Polish Barszcz Wigilijny
This traditional Polish borscht soup is made from beetroots and mushrooms. It’s poured over homemade mushroom dumplings. You can choose your favorite tortellini instead. If you prefer a complete dinner dish, keep the vegetables in the soup. To make the flavor experience complete, serve the soup with fresh herbs, a dollop of sour cream, and a slice of dark rye bread.
Ingredients
Shopping list
- 9 oz tortellini (filled with mushroom or meat)
- 1 jar pickled beetroots (sliced, 16 oz)
- 0.5 oz dried mushrooms sliced
- 32 oz vegetable broth
- vinegar e.g. apple cider
- 1 lemon (for juice)
- salt
Suggested Sides
- dark rye bread or baguette
Suggested Garnish
- fresh herbs (chives, dill, or sprouts)
- sour cream
Culinary Spice Kit
- Allspice, garlic, black pepper, marjoram, cinnamon, star anise, cloves
Instructions
Prepare
- In a GLASS, pour liquid from the beetroots jar. Set aside for later.
- Cook tortellini according to package instructions. They shall be served with soup.
Soup
- In a large POT, bring broth to a boil.
- Turn off heat. Stir in mushrooms.
- Let mushrooms rest for 30 minutes.
- Bring broth to a boil again.
- Add the beetroots, Barszcz Spices, and salt to taste. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the beetroot liquid from the GLASS, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/8 cup vinegar.
- Cook 5 minutes.
- Drain soup through a fine mesh SIEVE.
Serve
- Place tortellini on soup plates and fill plates with the clear soup.
- Optionally, serve with sour cream and rye bread, and garnish with fresh herbs or sprouts.
- Enjoy!
Notes
▪ Substitute dried mushrooms with 3 oz fresh mushrooms. Skip steps 2-4 and add fresh mushrooms with the beetroots in step 5.
▪ Skip step 8 and leave the vegetables in the soup.
▪ Skip step 8 and puree the vegetables in the soup with a hand blender.