Sweet, earthy and stunningly beautiful, this rich, ruby-coloured beetroot soup or beet soup tastes every bit as good as it looks.
Easy beetroot soup
The beetroot is back. Long-neglected by a generation that grew up rarely encountering it in anything other than pickled form, chefs in search of more interesting vegetable dishes have rediscovered these stunning roots.
See Also
- Broccoli and Stilton soup – the British classic
- Filling and “rib sticking” – leek and potato soup
- Easy pea and ham soup from frozen peas
The beetroot went unloved for quite some time here, though it was always a favourite in Eastern Europe and for good reason. Sweet and earthy, it tastes wonderfully comforting and that striking colour always makes an impression.
Of course, you don’t want your soup too sweet, and I have balanced the sweetness of the beet in this soup with onion, garlic, celery and a little apple cider vinegar for a rounded flavour.
Full of vitamins and minerals but low in fat and calories, this is a soup that you will want to make again and again. Serve it with your favourite crusty bread for a delicious lunch or as a starter that will soon get your guests talking.
Beets or beetroot?
It is another one of those British / American terms. I’m British and call them beetroots – on the other side of the Atlantic they are known as beets – regardless of what you call it the soup is delicious!
Why make beetroot soup
- It is nutritious – brightly coloured vegetables like beetroot are full of healthy antioxidants and other nutrients.
- It is delicious, a little different and is such a lovely colour
- It is ideal for batch cooking and freezes well. Double or triple the recipe with very little extra work.
- It is perfect to level up for the first course for a dinner party!
Beetroot soup ingredients
- Onion and garlic – the type of onion really does not matter – white, a few shallots or a red onion
- Celery – for a savoury hint in the base (if anyone is allergic you can leave it out and the soup will still work)
- Beetroot / Beets – raw, purple beetroot for the best colour. I have tried using the precooked sort and it doesn’t work in the same way.
- Olive oil – unrefined and healthy, for frying
- Stock – vegetable or chicken stock as you prefer
- Apple cider vinegar – the cloudiness in the picture is because it’s unrefined, retaining the healthy bacteria or ‘mother’ from the fermentation process
- Pepper and salt – for seasoning
How to make beetroot soup (beet soup) – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Start by preparing the vegetables:
- Onion – peel and roughly chop
- Celery – trim and chop
- Garlic – peel and chop
- Beetroot – peel and cut into 1”/2.5 cm chunks (this can be done while you are cooking the onion and celery)
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
Beetroot juice stains! Wear an apron and disposable or rubber gloves to peel and chop the beetroot and protect any surfaces that are prone to staining. If you do get your hands stained, I find a body scrub soap is the best way to get rid of the discoloration.
Step Two – In a medium sized saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and celery and sauté over a medium heat, adding the garlic once these have started to soften.
Helen’s Pro Tip
Garlic cooks more quickly than the onion and celery and will also be cut into smaller pieces. It needs less time, so should be added part way through frying, to avoid burning. Burnt garlic can easily taint the whole dish.
Step Three – Add the beetroot and stock to the soup pan. Cover with the lid and simmer for 20–25 minutes.
Step Four – After 25 minutes, the beets should be cooked through and tender, and you may find the soup looks rather grey and muddy. Don’t worry about this as it will be resolved at the next stage.
Step Five – Blend the soup to a smooth consistency. A simple stick blender is fine for this job and I find it much easier than a jug blender for hot soup.
As the beetroot is blended, you will start to see the clear, bright colour of the finished soup. Add the apple cider vinegar and stir in well. Then season to taste with pepper and salt.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
If you use a jug blender with hot soup, do not use the central bung. As you blend it will generate steam and you do not want to blow the lid off and send scalding soup everywhere.
Instead, cover with a folded piece of kitchen paper, then a tea towel. Lift from time to time between each blend to allow the steam to escape.
Serving suggestion
I like to garnish this soup with a swirl of sour cream and snipped chives, a traditional combination that is a perfect match for beetroot.
For a delicious lunch, pair it with sourdough or root vegetable bread and a watercress salad. For a dinner party, beetroot bread, with colourful splashes of beet red, would make a striking partner to this soup.
Variations
- Mix grated horseradish or a touch of horseradish sauce with thick yogurt or sour cream, for a spicy swirl to serve. Swap chives for dill for a Scandinavian or Eastern European feel.
- Add a peeled chopped carrot or apple to the soup.
- If you can’t have celery, leave it out and add a leek with the onion.
- Add a little of the pickling vinegar from dill pickles at the end.
Storage
Fridge – Once cool, you can cover and store your soup in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezer – Put the cooled soup into suitable containers in individual portions, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
Reheating – Defrost in the fridge overnight, or on the kitchen counter for a few hours. Reheat your beetroot soup in a pan on the stove top, or in a safe container in the microwave.
When using the microwave, I like to use a Pyrex-style jug as you can lift it out one handed, and I do not like reheating in plastic.
Hints and tips
- Use fresh beetroot for best results. I have found that precooked beets tend to give a disappointing colour to the soup. If buying from a market stall, check whether they are precooked, as sometimes cooked beetroot is sold unpeeled.
- I find an inexpensive stick blender is actually the best option for soup, so don’t feel that you have to shell out for fancy equipment.
- Don’t forget to protect your clothes and surfaces when handling beetroot!
FAQs
No, traditional borscht is a chunky soup rather than a blended one.
You can, but I find the results disappointing. You lose some intensity of flavour and you just don’t get the same stunning colour. I love the fact that this soup is a feast for the eyes too.
Beetroot is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, so I’m going to say yes!
Eat your soup, do your homework and you can find out later!
I laughed when I realised how frequently people search for this soup and Minecraft. Nevertheless, it says something about the reputation of beetroot soup as a health giving cure-all that someone has adopted it as a restorative food in a computer game!
More soup recipes
- Easy Carrot and Coriander Soup – a modern classic
- Easy Parsnip and Apple Soup – traditional and delicious
- Roasted Celeriac Soup – velvety and luxurious
Beetroot Soup (Beet Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 sticks celery
- 500 g peeled and chopped beetroot (about 6 beets)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 700 ml (3 cups) stock
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- pepper and salt (to season)
Optional
- 2 tbsp sour cream or yogurt (to garnish)
- fresh herbs (to garnish)
Instructions
- Start by peeling and chopping the vegetables. Peel and chop onion and garlic. Trim and chop the celery. Peel and cut the beetroot into 1”/2.5 cm chunks. This may take a little longer, so you may want to do this while the onion and celery are cooking.1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 sticks celery, 500 g peeled and chopped beetroot
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and saute the onion and celery over a medium heat. Once they are starting to soften, add the garlic and continue for a couple of minutes more.1 tbsp olive oil
- Add the beetroot and stock. Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes.700 ml stock
- Once the beetroot is cooked through and tender, remove from the heat.
- Blend the soup until smooth and vibrant in colour. Add the apple cider vinegar and stir in well. Adjust the seasoning to taste with pepper and salt, and serve hot, garnished as you prefer.2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, pepper and salt, 2 tbsp sour cream or yogurt, fresh herbs
Notes
Storage
Fridge – Once cool, you can cover and store your soup in the fridge for up to three days. Freezer – Put the cooled soup into suitable containers in individual portions, seal, and freeze for up to three months.Hints and tips
- Use fresh beetroot for best results. I have found that precooked beets tend to give a disappointing colour to the soup. If buying from a market stall, check whether they are precooked, as sometimes cooked beetroot is sold unpeeled.
- I find an inexpensive stick blender is actually the best option for soup, so don’t feel that you have to shell out for fancy equipment.
- Don’t forget to protect your clothes and surfaces when handling beetroot!
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