• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Traffic Light Cook
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • Wellness
    • Meal Planning
  • Subscribe
    • Email
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Ingredients
    • Wellness
      • Meal Planning
    • Subscribe
    • Email
  • ×

    Home » 60+ Minutes

    Beet Borscht with an Egg (Vegan)

    January 30, 2018 by Garima@TLC 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This beet borscht not only offers the culinary experience of  a different culture, it is also scores high on nutritional content.

    Borscht is a soup with sour flavor profile (primarily) from Eastern and Central Europe [1]. It is quite interesting that how after watching a Cary Grant movie it ended up being a regular in my kitchen. Here is the connection: the 1942 comedy/mystery The Talk of the Town features beet borscht with an egg as a culinary catalyst to drive the movie plot forward. The description of the soup in the movie got my attention and I set out to try the recipe in my kitchen (a few years ago). The recipe makes a comeback in my kitchen during fall and winter, especially during the CSA season. This vegan version of hearty beet borscht not only celebrates beets and works like a health elixir, it also employs creativity in making a vegan egg.

    When I learnt to make beet borscht, I scoured a number of different sources--cookbooks, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet-- to research the original method of making it. My research informed me that each country where borscht is popular has its own nomenclature and recipe. I settled on an old recipe from the New York Times archives: A Thick Ukrainian Borscht--dating back to March 1976. But the recipe still did not have an egg, as the Ukrainian version does not call for eggs. It appears that Jewish versions tend to have a mixture of dairy and egg [1]. So I put my imagination to work and decided to create my own version of vegan egg.

    If you are getting into cooking beets this season, you may also like other blog posts on this vegetable.

    Beet Energy Juice

    Demystifying Beets: colorful nutrition on your plate

    A note on roasting beets

    Many beet borscht recipes call for boiling or blanching beets before adding to the pot. However, I like to roast beets as the process tends to bring out the sweeter flavor of beets and retain nutrition, compared to boiling them.

    To roast beets, cut the roots and tops but keep the skin. Add to a baking dish with a couple of tablespoon of water. Cover with an oven-proof lid and roast at 375°F (190°C) for about an hour (beets bigger than 2"  inches may take longer ~75 minutes). Check for doneness by piercing with a fork or toothpick--it should easily slide into the roasted beet. Peeling is easy, just pinch the roasted beet skin between fingers, it would slide out of skin. If it is harder to peel, then beet is undercooked and needs more time in the oven.

    A note on  making vegan egg

    The Talk of the Town version of beet borscht boasts of a raw egg beaten into hot soup. I was so taken by the whole description of beet borscht with an egg in the movie that adding an egg was a must to this recipe, even though I don't eat eggs. So, this also became a craft project--cutting out a circle out of 1/4" thick tofu slab with a small bowl (or cookie cutter), smearing it with fresh minced garlic, and sprinkling with a secret ingredient--black salt, which imparts hint of egg flavor when added to food (more on black salt later).

    Borscht, made with beets or something else, leans toward sour notes in flavor. This is why this beet borscht with an egg has a bit of picklish taste.  But the most cheerful thing about this soup, in addition to its taste and nutrition, is its vibrant color, which instantly perks you up during gray winters. Enjoy!

    Beet Borscht with an Eggmvegan FG

    Beet Borscht with an Egg (Vegan)

    Author: Traffic Light Cook
    This beet borscht with an egg is a vegan take on traditional (Ukrainian) beet borscht. This borscht is dense in nutrition, has traditional sour notes, and not so traditional tofu egg. 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine European, Gluten-free
    Servings 4
    Calories 135 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Beet Borscht

    • 1 tsp avocado oil (or any other)
    • 1/2 cup white onion (or any other variety) (1 medium, finely diced)
    • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 1/2 cup carrots (1 small) (finely diced)
    • 1/2 cup celery (1 stalk) (finely diced)
    • 1 1/2 cup portobello mushroom (cubed, 1 big-size mushroom)
    • 1/2 cup potato (1 small) (finely diced)
    • 4 beets (medium-sized, roasted cubed)
    • 1/2 cup cabbage (any variety) (finely shredded)
    • 2 tbsp tomato paste (or sub with 1/3 cup tomato puree)
    • 3 cups Homemade Vegetable stock (or any other low/no-sodium vegetable stock)
    • 3/4 tsp salt (or to taste, no more than 1 tsp)
    • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped, can sub with dill)
    • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (or sub with white vinegar or white wine vinegar)

    Tofu Egg

    • 1/2 block tofu (organic, drained and pressed for about 15 minutes)
    • 1 tsp garlic (minced)
    • 3 pinches black salt (optional)
    • 1/2 tsp avocado oil (or any other)

    Instructions
     

    To make Beet Borscht

    • First, scrub and wash beets under running water. Make sure that all the grit is washed away before cooking. Trim beets' tops and roots, but keep the skin on. Add the beets to an oven-proof dish with 2 tbsp of water. Roast at 375°F (190°C) in a pre-heated oven for about 60 minutes. 
    • Once beets are done, heat avocado oil in a heavy-bottom soup pan over medium heat; be sure not to smoke the oil. Add onion and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes stirring often. Add portobello mushroom with 1/4 tsp of salt and cook for two minutes. Add carrots, celery, and potatoes. Cover and cook for five minutes, stirring intermittently to avoid sticking. Add cubed beets, cabbage, and 1 tbsp of chopped parsley with ground black pepper and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt. Cook for another 2 minutes. 
    • Add bay leaf, broth and tomato paste to the veggies and stir to mix well. Bring the borscht to a boil over medium heat and turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer the borscht for 30 minutes. 
    • Stir-in 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar and fresh parsley. Cook for another 5 minutes, then take it off the stove. 

    To make tofu egg

    • Press a block of tofu under a plate topped with a weight (if you have it, you can use Tofu Press). Cut the block of tofu into 4-1/4" thick slabs. With a small bowl or cookie cutter.
    • Heat an iron skillet over medium heat and smear with oil. Add the tofu rounds smeared with minced garlic and black salt to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned on both sides. 
    • To put together, ladle beet borscht in a wide-mouth bowl and top it with tofu egg. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Variations:
    Make it a complete meal: you can add a can of red kidney beans and 1 additional cup of liquid (broth or water) when adding broth in the cooking process to make it a complete meal. 
    Make it vegetarian: Beet borscht is traditionally served with sour cream. You can add a dollop of plain greek yogurt to add creamy, sour notes. You can also top it with a poached or boiled egg. 
    Make it low-sodium
    This borscht is rich and complex in flavors due to the addition of many different types of vegetables, parsley, and red wine vinegar. Therefore, if avoiding salt, either add only 1/4 tsp or omit completely. It will still taste great. 
    Beet Borscht recipe adapted from A Thick Ukrainian Borscht
    Nutrition Facts
    Beet Borscht with an Egg (Vegan)
    Serving Size
     
    1 cup
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    135
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    3
    g
    5
    %
    Sodium
     
    800
    mg
    35
    %
    Potassium
     
    808
    mg
    23
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    20
    g
    7
    %
    Fiber
     
    4
    g
    17
    %
    Sugar
     
    10
    g
    11
    %
    Protein
     
    7
    g
    14
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    3040
    IU
    61
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    18.2
    mg
    22
    %
    Calcium
     
    60
    mg
    6
    %
    Iron
     
    2.5
    mg
    14
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupCalories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 7gFat: 3gSodium: 800mgPotassium: 808mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 3040IUVitamin C: 18.2mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 2.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Neena

      February 07, 2018 at 1:31 am

      5 stars
      It's awesome! I am definitely going to try it! Keep up the good work Garima!

      Reply
      • Garima

        February 07, 2018 at 7:08 pm

        Hello Neena,
        Thank you. Definitely post your experience. If you have a pic, email me and I can post it on the blog.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Recent Posts

    • Niçoise Salad (vegan)
    • Easy Gazpacho: Antioxidants in a soup bowl
    • Best Ever Guacamole
    • Indian Red Lentil & Spinach Dal (Stovetop)
    • Indian Tamarind (imli) Chutney

    Recent Comments

    1. Garima@TLC on Beet Energy Juice
    2. Garima@TLC on West African Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup (with nut-free version)
    3. Kristy on West African Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup (with nut-free version)
    4. Traffic Light Cook on Cream of Broccoli Soup
    5. Traffic Light Cook on West African Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup (with nut-free version)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer

    Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    SUBSCRIBE

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Traffic Light Cook(Garima Lal, LLC). All rights reserved.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant
    and best experience on our website. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. please read our Privacy Policy
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Read More
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT