Beet and Vegetable Borscht Soup

Liquidized (IDDSI Level 3)

Smooth foods that pour easily and require no chewing, but are moderately thicker than regular liquids.

Beet and vegetable borscht is the kind of soup that’s earthy, gently sweet, and deeply savory in a way that builds rather than shouts. The beets give it color and body, but it’s the slow cooked vegetables underneath that make it feel rounded and complete. This isn’t a sharp, sour soup; it’s balanced, warm, and steady.

What makes borscht especially satisfying is how patient it is. As the vegetables soften and mingle, the broth thickens naturally and the flavors settle into something cohesive. The beets mellow, the aromatics soften, and a small hit of acid at the end keeps everything from feeling flat. It’s comforting without being heavy, and flavorful without relying on intensity.

This liquidized (IDDSI level 3) version is meant to be adaptable and forgiving. It reheats well, tastes even better the next day, and can be finished with something creamy. Beet and vegetable borscht isn’t about precision; it’s about letting simple ingredients do what they’re good at and ending up with a soup that feels grounding, familiar, and nourishing.

Beet & Vegetable Borscht Soup Recipe

This borscht-style soup uses softened vegetables fully while developing layered, savory flavor. Beets provide natural sweetness and color. Cooked gently and finished with a small amount of fat, the soup reheats beautifully and adapts easily across texture levels. Serve in small portions as a first course, or in larger bowls as a vegetable-forward meal.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine: Eastern European

Calories: 150

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 lb beets peeled and finely diced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion finely diced
• 2 medium carrots finely diced
• 1½ cup celeriac finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced or pasted
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 4 cups vegetable broth more as needed
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar adjust to taste, skip if GERD
• 1 tsp sugar or honey optional, balances beets
• ½ tsp dried dill or 1 Tbsp fresh, very finely chopped
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste

Optional finish

• Sour cream yogurt, or cashew cream
• Extra olive oil or butter

Equipment

• Large pot or Dutch oven (with lid)
• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Wooden spoon
• Immersion blender or countertop blender for Level 4

Method

 

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 8–10 minutes until fully soft and translucent. Do not brown.
2. Add garlic and tomato paste. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Add diced beets and stir to coat. Cook 2–3 minutes to warm them through.
3. Pour in vegetable broth, vinegar, sugar (if using), dill, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beets are completely tender and the soup is deeply colored. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar. Stir in butter or olive oil if using.

SLP Notes

IDDSI Texture Modifications:

• Puree 4 (PU4): Blend finished soup until smooth; thin with warm broth as needed.
  
• Minced & Moist 5 (MM5): Mince all of the vegetables to <4mm, blending the beets into a puree and folding in the remaining vegetables until cohesive.
• Soft & Bite-sized 6 (SB6): Dice beets small (<15mm) and cook until fork tender. Separately cook remaining veggies and blend with remaining ingredients to toss the beets in. 
  
• Easy to Chew 7 (EC7): You don’t need to hit a specific particle size, but stick with the moist heat to help keep everything tender. 

Testing Methods: drips freely through fork prongs, doesn’t leave a pattern when surface is pressed with a fork, pours from a tilted spoon without sticking, 8+ml left in 10mL syringe after 10 seconds (syringe flow testing).

Adjusting Consistency: If the mixture is too thick, add small amounts of liquid, one tsp at a time. If too thin, blend further with more solids or a thickening agent like xantham gum, being sure to retest at time of serving.

Temperature Caution: The viscosity of purees changes with temperature. Always test after reheating or chilling, as thinner or thicker consistencies may alter the IDDSI level.

Storage & Reheating: Refrigerate promptly and reheat gently, stirring between intervals. Always retest consistency before serving.

One of the reasons this borscht holds up so well is structural, not sentimental. As the vegetables cook down, their natural fibers and sugars dissolve into the broth, giving it body without relying on starch or cream. Beets in particular release pectins that gently thicken the soup and help the texture stay uniform, even after chilling and reheating. That’s why it feels cohesive instead of watery the next day.

Time also does useful work here. Resting allows acids, sugars, and savory compounds to redistribute, smoothing out sharp edges and deepening flavor without added seasoning. The result is a soup that stays stable across multiple meals: consistent in texture, balanced in taste, and predictable on the palate. From a food science standpoint, that reliability is what turns a pot of vegetables into something you can actually depend on.

Every recipe here is designed for texture sensitive eaters: from dysphagia to dental issues to picky eaters. Get recipe roundups and practical tips by joining the mailing list.

Looking for More?

My blueberry almond smoothie is another liquidized meal recipe for the morning. Or try out this white miso ginger sipper for another savory option.

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