keep on hand.

This creamy, luscious beet soup is chock full of vitamin C, fiber, essential minerals, and vitamin B folate (which is important for pregnant women), making it a fabulous option for covering your family’s nutritional bases.

Beets are a very inexpensive root vegetable, and are even affordable if you prefer organic. We used all organic ingredients for this recipe (chicken stock, green onions) and it still came out to less than $4 for the whole meal.

Serve as an appetizer, or alongside a wedge of bread for a hearty main. I also love it paired with some crunchy greens dressed simply with a vinaigrette, such as our homemade apple cider vinaigrette.

 

Easy Borscht Recipe (Beet Soup)

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Ingredients

• 6 medium-sized beets
• 5 green onions (scallions)
• Olive oil
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons creme fraiche, or sour cream (plus extra for garnish)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh dill, to taste

Instructions

Boil the whole beets in water, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, saute the scallions in the pan with a tablespoon of olive oil over low heat until translucent and add the chicken stock.
Drain the beet water, then peel and roughly chop the beets into 2" chunks.
Place the beets and scallion-chicken stock in a blender and puree. Add vodka (if using), lemon juice, and creme fraiche, season, and blend until incorporated.

Serve with a bit of dill and an extra dollop of creme fraiche. This easy beet soup can be enjoyed hot or cold, and freezes beautifully.

 

Other recipes that I love from Sophie Dahl’s Volumptuous Delights include:

• Chicken and Halloumi Kebabs with Chanterelles
• Cinnamon Roast Peaches with Vanilla Yogurt
• Pear and Ginger Muffins
• Char-grilled Scallops on Pea Puree
• Pea Soup — quite similar to my kid-friendly pea soup recipe
• Teddy’s Lettuce Soup