How to make traditional Ukrainian borscht
Overview of how borsch (borscht) is prepared.
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News •
‘Borscht Battle’ in Washington Raises Funds for Ukrainian Medics
• Oct. 20, 2026, 5:09 PM ET (VOA - Voice of America English News)
Transcript
NARRATOR: Ukraine, about 100 kilometers outside of Kiev - at the Andrijtschuk house, the day starts at five in the morning and everything runs like clockwork. After getting fresh water and firing up the oven, Olga begins with the day's cooking. Mr. and Mrs. Andrijtschuk enjoy borscht several times a week. Olga is boiling some potatoes, soaked beans and soup meat with marrow, to which she will add a fair amount of cabbage. In a separate pan, she sautés beetroot with carrots and onions.
OLGA ANDRIJTSCHUK: "Borscht is our major staple in Ukraine."
NARRATOR: All sorts of borscht are popular in the Andrijtschuks' village. There's even green borscht made with sorrel or cucumbers. Still, the red one is everybody's favorite. Olga adds a touch of vinegar to the beetroot before letting it stew. Doing this helps preserves the brilliant red color.
ANDRIJTSCHUK: "Borscht has to be bright red. Red borscht is the best of all."
NARRATOR: Cream and tomato paste make the borscht thick and velvety. The sautéed beetroot is mixed into the ragout and then all of the ingredients are left to stew together. Borscht is traditionally served with cream, which Olga skims herself from fresh milk. Finally, she slices some onions and peels a clove of garlic, and dinner is served at the Andrijtschuk house.
ANDRIJTSCHUK: "Borscht and porridge are what people here most enjoy eating. There's red borscht and green borscht, which is made with cabbage or cucumber. In fact, my husband doesn't even bother coming to the table if I serve anything else. He likes his borscht."
NARRATOR: Borscht is undoubtedly the dish most readily associated with Russian cuisine. Yet the Ukrainians are supposedly the ones who invented it - at least that's what they say.
OLGA ANDRIJTSCHUK: "Borscht is our major staple in Ukraine."
NARRATOR: All sorts of borscht are popular in the Andrijtschuks' village. There's even green borscht made with sorrel or cucumbers. Still, the red one is everybody's favorite. Olga adds a touch of vinegar to the beetroot before letting it stew. Doing this helps preserves the brilliant red color.
ANDRIJTSCHUK: "Borscht has to be bright red. Red borscht is the best of all."
NARRATOR: Cream and tomato paste make the borscht thick and velvety. The sautéed beetroot is mixed into the ragout and then all of the ingredients are left to stew together. Borscht is traditionally served with cream, which Olga skims herself from fresh milk. Finally, she slices some onions and peels a clove of garlic, and dinner is served at the Andrijtschuk house.
ANDRIJTSCHUK: "Borscht and porridge are what people here most enjoy eating. There's red borscht and green borscht, which is made with cabbage or cucumber. In fact, my husband doesn't even bother coming to the table if I serve anything else. He likes his borscht."
NARRATOR: Borscht is undoubtedly the dish most readily associated with Russian cuisine. Yet the Ukrainians are supposedly the ones who invented it - at least that's what they say.
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