Beet and Cabbage Borscht

Ingredients  

• 4 cups red cabbage thinly sliced
• 4 medium beets peeled and grated
• 10 cups vegetable broth or broth of choice
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 3 carrots peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 celery ribs finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 medium Yukon potatoes peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 3 large garlic cloves pressed
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
• 3 tablespoons chopped dill plus more for serving
• Plain Greek yogurt for serving (or vegan yogurt)
• Crusty loaf of bread we had a French stick

Instructions 

• In a 6 to 8-quart stock pot add the broth, bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the cabbage, cover, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
• Preheat a 12.5” non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is warm, add the onions, carrots, celery, red pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add beets, remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, tomato paste, salt and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
• Transfer sautéed vegetables into the stock pot along with the potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil, then cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
• Turn off heat. Then add the vinegar, sugar, garlic, and black pepper. Stir and let borsht sit for 10 minutes to allow flavours to meld into each other. Stir in dill and adjust seasonings to taste. (I occasionally add a little more vinegar).
• Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt, more dill, and a crusty loaf of bread.
• Enjoy! Or as my Baba would say jó étvágyat!