Zelenyi Borshch (Ukrainian Green Sorrel Soup)
Local name: Зелений борщ
In short: A spring soup of sorrel, potatoes and carrots in a light broth, served with chopped boiled eggs, dill and sour cream. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 160 kcal
Zelenyi borshch, or green borshch, is the sour, fresh soup Ukrainians cook when sorrel comes up in spring and early summer. Potatoes and a quick fry of onion and carrot form the base, and shredded sorrel goes in at the end, where it turns from bright green to olive and gives the soup its lemony taste. Chopped boiled egg, dill and sour cream finish each bowl. It is light, quick to make and best on the day it is cooked.
Instructions
- Bring the water or stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the potatoes, bay leaf and salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the potatoes cook, heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion and carrot over medium heat for 6 minutes until soft.
- Add the onion and carrot to the pot and simmer for 5 more minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the shredded sorrel and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until it wilts and changes to an olive green.
- Season with pepper, adjust the salt and take the pot off the heat. Remove the bay leaf.
- Ladle into bowls, add chopped egg and a sprinkle of dill and green onion, and top with sour cream.
Tips
- No sorrel? Use 300 g (10.5 oz) spinach and stir in 2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice at the end for the sour note.
- Add the sorrel at the very end and do not boil it long, or it turns gray and loses its lemony taste.
Questions and answers
Can I use frozen sorrel?
Yes. Add it straight from the freezer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns olive green. Frozen sorrel gives a slightly softer texture but the same sour taste.
How long does green borshch keep?
It keeps for 2 days in the fridge, though the color dulls. It tastes best on the day it is made.
What do you serve with green borshch?
Sour cream and chopped boiled egg are standard, with fresh bread on the side.
How long does it take to make Zelenyi Borshch (Ukrainian Green Sorrel Soup)?
About 50 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Zelenyi Borshch (Ukrainian Green Sorrel Soup)?
About 160 kcal per serving, with 7 g of protein, 15 g of carbohydrates and 8 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 160 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 650 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
