Article featuring Ula from @Foodnotes Studio
It is worth thinking about Christmas Eve beetroot soup at least a week before Christmas by starting your own beet sourdough starter – if you don't manage to do it, try to get a good, store-bought sourdough starter – it is the basis of this traditional soup. In my house, it is served with, among others, uszka (small dumplings), although since I was a child, I have liked Christmas Eve beetroot soup with white beans the most.
Ingredients:
Wrap the beets in foil and place them in a roasting pan, bake at 200°C until they are soft inside. Let them cool.
Put the peeled soup vegetables, mushrooms, onion (charred or roasted in a pan), and spices into a pot with water, add salt, and cook the broth for about 25-30 minutes.
Cut the beets into small pieces. Add them to the hot broth, pour in the beet sourdough, and heat for 10 minutes over minimal heat so that the broth does not boil. Add the sliced apples and cinnamon, allow the borscht to cool completely, and then leave it covered in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, strain the borscht into a clean pot and heat it up, being careful not to let it boil. Season to taste with salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar if necessary. Add rubbed marjoram and garlic pressed through a garlic press. Serve with mushroom-filled dumplings (uszka) or cooked white beans.
This Christmas Eve borscht is more than just a dish – it is a part of the holiday magic that connects generations. Its deep, intense flavor and aromatic bouquet of spices will introduce you to the warm atmosphere of Christmas Eve, making this special evening even more unforgettable.
Serve the borscht warm, preferably with the additions we have suggested. Do not forget to share it with your loved ones, because celebrating traditional dishes together is the essence of Christmas.
Let this recipe for Christmas Eve borscht be your holiday tradition, which you will pass down from generation to generation, enjoying every year this unique taste that reminds you of home warmth and family memories.
Merry Christmas!
