Seitan Borscht

Name: Seitan Borscht
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Precooked beets 1.1 lbs; Peeled tomatoes 1 ¾ cup; Carrots 2; White onions 1; Tomato paste 1 tsp; Extra virgin olive oil 2.7 tbsp; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Vegetable broth 6 ¼ cups; Verza (savoy cabbage) ½; Potatoes 1.1 lbs; Fine salt to taste; Dill 2 tbsp; Seitan fresh 7 oz; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Rye bread 8 slices; Garlic 1 clove; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Sour cream 4 spoonfuls; Dill a few sprigs

it de fr es br

693

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 693
Carbohydrates g 55.4
of which sugars g 16.5
Protein g 60.8
Fats g 25.4
of which saturated fat g 6.14
Fiber g 11
Cholesterol mg 67
Sodium mg 1491

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Seitan borscht, I gotta say, is a fresh twist on a beloved Ukrainian classic. And look, that deep pink color from the beetroot? Seriously, you cannot beat it. This vegan borscht recipe skips the usual beef yet still captures those earthy and sweet notes, which is great for those Eastern European kitchens. Using seitan keeps it plant-based—you know—and gives the soup a hearty bite that soaks up all the flavors from the veggies and tangy tomato. In Ukraine, borscht is super super special at family meals. Many folks are embracing these meatless versions for their lighter feel and tender texture. Beetroot really shines here as the main event in this healthy beetroot soup.

And you know what? People love seeing how dishes change from place to place, pretty much. Plant-based borscht is a perfect example. Some regions add extra veggies like carrots or cabbage, so every bowl feels kinda different. With seitan, you get that chewy, moist bite you’d usually expect from meat. But here's the thing, it keeps the whole deal meatless—which is awesome for anyone avoiding animal products. One thing that never changes? Topping your bowl with a dollop of sour cream. Really, without it, borscht just isn’t the same! Even if you swap out sour cream for a dairy-free version, you still get that creamy finish.

This plant-based borscht makes for a cozy meal, whether it’s freezing outside or you’re just after something comforting and colorful. It goes great with rustic bread—can't go wrong there—letting you soak up every last bit of that sweet, tender broth. Ukrainian families have been serving this soup for ages. And now, with seitan in the mix, it’s getting a new look that's way way more exciting, especially for anyone curious about Eastern European food with a modern, vegan spin.

INGREDIENTS

693

Calories per serving

Precooked beets 1.1 lbs (500 g)

Peeled tomatoes 1 ¾ cup (400 g)

Carrots 2

White onions 1

Tomato paste 1 tsp

Extra virgin olive oil 2.7 tbsp (40 g)

Fine salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

For the boiled vegetables: Vegetable broth 6 ¼ cups (1.5 l); Verza (savoy cabbage) ½; Potatoes 1.1 lbs (500 g); Fine salt to taste; Dill 2 tbsp (10 g)

For the seitan: Seitan 7 oz (200 g) - fresh; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

For the croutons: Rye bread 8 slices; Garlic 1 clove; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

For serving: Sour cream 4 spoonfuls; Dill - a few sprigs

Preparation

How to prepare Seitan Borscht

To prepare the seitan borscht, make the Vegetable broth. Then peel and grate the carrot 1 and beetroot 2 using a coarse grater. Then peel and chop the onion 3.

Move to the stove and pour into a saucepan, turn on the burner and heat the oil with the onions 4, stirring occasionally. After browning over medium heat, add the grated carrot and beetroot 5. After another minute, add the tomato paste 6.

Meanwhile, mash the canned tomatoes with a fork 7 and add them to the pot 8. Season with salt and pepper, stir, and let cook over low heat for about 25 minutes 9.

In the meantime, take care of the cabbage. After removing the outer leaves, cut the head in half and cut out the core 10. Then slice it 11 and move on to the potato. After washing and drying it, peel it 12.

And cut it into cubes about 1 cm (0.4 inches) in size 13. Move to the stove. In a pot where you have heated the vegetable broth, add the potatoes 14 and let them boil for 15 minutes. After the time has passed, add the cabbage and continue cooking for another 5 minutes 15.

Meanwhile, take care of the bread: after slicing it, place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with a little oil 16. Then toast the slices in a preheated static oven at 392°F (200°C) for about 8 minutes. As soon as they are ready, take them out of the oven and, while still hot, rub them with a peeled clove of garlic 17. By now, the carrot and beetroot with the tomato will be ready, so add them to the pot with the potatoes and cabbage 18.

Stir and let the flavors meld for another ten minutes 19. You have just enough time to slice the seitan into strips 20. Then put a pan on the heat with a drizzle of oil and heat. Afterward, add the seitan and sear over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often; season with salt and pepper 21.

Off the heat, flavor the soup with dill 22. Stir and plate, adding the seitan to each serving dish 23. Then garnish your seitan borscht with two slices of bread and a dollop of sour cream 24.

Storage

Like any soup, seitan borscht is even better the next day and keeps in the fridge covered for 2 days. The croutons are best freshly made. Seitan tends to dry out, so it's better to prepare it just before consumption or, at most, keep it immersed in the sauce, although it will lose its firmness.
If you prefer, you can freeze it.

Advice

There are countless variations of this soup depending on the country or even various families who keep the recipe by varying the vegetables and types of meat. In our version, there is no meat, so seitan borscht is a perfect dish even for those who do not consume it.
To preserve the characteristic purplish color of the precooked beetroot, many add vinegar or lemon juice and even the same pickling liquid to the sauté. For those who intend to boil the beet, they can then use the boiling water as broth: it will have a really unique color! The garlic bread we proposed is inspired by the pampushka, a typical garlic bun that accompanies the soup.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.