How To Make Borscht In A Slow Cooker

Published: Oct, 2018. Updated: Mar, 2021 by | This post may contain affiliate links. Read more here

It's a Slow Cooker Borscht time. Classic Ukrainian Beet Soup doesn't need a special introduction. It's vibrant, hearty, healthy and absolutely delicious! No wonder, it's on a weekly menu of every Ukrainian homemaker.
Also try my Classic Ukrainian Borscht, Cold Summer Borscht, Mom's Vegetarian Borscht and Green Borscht With Spinach.

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Crockpot Borscht

This is the recipe that I make most often in my slow cooker.

For me Borscht is quintessentially a comfort food soup. There's nothing more pleasing than returning home from a day of chores and knowing that a big pot of homemade Borscht is awaiting for you.

And although in Ukraine we eat Borscht all year long, it's especially goes great in colder months when you just want a bowl of something warm and comforting.

Crockpot Borscht with Beets, Cabbage and Sour Cream

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...a few tips on making Slow Cooker Borscht Recipe

if you like Salo (Ukrainian cured pork fat) and you have the access to Ukrainian/Russian grocery stores, throw a few tablespoons of Salo mixed with garlic into the cooked Borscht. Authenticity is guaranteed;
you can use yellow or red potato, it doesn't really matter;
if you want less clean up, I recommend to use these Slow-Cooker liners . They're Amazon best-sellers and are super affordable.
as I discussed in my previous Borscht post, Ukrainian Borscht tastes even better on the second day. So if you have a big family to feed, double the ingredients in my recipe to enjoy this classic Ukrainian soup for a few days in a row.

How To Serve Borscht

Borscht is traditionally served in a large bowls with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill/parsley or both.

In Ukraine it is popular to eat Borscht with a dark rye bread, Salo, green onions or raw cloves of garlic.

Slow Cooker Borscht Recipe

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Can you freeze Borscht?

Absolutely. Ladle crockpot Borscht in a freezer-friendly zipper bags and lay flat in a freezer. Store Borscht in a freezer for up to 2-3 months.

To defrost Borscht, simply transfer it into refrigerator and let it thaw for about 24 hours. When thawed, squeeze Borscht into a saucepan and reheat until it starts to simmer.

More Comfort Food Soups

French Onion Soup - the easiest French soup ever;
Green Borscht - Ukrainian spinach soup;
Butternut Squash Soup - cozy and super flavorful;
Turkey Chili - this Chili won a cook-off. Check it out;
Austrian Garlic Soup- creamy and so flavorful, you'll be hooked;
French Parmesan Soup- another French soup that will fill your kitchen with warm and comforting flavors.
Solyanka - traditional Russian meat soup that will keep you full the whole day;
Dutch Split Pea Soup - hearty and so satisfying
Crockpot Chili - my famous Award-Winning Chili with a few minor tweaks and made in a Slow Cooker.

Already made my Slow Cooker Borscht? Snap a photo and post it on Instagram with a hashtag #lavenderandmacarons. I'd love to see your creations.

If you like this recipe, please share it on Pinterest. I would greatly appreciate this.

Crockpot Borscht

Before you start slicing the vegetables, preheat your oven to450 F. Wrap beet in a foil and roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes, depending on a size. (See the notes)

Using a paper towel peel the skin and shred the beet on a large hole grater.
Stir onion, carrot, celery, cabbage, potatoes, sugar, vinegar, tomato sauce and 6 ½ cups of broth in a slow cooker.
In a small bowl whisk together flour, the remaining ½ cup of broth, salt, pepper and add it in a slow cooker as well.
Cover with a lid and cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 3 ½ hours.
30 minutes before Borscht is ready, stir in beens along with its liquid and shredded beet. (See the notes)
When Borscht is ready, adjust the seasoning, add garlic pushed through a garlic press and chopped parsley.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

The Beets

You can also steam the beets.

Wash and cut beets in half. Place a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and steam beets on a medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes or until tender. Remove beets with the tongs, cool down and using a paper towel peel the skin.

Sautéing the veggies

If your Slow Cooker has a "Browning" feature, I recommend sautéing the vegetables first.

Set the Slow Cooker to "Brown". Add oil, onion, carrot and celery. Whisk it for a few minutes. Then, add 1 tablespoon of flour and whisk everything for another minute.

Switch the mode to "Slow Cook" and add the rest of the ingredients according to the instructions below.

Beens

I typically use Red Kidney Beans, however you can use Black Beans or White Beans.

Before you add beets and beens

My mom also likes to slightly mash the cooked potatoes before she adds beets and beens. It gives Borscht more density.

If you like your soups to be like that, take a regular potato masher and right in the slow-cooker mash the cooked vegetables 4-5 times.

---Nutritional Information Should Be Considered An Estimate---

Looking to update your slow-cooker? I've been using thisCuisinart 3-in-1 slow cooker for years. It has an option to slow cook and steam your food. In addition it can brown vegetables or meat prior to slow cooking which eliminates the need to use an extra skillet. It was sold over 2ooo times. Make a gift for yourself or your loved ones.

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