Slow Cooker Borscht

This vegetarian borscht recipe is easy to make, thanks to the crock pot! It's full of flavor and nutritious ingredients.

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine Polish, Russian, Ukranian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 20

Servings people

Calories 202kcal

Add the diced onion, beets, carrots, and potato to a slow cooker (at least 4 quarts or larger).
In a large bowl, whisk together the broth, garlic, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour this over the vegetables. Add the bay leaf to the pot.
Cook on high for at least 4 hours or low for 7 hours. The vegetables should be tender.
After the soup has cooked for 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low, carefully transfer 2 cups (without the bay leaf) to an upright blender. Add the ½ cup of olive oil. Blend until smooth. You will want to allow steam to escape while blending by cracking the lid slightly or removing the center plastic piece and covering the opening with a dish towel. Pour the blended soup back into the slow cooker.
Stir in the shredded cabbage and chopped dill. Cover and cook on high for 30 to 45 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked through.
Serve the soup with sour cream or yogurt and bread if desired. Enjoy!
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Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
To freeze borscht, let it cool completely. Transfer to freezer-safe containers, leaving an inch of headspace for expansion. Seal tightly and label. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Reheat from frozen or thawed.
Stovetop directions:
- Warm about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion, and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the carrots, potato, and beets (if using raw) and cook for about 10 minutes until they start to soften. You can also use pre-roasted or canned beets as a shortcut (or if you don't like to prepare beets due to the mess/color) and add them during the following step.
- Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Cook for a couple minutes. If you are using pre-roasted or canned beets, add them to the pot now.
- Pour in the broth and vinegar, followed by the sugar and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
- Transfer 2 cups of the soup (without the bay leaf) to a blender, add the olive oil, and carefully blend until smooth. Add this back to the pot. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup right in the pot, while still leaving chunks.
- Stir in the cabbage and dill. Cook uncovered until the cabbage is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.