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Polish

Botwinka beetroot soup

The allure of crimson in Botwinka soup – a traditional spring offering across most of Eastern Europe, is matched by the intense flavour of beets and a playful sweet and sour taste. It’s a classic Polish beet soup recipe you will love.

Botwinka soup recipe Polish beet soup

I cound hardly contain my excitement when I stumbled upon a  young beetroot leaves only salad mix at Sydney Fish Market’s Wasterside Fruit Connection green grocer. I picked up a pack along with a bunch of young beetroot. Finally, my craving for botwinka could be satisfied.

Botwinka soup recipe Polish beet soup

Botwinka Polish Beet Soup Recipe

Perhaps because of its peasant origins, the Botwinka soup recipe lets nothing go to waste. You get to use the lot: the root, the stems and the greens.

Thickened with a dollop of cream, the soup can be served 2 ways and the following recipe allows for you to try both. Firstly, it can be served more like a hearty winter stew, showcasing all the gorgeous vegetables and greens. The other option is to serve just the broth  – a version much preferred during warmer months. Both go well with a side of hard-boiled egg or young boiled potato sprinkled with dill.

I’m a big fan of the beetroot and goat’s cheese combo. So, I like to crumble some goat’s cheese or feta onto the soup. Lastly, to lift the botwinka a little further I added a good splash of apple cider vinegar. Yum!

Botwinka soup recipe Polish beet soup
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Botwinka: whole young beetroot soup two ways

Thickened with a dollop of cream, the soup can be served 2 ways and the following recipe allows for you to try both. Firstly, it can be served more like a hearty winter stew, showcasing all the gorgeous vegetables and greens. The other option is to serve just the broth – a version much preferred during warmer months
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings: 2 -4

Ingredients

For the soup:

  • 6 small beetroot with stems attached
  • 150 g baby beetroot leaves, additional, optional
  • 2 sticks celery
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 parsnip
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Soup seasoning:

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon unrefined sugar
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp sour cream

To serve:

  • 4 hard boiled eggs
  • 4 medium sized boiled potatoes cruched and sprinkled with dill
  • 4 tbsp crumbled goat’s cheese feta optional

Instructions

  • To make the soup: wash beetroots, stems and leaves thoroughly. Cut off the stems and chop, including leaves, into 1 cm pieces. Peel beetroots, carrots and parsnip (use plastic gloves to protect skin from staining) and dice all into 1cm cubes. Cut celery sticks lengthways and chop into small cubes.
  • Heat oil in a large stockpot. Add peeled beetroot (but not the stems or leaves yet), carrots, parsnip and celery and allow to heat through. Add stock and water, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. At this stage, add beetroot stems, leaves and baby beetroot leaves. Season with lemon juice or vinegar mic, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes then turn off the heat.
  • In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the broth with the sour cream until smooth and add to the pot, stir through to combine.
  • To serve the soup “stew-style”: ladle vegetables into a bowl and add enough broth to come up halfway up the veg. Serve with a side of boiled eggs, potatoes with dill and crumbed goat’s feta.
  • To serve the soup “broth-style”: strain soup through a sieve into a bowl. Serve with a side of boiled eggs, potatoes with dill and crumbed goat’s feta.
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26 comments

lateraleating July 15, 2011 at 10:22 am

Love the versatility of this soup, thanks for the recipe!

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Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide July 16, 2011 at 1:43 am

That has to be the world’s prettiest soup!

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Wholesome Cook July 17, 2011 at 10:29 pm

Thanks! Mr Chipconnoisseur said quite the opposite: “looks like someone died in making this soup?” but he thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Heidi - Apples Under My Bed July 17, 2011 at 8:14 pm

Beautiful beautiful beautiful! And with goats fetta and dill? Perfection.
Heidi xo

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Wholesome Cook July 17, 2011 at 10:26 pm

Thanks Heidi, it’s good, isn’t it?

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Yasmeen @ wandering spice July 17, 2011 at 9:29 pm

Such a fantastic share. I’m a lover of all things beets, but besides my rotations of beet-inspired salads I’m afraid my repertoire isn’t all that expansive. Now I have something beautiful and beet-filled to look forward to! Thank you.

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Wholesome Cook July 17, 2011 at 10:25 pm

Oh you’re so welcome! I adore beets and I’m so happy you’ve found this idea helpful. There are so many versions of this soup – try adding canned drained beans or chickpeas for a more filling one, or veal tortellini for something different :-)

Reply
Hearty borscht (chunky-style beetroot soup) « Wholesome Cook July 18, 2011 at 8:13 am

[…] See also my botwinka: whole beetroot soup two ways recipe. […]

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What's for tea tonight dear? July 18, 2011 at 9:02 am

Sounds sublime. You might want to give my beetroot gazpacho a try .

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Expat Gourmet July 18, 2011 at 10:49 pm

Great stuff. I have a profound love of borscht, eating it since I was only little. These days I do the cooking and I love putting my own spin on it (my grandma wouldn’t add dill, or cheese for instance). I get young beets delivered in my vegbox and I always discard the leaves, next time I’ll hang on to them!

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Wholesome Cook July 19, 2011 at 6:55 pm

Isn’t that just the greatest thing about cooking? How recipes evolve and change a little with the times – when I told Mum about goat’s cheese she loved it eventhough she’s only ever had egg and dill potato in hers!

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Heidi @ Food Doodles July 19, 2011 at 1:38 am

Mmm, that looks delicious! I love borscht but I’ve never used the tops in my soup. Sounds so yummy!

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Wholesome Cook July 19, 2011 at 6:50 pm

It’s a great way to add body to the soup, and least wasteful!

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Sylvia @ Frolic Through Life July 19, 2011 at 4:48 am

This is my boyfriend’s favorite soup!

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kat July 19, 2011 at 8:20 am

YUMMM! Thanks for sharing! That looks delicious! I’ve never had beet root soup before but it sounds healthy! I’m new to this blogging thing and am loving the foodie community! Please check out my blog: . If you have any advice, please do share! :)

Reply
Wholesome Cook July 19, 2011 at 6:49 pm

Thanks for your comment Kat, and I’ll pop around to visit your blog. Always keen to read about others’ food adventures!

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Keely aka The Richest Girl in Bondi July 20, 2011 at 1:17 pm

What a vibrant coloured soup! I’m a big fan of beetroot (especially served raw and crunchy) but am yet to try beetroot soup, so thanks for posting.

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Olga @ MangoTomato July 25, 2011 at 9:25 am

this is one of my favorite soups ever. I just made something similar last week. I really like the addition of feta!

Reply
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Teresa Lakomy December 24, 2013 at 2:13 pm

Making this again this year for Christmas Eve. Everyone loved it last year!

Reply
Martyna @ Wholesome Cook December 24, 2013 at 4:14 pm

Hi Teresa, I’ve made it too! Will serve with sauerkraut dumplings. Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas!

Reply
Teresa lakomy December 24, 2013 at 4:51 pm

Merry Christmas to you and your family also Martyna! Wesolych Swiat!

Reply
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