Beet Greens Soup (Polish Botwinka Soup)
User Reviews
5
Beet Greens Soup (Polish Botwinka Soup)
Description
Beet Greens Soup combines potatoes sautéed slightly to develop color, garlic, and vegetable or chicken broth with young beet roots, stems, and leaves cooked together until tender. The leaves are added near the end to retain their texture. Heavy cream and lemon juice are stirred in to enrich and balance the flavors. Black pepper and salt season the soup.
The soup has a creamy yet light consistency, with earthy beet flavor complemented by fresh dill as garnish. Hard-boiled eggs served alongside add protein and substance. It can be enjoyed warm and is rooted in Polish culinary tradition, though variations exist, such as adding feta cheese to finish.
Practical tips include avoiding boiling after adding cream to prevent curdling. The soup can be refrigerated for up to three days and frozen before the cream addition. Apple cider vinegar may substitute lemon juice, and broth can be vegetable or meat-based for flexibility.
Ingredients
for the soup:
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil for frying
- 1.5 lbs potato waxy variety
- 3 garlic large cloves
- 5 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, 1.3 liters
- 1 beets or 2 small bunches, large bunch, young, with stems and leaves attached
- 1/2 cup heavy cream 120 ml, 30-36%
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
to serve:
- dill a handful
- 6 egg or more, hard-boiled
Instructions
- Prepare all the ingredients: peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.5cm) cubes, cut the garlic into thin slices, chop the dill finely. The beets: roughly cut the leaves, cut the stems into thin slices, peel the beetroots (use gloves!), and cut into thin slices (larger beets need to be cut into four parts and then into slices).
- Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat, when it's hot add the potatoes. Cook over high heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally (do not stir for the first minute), until the potatoes brown a little.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the broth and chopped beets (don't add the stems and leaves just yet). Bring to a boil, scrape all the browned bits and pieces of potatoes from the bottom of the pot with a spatula, and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped stems, stir, bring to a boil, cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the beetroot leaves and cook the soup briefly, for about 1-2 minutes, just until the leaves are wilted.
- Temper the cream: add the cream to a cup together with a few tablespoons of the soup, stir and add back to the pot.
- Take the pot off the heat, add the chopped dill and season the soup with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
- Serve with hard-boiled eggs.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Add feta or goat cheese just before serving for extra richness.
- Apple cider vinegar is a suitable substitute for lemon juice.
- The soup can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days; warm gently to avoid curdling the cream.
- Freeze the soup only before adding cream.
- Use vegetable or chicken broth based on preference.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 282 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 282kcal | 14% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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