Sweater weather is here to stay — and so is soup weather! I’ve got a few cozy classics on the blog already, like Curried Butternut Squash Soup and Ginger Curry Carrot & Squash Soup. So, I wanted to venture out of my comfort zone a bit for this recipe and attempt something that wasn’t so… orange.
Enter borscht, a vibrant beet-based soup with origins in Eastern European cuisine. It’s a pretty versatile end-of-the-week type of dish; outside of a few necessary ingredients, you can add pretty much any veggies or protein to the stew. Traditional borscht is made using beef or bone broth and served with sour cream, but I’ve replaced these with vegetable broth and dairy-free yogurt to make the recipe 100% plant-based!
Yield: 6
Instant Pot Borscht (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free)
Cook time: 60 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil, divided
- 1 lb plant-based sausage
- 1 cup onion (1 medium onion), diced
- 1 tsp garlic (2 cloves), minced
- 1 lb beets (4 medium beets), peeled and cubed
- 1 lb potatoes (3 medium potatoes or 8 - 10 baby potatoes), peeled and cubed
- 1 cup carrots (2 medium carrots), peeled and chopped
- 2 cups cabbage (1/2 medium head of cabbage), shredded
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen spinach, packed
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- optional: dairy-free yogurt, to serve
Instructions
- Select the Sauté function on your Instant Pot and set the timer for 10 minutes on the Normal setting. Add 1 tbsp oil to cover the bottom of the pot and pan fry the sausages until crispy (about 2-1/2 minutes on each side). Remove and set aside.
- Add the rest of the oil and sauté the onions until translucent (about 3 minutes). Add minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
- Cancel the Sauté function. Add beets, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, spinach, vegetable broth, and water. Stir well to combine.
- Seal the Instant Pot, ensure the pressure valve is turned to 'Sealing' and select the Pressure Cook function. Pressure cook on High for 40 minutes.
- After the 40 minutes are up, allow the pressure to naturally release for an additional 10 minutes.
- Using a dishtowel or oven mitt, carefully turn the pressure valve from 'Sealing' to 'Venting.' Once you see the metal rod click back down, open the Instant Pot and give the borscht a stir.
- Add lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Prior to serving, cut up the plant-based sausage and add it to the borscht.
- optional: Top with a dollop of dairy-free yogurt
