Instant Pot Borscht

Instant Pot Borscht is my Ukrainian grandma’s borscht recipe adapted for a pressure cooker. Serve this hearty cabbage and beet soup with lots of dill, garlic and sour cream. So good!

Pressure Cooker Borscht

Instant Pot borscht. Borscht is Ukrainian cabbage and beet soup I grew up eating almost every week.

Eventually I have adapted my grandma’s recipe to a pressure cooker. And it tastes just like hers.

Even without any sauteing of vegetables in tomato sauce called “zazharka”. You throw everything in one pot and walk away!

If you don’t have Instant Pot, I have a stovetop version of this Ukrainian borscht.

Ingredients for Borscht

These are a must have ingredients. Below I go over other variations.

• Beets
• Cabbage
• Potato, onion, carrot
• Tomato paste
• Garlic and dill

Borscht Variations & Substitutions

• Dried beans: The beauty of Instant Pot is that it can cook dried beans without soaking. I recommend to use white navy, red kidney, pinto or lima beans. They tend to make Instant Pot cabbage borscht more hearty due to their high starch content.
• Red kidney beans fact: I think I prefer white navy beans to red kidney beans next time. Dried red kidney beans make borscht very “beany” tasting and also change the colour to more orange.
• Canned beans: Reduce water to 5 cups ( 6 quart) and 8 cups (8 quart) and 15 minutes cook time is enough.

• Meat or soup bones: I added one large chicken breast for protein. You can use any chicken pieces like drumsticks, legs, thighs or bones. The more fat or skin, more rich is the borscht. Also chicken makes borscht more sweet. More classic choice would be beef short ribs or bones.
• Tomato sauce or diced tomatoes: I prefer tomato sauce because it’s more hearty where as diced tomatoes contain more water. But I have used both depending on my pantry’s contents.
• Ketchup: My mom’s trick. Worst case scenario you can add a bit of ketchup if you are out of canned tomato sauce. I am personally not a fan. My mom likes to add a squirt in any case.
• Sauerkraut: There is a version of Ukrainian borscht recipe with all or some of sauerkraut in place of fresh cabbage. I have a feeling that Poland or Croatia do the same. Borscht needs acidity (more on it in the next point) and sweetness. Sauerkraut adds that tangy taste that I personally love. It is optional.

How to Make Instant Pot Borscht

• Prep: I prep ingredients and add them to the pot as I prep. Shred cabbage, rinse beans and meat (if using), dice onions, slice carrots, cube potatoes and cut beets into matchsticks. I like to cut beets last because of their “bleeding”.
• Do not stir and add liquids + seasonings: Pour water, tomato sauce/ paste, maple syrup, bay leaves, salt and pepper on top. Do not stir.
• Cook for 35 mins on high: Press Pressure Cook on High or Manual button for 35 minutes. It will take about 30 mins for it to come to pressure.
• While borscht is cooking prep garnishes: Peel garlic, chop dill, slice lemon in half to prepare for squeezing (if not using vinegar).
• Wait 15 mins and release pressure: After 35 minutes is up, let it stand for 15 minutes. And then release pressure using Quick Release method by turning valve to Venting. It is OK to use Natural Release while you are away.
• Season more: Add lemon juice, grate garlic and add dill. We like lots of everything.

More Tips and Facts

• Superfood: Borscht is healthy and affordable.
• Cultures: Every Eastern European country has its own version of borscht soup. Every cook even within same family cooks their own version of borscht.
• Variations: Borscht can be vegetarian, with beef, beans, chicken, pork or bones.
• More flavor: Borscht tastes even better next day. Freshly cooked tastes amazing too. Just different.
• Consistency: Borscht soup thickens more the longer it sits.
• It is important to add fresh garlic and dill after borscht has finished cooking!
• More tips: If you are new to pressure cooking, check out my Instant Pot guide. If you don’t have an Instant pot but want to buy one soon, check out which Instant Pot to buy.

How Ukrainians Serve Borscht

• Sour cream or plain yogurt. As much as you want. Alex loves a dollop of mayo. I don’t but it’s an option too.
• More garlic. Yes! I know you might think I’m crazy but I’m Ukrainian. We always ate borscht while biting on a clove of garlic. So good! Garlic is nature’s antibiotic, did you know?!
• Rye bread. If you could only smell and taste freshly baked Ukrainian rye bread from the bakery, you would understand why I think bagged, sliced and good for 10 days North American bread is a joke. I would cut a garlic clove in half and rub it all around the slice, especially the crust. So good! These days we satisfy ourselves with organic bagged whole grain bread, toasting helps.

As a kid, I also would rub a slice of rye bread all over. Spread sour cream on top. And sprinkle with salt. So probably weird to you but so good to me!:) I get it. Eating crickets sounds weird to me to but many do. Can’t argue about tastes and cuisines.

Enjoy, friends!

How to Store and Reheat Borscht

Storing: Refrigerate borscht for up to 5 days. It is like wine and gets only better with time.

Freezing: Freeze in an airtight container leaving some room for expansion. Borscht freezes beautifully. Thaw on a counter for a few hours or bottom shelf of the fridge overnight.

Reheating: Reheat only amount you need in a small pot by simmering and stirring on low.

More Healthy Instant Pot Soup Recipes

Did you know we have entire Youtube channel dedicated to healthy Instant Pot recipes and tips? Make sure to subscribe and hit the Bell icon not to miss new videos.

• Instant Pot lentil soup
• Instant Pot chicken noodle soup
• Instant Pot split pea soup
• Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup
• Looking for more dinner ideas? Check out my most popular collection of 30 healthy Instant Pot recipes.

Authentic Instant Pot Borscht

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews

Instant Pot Borscht is my Ukrainian grandma’s borscht recipe adapted to pressure cooker. Serve this hearty cabbage and beet soup with lots of dill, garlic and sour cream. So good!

• Author: Olena of ifoodreal.com
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 7 (6 Qt.), 10 (8 Qt.) servings 1x
• Category: Soup and Stew
• Method: Instant Pot
• Cuisine: Ukrainian

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For 8 Quart Instant Pot

• 2 lbs cabbage, coarsely shredded
• 1.5 lbs (5 large) potatoes, cubed
• 1 lb (3 medium) beets, cut into sticks
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup red kidney beans, dried (optional)
• 1 lb any chicken, beef or bones (optional)
• 12 cups water
• 14 oz can tomato sauce, low sodium
• 6 oz can tomato paste, low sodium
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 lemon, juice of
• Lots of freshly grated garlic
• Lots of fresh chopped dill

For 6 Quart Instant Pot

• 1.5 lbs cabbage, coarsely shredded
• 1 lb (3 large) potatoes, cubed
• 2 medium beets, cut into sticks
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup red kidney beans, dried (optional)
• 1/2 lb any chicken, beef or bones (optional)
• 8 cups water
• 14 oz can tomato sauce, low sodium
• 6 oz can tomato paste, low sodium
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• Lots of freshly grated garlic
• Lots of fresh chopped dill

Instructions

1. In Instant Pot, add ingredients in the following order: cabbage, beans (if using), potatoes, beets, carrots, onion and chicken or bones (if using). Do not stir.
2. Pour water and then add on top tomato sauce and paste, maple syrup, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Do not stir.
3. Close the lid, turn pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 35 minutes.
4. After Instant Pot has finished cooking, let Instant Pot borscht stand for 15 minutes or longer. And then release pressure using Quick Release method by turning valve to Venting and open the lid.
5. Add lemon juice, fresh garlic and dill. We like lots. Stir and adjust any seasoning to taste.
6. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, rye or whole wheat bread and more garlic.:)

Storing: Refrigerate borscht for up to 5 days. It is like wine and gets only better with time.

Freezing: Freeze in an airtight container leaving some room for expansion. Borscht freezes beautifully. Thaw on a counter for a few hours or bottom shelf of the fridge overnight.

Reheating: Reheat only amount you need in a small pot by simmering and stirring on low.

Notes

• Canned beans: Reduce water to 5 cups ( 6 quart) and 8 cups (8 quart) and 15 minutes cook time is enough.
• If you are not a fan of thick bean based soup cooked with dried beans skip the beans.
• Substitute tomato sauce with diced or crushed tomatoes.
• Substitute maple syrup or honey with any sugar.
• Instead of lemon juice use white or apple cider vinegar.

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.

24412.5 g693.4 mg1.8 g0.4 g0 g40.5 g9.3 g18.5 g33.1 mg

Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com