Name: Doukhobor Borshch (Creamy Cabbage and Tomato Soup)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: About 2.4 L (6 servings of about 400 mL)
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: Water — 1.5 L; Medium potatoes, peeled and halved — 2; Small beet, scrubbed and left whole — 40 g; Carrot, finely grated — 60 mL; Carrot, finely chopped — 65 mL; Celery, finely chopped — 30 mL; Yellow onion, finely chopped — 125 mL; Fresh dill, finely chopped — 15 mL; Potato, peeled and diced — 125 mL; Green cabbage, finely shredded — 750 mL; Fine salt — 7.5 mL; Whipping cream — 125 mL; Canned crushed tomatoes — 500 mL; Green bell pepper, finely chopped — 90 mL; Green onions, thinly sliced — 90 mL; Unsalted butter — 75 mL; Ground black pepper — 1 g (optional)

Wide view of creamy cabbage and tomato borshch in a ceramic bowl, with potato pieces and chopped dill visible. — A bowl of pale orange tomato-and-cabbage borshch, ready to serve.

Prep 35 min

Cook 50 min

Total 1 hr 35 min

Calories About 260 kcal per 400 mL

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Doukhobor Borshch (Creamy Cabbage and Tomato Soup)

It is a meat-free, dairy-rich preparation with cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onion, green pepper, celery, dill and green onion. A small whole beet simmers in the broth and is removed before serving, so it lends only a gentle tint rather than becoming the soup’s main flavor or color.

Family and published formulas vary, so this is one documented version rather than a universal recipe. The method keeps some cabbage tender in butter and cooks the rest directly in the broth; mashed potato and cream thicken the soup, while a reduced tomato-onion sauce is stirred in at the end. That sequence gives the bowl its characteristic contrast of soft, creamy broth and distinct vegetables.

Practical

Start the broth and tomato pan first; use the simmering time to soften the aromatics and cabbage in a second pan.
Cook the tomato-onion mixture until it is thick, then stir half into the broth and reserve half for the finish.
Mash the boiled potatoes with the cream and seasonings until spoonable; this thickens the soup without puréeing every vegetable.

Ingredients

Soup

Water — 1.5 L
Medium potatoes, peeled and halved — 2
Small beet, scrubbed and left whole — 40 g
Carrot, finely grated — 60 mL
Carrot, finely chopped — 65 mL
Celery, finely chopped — 30 mL
Yellow onion, finely chopped — 125 mL
Fresh dill, finely chopped — 15 mL
Potato, peeled and diced — 125 mL
Green cabbage, finely shredded — 750 mL
Fine salt — 7.5 mL
Whipping cream — 125 mL
Canned crushed tomatoes — 500 mL
Green bell pepper, finely chopped — 90 mL
Green onions, thinly sliced — 90 mL
Unsalted butter — 75 mL
Ground black pepper — 1 g (optional)

Directions

Method

Step 1Prepare all the vegetables before heating the pans. Halve the two medium potatoes for the broth and dice the additional potato into pieces about 1 cm wide. Divide the onion, cabbage, cream, bell pepper, green onion and dill as described in the ingredient notes; keep the small beet whole.
Step 2In a large soup pot, combine 1.5 L water, 7.5 mL salt, the halved potatoes, whole beet, 65 mL chopped carrot, 30 mL celery and 250 mL crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, until a fork passes easily through the potatoes.
Step 3While the broth simmers, make the tomato sauce in one frying pan: combine the remaining 250 mL tomatoes, 7.5 mL butter and 30 mL onion. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until thick rather than watery and the onion is soft.
Step 4In the second pan, melt 30 mL butter over medium heat. Add the remaining 95 mL onion, 60 mL grated carrot and 30 mL green pepper; cook 8–10 minutes until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are soft, without browning. Transfer them to a bowl. In the same pan, melt another 30 mL butter, add 250 mL cabbage and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring, until tender but not browned.
Step 5When the broth potatoes are fork-tender, lift them into a bowl with a slotted spoon. Mash with 7.5 mL butter, 60 mL cream, 30 mL green pepper, 30 mL green onion and 7.5 mL dill until creamy and spoonable. Leave the beet in the pot for now.
Step 6Add the 125 mL diced potato, remaining 500 mL raw shredded cabbage and 65 mL cream to the broth. Simmer 10–15 minutes, until the diced potato is tender but still holds its shape and the cabbage has softened.
Step 7Stir the mashed potatoes back into the pot. Bring the soup to a brief boil while stirring so the mash disperses and the broth thickens; reduce the heat if it threatens to catch on the bottom.
Step 8Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the reserved tomato sauce, softened onion-carrot-pepper mixture and sautéed cabbage. Add the remaining 60 mL green onion, 30 mL green pepper and 7.5 mL dill, plus optional black pepper. Lift out and discard the beet. Taste the broth for seasoning; do not add more salt automatically because canned tomatoes vary.
Step 9Let the soup stand for 10 minutes, then ladle it hot into bowls. It should be creamy and pale orange, with visible cabbage and potato rather than a smooth purée.

Practical

Serving

Serve the soup hot with fresh bread; sharp cheddar also makes a fitting accompaniment. Because it contains cream, keep it hot for the meal and refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers, within 2 hours. Use refrigerated soup within 2–3 days or freeze it. Reheat while stirring until it reaches a full rolling boil. The soup thickens as it rests; loosen a reheated portion with a little water if needed. Avoid substituting beet purée for the small whole beet, since that would make the color and flavor much stronger.

Control points

The soup looks too red or tastes strongly of beet: remove the whole beet as soon as the potatoes are tender; do not grate it into the pot.
The cream seems thin or the vegetables lack body: mash the boiled potatoes thoroughly, return them to the pot and stir until the broth thickens; keep the diced potatoes intact for texture.

Nutrition

Serving sizeAbout 400 mL
Calories260 kcal
Carbohydrate22 g
Protein4 g
Fat17 g
Fibre5 g
Sodium450 mg

Rounded estimate for one-sixth of the half-batch, using generic food-composition values and estimated edible weights for the measured vegetables. The batch is about 1,560 kcal in total. Salt and canned-tomato brands affect sodium; this is not laboratory analysis or a product label.

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk from butter and whipping cream. The recipe contains no meat, but it is not vegan or dairy-free. Keep the finished soup hot for serving. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours; do not leave the pot at room temperature longer than 2 hours. Keep refrigerated soup 2–3 days or freeze it, and reheat soup to a full rolling boil while stirring.

FAQ

Why is the beet removed instead of left in the soup?

In this version, a small whole beet simmers in the broth and is discarded. It can tint the liquid gently, while cabbage, tomato, cream and mashed potato define the soup; other family recipes may use beets differently or omit them.

Closing notes

Keep the two cabbage preparations distinct: buttery-soft cabbage and tender cabbage cooked in the broth.
Stir the thick tomato sauce in off heat and let the finished soup rest briefly before serving.