Instant pot borscht made from scratch is a delicious winter soup. This is a vegetarian version with easy prep and hassle-free cooking thanks to the pressure cooker.
This instant pot borscht recipe is easy and pretty quick. It’s pretty much a drop and go soup recipe with a pleasant mild taste (no over-powering beet-y flavor).
Pressure cooker borscht is one of the soups that taste even better the following day so it is perfect for making ahead. It reheats well (either on a stovetop or in a microwave) and can last in the fridge for 3-4 days (without the sour cream). It also freezes well so you can divide it into freezer-friendly containers and freeze.
What is borscht?
Borscht is a soup using beets as one of the main ingredients. It is popular in Eastern and Central Europe.
I find it pretty similar to Italian minestrone soup (you can also make it in a pressure cooker. I have a recipe on the blog for Instant Pot Minestrone Soup) minus the beets and sour cream.
What goes in borscht soup?
There are so many recipes for borscht out there that I don’t think you will ever find the traditional version. Every country makes it differently; every family adds their own twist to it.
Some make it without meat (like I did), others use various cuts of meat, add also beans, parsnip, canned tomatoes, etc ….
But even though there are hundreds of recipes that vary slightly in the process of making or the ingredients used, one thing is for sure. You cannot make borscht soup without beets!
Is borscht vegetarian?
Yes, this specific recipe is vegetarian and vegan friendly (just omit the sour cream).
How to make borscht in instant pot
The recipe is pretty straight forward. I do the cutting of veggies one at a time. This allows the veggies to sauté for a while, while I am cutting the next one. I find it the easiest and quickest way. If you think that this will not work for you, then cut/slice/dice all of them first.
This is the way I make my borscht:
I start with the onion. Once I have diced it, I throw it into the pot where I have already added oil. Now turn on the pot and while the onion is sautéing you can move on to the next vegetable – carrots in my case. Cut them into small pieces and add to the pot. Stir. Continue with the next vegetable on the ingredient list until you are done.
It takes me about 2–3 minutes to prep each vegetable and that is enough time for the previous ones to sauté. Just make sure to stir them from time to time. I found that stirring after each addition is quite enough.
The last ones to add are potatoes. They don’t need sautéing so you can add the rest of the ingredients apart from sour cream in no particular order.
Give everything a good stir and close the lid. Pressure cook it for 15 minutes, using the MANUAL setting. Don’t forget to turn the steam release valve to SEALING first.
I wait for at least 10 minutes before releasing the pressure manually. The reason is that the pot is under high pressure and it is pretty full so I prefer waiting a bit. You can also let the pin drop naturally.
The last thing to do is taste this instant pot borscht soup before serving. Add more salt or vinegar, if needed.
Tools and gadgets needed
Instant Pot – a.k.a. electric pressure cooker. Guys, if you haven’t got one yet, I highly recommend it. It changed my life. Cooking is so quick and easy. Meals that would normally take hours, are ready in fraction of that. Plus there is no need for stirring or babysitting the pot!
Knife – a good one as there will be quite a good amount of cutting. Now you can use a food processor or a kitchen robot that has attachments for shredding (to cut the cabbage and beets) but truth be told, making borscht soup is quite quick so I figured cutting by hand is faster. However, this does not mean you cannot use it. It is entirely up to you.
Chopping board – I love using the plastic ones that I can bend. That way I just transfer everything easily into any pot without making a mess.
Garlic press – it is the easiest and quickest way to mince the garlic. Also this way you will get more flavors out of the clove. Mincing the garlic with a knife does not give you that. So I recommend it but if you don’t have one, use a knife instead.
Gloves make making borscht way easier. They are a must when peeling fresh beets as without them the beets will stain your hands.
Good to know
There are different brands of vegetable stocks out there. Each one might contain a different amount of salt added. It may vary so I suggest seasoning the soup at the end rather than beginning, if you are not sure how salty the stock you are using is.
I sometimes make Instant Pot Chicken Stock and freeze it for later use. If you prefer homemade one, this is also an option. Mine does not contain almost any salt so you would probably need to add more salt at the end.
Stock cubes can also be used as a substitution. You just need to check the package instructions to see how many you use for 4 cups of water. I usually buy all-natural ones that are low in salt and need 2 of them per 4 cups of water.
Useful tips
- If you still don’t feel comfortable about eating beets, try shredding them instead of dicing. They will basically “disappear” among the other vegetables and you won’t even notice them in this soup.
- I tweaked this recipe several times and this is the version I personally like. In many European countries you will see people topping borscht with sour cream. It makes the soup creamier and balances the beet flavor and it’s my favorite way of eating borscht. Sour cream goes also well with Sauerkraut Soup.
- Every single beet is different so some might taste stronger than others. If this is the case, the sour cream will definitely help balance the flavors.
- The color of this instant pot borscht will turn darker while cooling down.
- If you don’t have white wine vinegar, use apple cider vinegar instead.
- This soup can have a slightly different taste each time you make it as the veggies you use might taste differently – some might be sweeter, others not ….
Guys, I hope you give this instant pot beet soup a go. If you do, let me know in the comment section!
Instant Pot Borscht
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil , see note 1
- 1 onion , medium-large
- 2 carrots , medium (150 grams)
- 2 celery ribs (200 grams)
- 9 ounces white cabbage (300 grams)
- 2 beets , fresh (240 grams)
- 3 potatoes , large (500 grams)
- ¼ cup tomato puree (50 grams)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups vegetable stock (1 liter)
- 1.5 cup water (375 milliliters)
- 4 tablespoons sour cream to your taste (optional, see notes)
Instructions
- Pour the oil into the inner pot of your instant pot. Peel and dice the onion and throw it into the pot.
- Press the SAUTE function and adjust it to HIGH (if you have such an option on your IP). Let it saute. Now you will be cutting/shredding/dicing the veggies in stages and adding them to the pot.
- Peel the carrots and cut them into small pieces (I cut them in half lengthwise, then again in half and cut into tiny pieces). When ready, add them to the pot. Stir.
- Trim off the ends from celery and cut each stem in half lengthwise and now slice/dice it into small pieces. Add to the pot and stir.
- Remove the hard part from the cabbage and shred/cut it using a knife. Add it to the pot and stir.
- Use gloves to wash, peel and dice the beets. Try cutting them smaller rather than larger as they take the longest to cook. You can also shred them, if you prefer. Add them to the pot and stir again.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks (so they won’t overcook). Add them into the pot , stir and turn off the SAUTE function.
- Now add the rest of the ingredients apart from sour cream. It doesn’t matter what order you add them in.
- Lock the lid in its position. Turn the steam releasing valve to SEALING and press MANUAL (pressure cooking). Adjust the time to 15 minutes and let it cook. When ready, wait 10 minutes before releasing pressure manually.
- Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream (optional).
Notes
- Sunflower oil can be substituted with vegetable oil.
- This recipe was developed for a 6-quart/6-liter instant pot electric pressure cooker.
- This recipe yields 6-8 portions but the number of portions might vary. This depends on the size of your portions.
- The overall cooking time does not include the time that the pot needs to come to pressure + release its pressure. Count with an extra 30 minutes in this case.
- This soup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. It reheats well.
- To make this soup vegan, omit sour cream.
- If using sour cream, note that the amount used is entirely up to you. You might need more or less than 4 tablespoons.
Amanda says
I’ve been on an Instant Pot kick lately, and this looks like a recipe I definitely need to try during these chilly months. Thanks for sharing!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
It’s the perfect soup for winter, Amanda :)
Tracy says
Is there anything the magical Instant Pot can’t do? I don’t think so. My husband has been asking for borscht lately and I’ve been meaning to find a recipe, thank you!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome :)
Catherine Brown says
Mmmm, I forgot just how much I love Borscht! Thank you for this beautiful recipe and reminder. :-)
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome!
Kelli Kerkman says
I need to make this ASAP! Love beets and my instant pot <3
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Let me know what you think, Kelli!
Andrea Metlika says
This looks fabulous! I’ve never had Borscht but after seeing yours, i believe it’s time to try it.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Definitely! :)
Joe says
This looks so good Julia….my mouth is watering. I love borscht and this recipe looks so easy. Bookmarked to try…Thanks for posting.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome! :)
JoAnn says
Do you recommend eating this hot or cold? My understanding is that borscht is usually cold but it sounds here like you eat this hot.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi JoAnn. We always eat it hot (I think it tastes nicer) but you can eat it cold as well. Feel free to taste it both ways so you know what you enjoy more. Hope this helps!
Elie says
We always it hot too. I don’t think you would eat this soup cold with potatoes and veggies, but maybe strained broth.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Elie. You can eat it cold but if you prefer the warm version, that’s great. I also prefer it warm :).
Charlotte says
How can I scale this down for a 3 quart? Or do I need to? The liquid amount would certainly fit. I’m new to IP cooking!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Charlotte. I would half the recipe (apart from the oil) just to be on the safe side first and only after I would increase the amounts (but only if you think everything would fit in as there is also a maximum line for each pot so that the pots are not overfilled). Note that the cooking times will stay the same. Hope this helps.
Lidiya Denishchich says
Oh yum! I want to make this with meat (beef).. any tips on how to add it? I usually make borscht on the stove and have to let the beef cook for at least 45 minutes. Would I just add it in with all the ingredients before pressure cooking? Thanks!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Lidiya.You can do it that way, but I am not sure whether the cooking time will be enough. I recommend cutting the beef into very small pieces (the smaller the better) to make sure it will be cooked through. You could also brown the meat quickly at first, then take it out and follow the recipe. You would add the browned meat after you have sautéed all the veggies. Hope this helps!
Kathy says
Any reason I couldn’t use purple cabbage instead of white? That’s what I have growing in my garden right now – along with beets!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You can use red cabbage as well, Kathy. Happy cooking! :)
Laura says
I had most of the ingredients and made the soup tonight. I am very slow at chopping vegetables, so that part took me nearly an hour. I started sauteeeing the onions while I was cutting up the beets. The recipe turned out well and everyone enjoyed it. Thank you!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Laura.
Lauren says
This recipe is delish as is! I have made it several times. Once I tried with beef, but I liked it better without the meat. We like to serve this with sour cream, fresh dill and crusty bread. Thanks for the great recipe!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Lauren. We also love it with sour cream and fresh bread :)
Jenna S says
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I’ve been looking for one that reminded me of the borscht I had living while with a Russian host family years, and this hit the spot!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Jenna! I am so happy you enjoyed this soup.
Arthur says
Tried it today with our instant pot. Used kohlrabi in place of the cabbage. It came out very well!
My only complaint is that borsch in Ukrainian does not end with a “t.”
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
:) Thanks for your feedback, Arthur. There are so many variations of this word, depending on where in Europe it comes from. But thanks for letting us know!
Therese says
Made this recipe just this evening. Came out delicious. The only thing I changed was adding dill. I love dill in borscht so I added in the soup and also sprinkled some fresh dill on top. Also, because I’m vegan I followed recipe for homemade coconut sour cream recipe.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Therese! Hope you find more recipes on our blog (we have a few vegan ones you might like). Happy Cooking!
Lucky says
Made this soup for supper last night and enjoyed it very much. Much more work than I had anticipated. I am sure the beets would peel much easier if fresh from the garden especially if scalded first the skins slip right off. Unfortunately, mine was from the store where they no doubt had been around for quite a while so even after 20 minutes parboiling them I still had to use a veggie peeler.Will enjoy for the rest of the week.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Lucky. Thanks so much for your feedback. Yes, the beets can be tricky sometimes and it can be hard to know how fresh they are when bought in a store.I too have sometimes challenge with this. Hope you try some more recipes from our blog!
Linda says
I’m not a big fan of borscht but the person I’m living with loves it. This recipe was absolutely delicious, followed it to a tee. Added just a bit of dill when I went to eat it. This will be my go to recipe for borscht from now on. Thanks for sharing.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
I am so happy to hear that, Linda. Hope you try some more recipes from our blog. Happy Instant Pot Cooking! :)
Nataliya Kearl says
Looks very good and the way I make it (omit vinegar) but I understand why it is there (my mom uses lemon juice at the end)
Definitely will give it a try! I usually add some beans at the end… I am thinking if I’d like to add canned beans, I’d probably have to do it at the very end, when the cycle is finished. Just turn on the sauté option and let it boil with the added beans… what would you suggest?
Thank you for wonderful recipes, btw, they all look very tasty and inviting!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Nataliya. Yes, I would do exactly like you said. Let them cook for about 5 minutes on the SAUTE function at the very end and that should be fine. And thanks so much for your kind words! Happy Instant Pot Cooking!
Jessica says
My husband is from Ukraine. I am learning to cook some of his favorite home food, obviously this one was a MUST. Always nervous making food to try to be similar to how he is used to having it made…… this came out PERFECT ( I had to tweak the amounts a little bit because I have a 4qt IP) !!!!. :). THANK YOU! He couldn’t stop eating it and was So pleased. Each successful dish, brings me closer to my goal. Thank you for sharing the recipe :).
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
That’s so good to hear, Jessica! Thanks so much for your feedback!
Christine says
Hands down the best soup I’ve ever had. This is a family favourite
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for your feedback and rating, Christine!
Gale says
LOVED IT!!!
I made a few changes – added some lean ground beef, doubled the cabbage, used canned beets, and doubled the broth.
It came out perfect! So tasty and filling. A low-calorie, very satisfying meal. Chocked-full of vitamins, too! Can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks for your feedback, Gale!