Barszcz
A clear red Polish beetroot soup simmered with carrot, onion and bay and finished with lemon juice and dill.
Photograph credit: Barszcz czerwony - 2 by Игорь Хмиловский · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Don't Make These Mistakes
Keep the simmer gentle so the colour stays red.
Add the lemon juice after cooking to protect the colour.
Taste and balance the sweet and sour at the end.
Serve with boiled potatoes or a boiled egg for a fuller meal.
How to Make Barszcz
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Put the beetroot, carrot, onion, water, bay and allspice in a large pan and bring slowly to a simmer.
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Cook gently for 40 minutes, without boiling hard, until the liquid is deep red.
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Strain the soup through a sieve and return it to the pan.
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Stir in the salt, sugar and lemon juice. Taste and adjust. Serve hot with the dill.
Why the Method Works
A table for six, on a cold evening, with a ladle of ruby-red soup in each bowl: that is what barszcz is for. This clear Polish version has none of the potatoes and cabbage of some beetroot soups, which keeps the broth light and the colour pure.
Colour is the thing to protect. Beetroot loses its red in long, hard boiling, and turns brown. Add acid early to hold the colour, and keep the simmer gentle. Do not let the soup boil hard. A gentle simmer keeps it clear and its colour deep.
Peel and grate the beetroot, or cut it into thin matchsticks, so it gives up its colour quickly. Simmer with carrot, onion, bay leaves and allspice berries for about 30 minutes. The vegetables give a sweet, earthy base.
Strain, then season with lemon juice, salt and a pinch of sugar. Taste carefully, since the balance of sour and sweet is everything. Serve with dill and, if you like, a boiled egg.
Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping
Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Reheat gently, without boiling.
What to Serve Alongside
- Boiled potatoes
- Boiled eggs
- Rye bread
- Sour cream
Barszcz Nutrition Facts
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked.
First published ; last changed .
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