Gluten-Free Borscht Recipe

By: Gillian Olins on October 9, 2013

Borscht is a soup which originated in the Ukraine and is popular throughout Eastern and Central Europe. A garnish of sour cream is a lovely contrast to the deep red color from the beetroot in the soup–and it adds to the flavor too!

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 pound fresh beetroot, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (gluten-free)
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream (gluten-free) for garnish

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the beetroot, carrot, celery, and onion. Cook with occasional stirring until the vegetables soften (about 5 minutes). Put the cooked vegetables, garlic and tomatoes in a blender and puree until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan. Add the stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 90 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Pour the mixture into the blender and puree again. Pour the soup back into the pan, season to taste with salt and pepper and reheat before serving. Add a swirl of sour cream to the soup for garnish.

Serves 4