The first time I made this soup was on a fasting day when I wanted something light yet filling, and I had cauliflower and some forgotten vegetables in the fridge. Since then, I've returned to this recipe often, especially in spring and summer when fresh vegetables are readily available. It's not fussy and doesn’t take much time if you have everything prepared.
Quick Info
Total Time: 50-60 minutes
Servings: 4-5
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1 small cauliflower (approx. 500 g)
200 g yellow beans (fresh or frozen)
200 g peas (fresh or frozen)
2 medium carrots
1 bell pepper (ideally red or yellow)
1 medium onion
50 g tomato paste (or 2 tablespoons, to taste)
2 tablespoons oil
1 bunch of parsley
250 ml borscht (or more, depending on how sour you want the soup)
salt to taste
Instructions
1. Clean all the vegetables: break the cauliflower into florets, peel the carrots, break the beans into 3-4 cm pieces, and peel the onion and bell pepper.
2. Wash the vegetables well under cold running water, especially the cauliflower. If you’re using frozen peas or beans, there’s no need to thaw them beforehand.
3. Bring about 2 liters of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, yellow beans, and peas when the water starts to boil. Cook them over medium heat for about 20 minutes, covered.
4. Meanwhile, chop the carrots into small cubes or grate them, depending on your preference. I prefer cubes as they hold their shape better.
5. When the vegetables from step 3 are almost cooked (the peas and beans should be slightly soft but not mushy), add the carrots to the pot and let them cook for another 5-7 minutes.
6. Separately, finely chop the onion and dice the bell pepper. In a small pan, heat the oil, add the onion with a pinch of salt, and sauté over low heat for 2-3 minutes until it becomes translucent. Add the bell pepper and sauté for another 2 minutes, then add the tomato paste. Stir and cook for another minute.
7. Take a ladle of soup from the main pot and pour it over the onion and tomato paste mixture in the pan. Mix well and let it simmer over low heat for another minute. Transfer the contents of the pan into the soup pot.
8. Lower the heat. Add the borscht (boil it separately if you’re using raw borscht from the market for safety). Stir and let it come to a boil for 2-3 minutes.
9. Taste and adjust the salt. Optionally, you can add pepper if desired.
10. Chop the washed parsley and sprinkle it into the pot at the end, after you turn off the heat. Stir gently and cover for a few minutes to let the flavors infuse.
Why I make this recipe often
This recipe is handy because it’s quick, has no complicated steps, and is easy to adapt based on the vegetables you have on hand. The soup keeps well for a few days, making it suitable if you want to cook in advance or have lunch sorted without much effort. The flavor is balanced and slightly tangy, and it doesn’t require any special ingredients.
Tips and Variations
Tips
If you want the soup to be tangier, you can add a bit more borscht at the end, to taste.
Avoid stirring the soup too much after adding the cauliflower to prevent it from breaking apart.
If using store-bought borscht, taste it first—some varieties can be saltier or more acidic.
Frozen vegetables don’t need long cooking, so check their texture more frequently.
Substitutions
You can replace yellow beans with green beans if that’s what you have.
Cauliflower can be substituted with broccoli, or you can omit it entirely if you don’t tolerate it.
Instead of a bell pepper, you can use a kapia pepper or even a small sweet pepper.
If you don’t have borscht, you can sour it with lemon juice or a bit of vinegar, but add it gradually.
Variations
Add celery or parsnip for a more intense flavor.
If you want a heartier soup, you can add a small diced potato, but it’s not mandatory.
For color, you can add a bit of paprika when sautéing the onion.
You can also add fresh lovage along with the parsley.
Serving Ideas
Serve warm, plain, with fresh bread or polenta.
For those not fasting, it also works well with a spoonful of sour cream on top.
It’s also good cold, especially in summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What do I do if I don’t have borscht?
You can use lemon juice or vinegar, added gradually and tasted along the way. It won’t have the exact same flavor, but the soup will still be tangy and good.
2. Can I use only frozen vegetables?
Yes, the soup can be made without issues using frozen vegetables. The cooking time might be shorter, so check the texture of the vegetables more frequently.
3. How long do I cook the vegetables?
It depends on their freshness and how large you cut them. Generally, 20-25 minutes for cauliflower, beans, and peas, then another 5-7 minutes for carrots and the rest.
4. What do I do if I added too much borscht?
Add a bit of hot water and adjust the salt if needed.
5. Can the soup be frozen?
Yes, but the texture of the cauliflower and beans may change slightly upon thawing, becoming softer. The flavor remains fine.
Nutritional Values
One serving (approx. 350 ml) has about 100-120 kcal, 5-6 g protein, 17-20 g carbohydrates, and under 2 g fat (depending on how much oil you use). It’s a low-calorie soup rich in fiber and vitamins due to the variety of vegetables.
Storage and Reheating
The soup can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. It reheats easily on the stovetop over low heat, just until it comes to a boil. I don’t recommend using the microwave as it changes the texture of the vegetables. If you want to make it in advance, add the greens only at serving time for a fresher taste.
Quick Info
Total Time: 50-60 minutes
Servings: 4-5
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1 small cauliflower (approx. 500 g)
200 g yellow beans (fresh or frozen)
200 g peas (fresh or frozen)
2 medium carrots
1 bell pepper (ideally red or yellow)
1 medium onion
50 g tomato paste (or 2 tablespoons, to taste)
2 tablespoons oil
1 bunch of parsley
250 ml borscht (or more, depending on how sour you want the soup)
salt to taste
Instructions
1. Clean all the vegetables: break the cauliflower into florets, peel the carrots, break the beans into 3-4 cm pieces, and peel the onion and bell pepper.
2. Wash the vegetables well under cold running water, especially the cauliflower. If you’re using frozen peas or beans, there’s no need to thaw them beforehand.
3. Bring about 2 liters of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, yellow beans, and peas when the water starts to boil. Cook them over medium heat for about 20 minutes, covered.
4. Meanwhile, chop the carrots into small cubes or grate them, depending on your preference. I prefer cubes as they hold their shape better.
5. When the vegetables from step 3 are almost cooked (the peas and beans should be slightly soft but not mushy), add the carrots to the pot and let them cook for another 5-7 minutes.
6. Separately, finely chop the onion and dice the bell pepper. In a small pan, heat the oil, add the onion with a pinch of salt, and sauté over low heat for 2-3 minutes until it becomes translucent. Add the bell pepper and sauté for another 2 minutes, then add the tomato paste. Stir and cook for another minute.
7. Take a ladle of soup from the main pot and pour it over the onion and tomato paste mixture in the pan. Mix well and let it simmer over low heat for another minute. Transfer the contents of the pan into the soup pot.
8. Lower the heat. Add the borscht (boil it separately if you’re using raw borscht from the market for safety). Stir and let it come to a boil for 2-3 minutes.
9. Taste and adjust the salt. Optionally, you can add pepper if desired.
10. Chop the washed parsley and sprinkle it into the pot at the end, after you turn off the heat. Stir gently and cover for a few minutes to let the flavors infuse.
Why I make this recipe often
This recipe is handy because it’s quick, has no complicated steps, and is easy to adapt based on the vegetables you have on hand. The soup keeps well for a few days, making it suitable if you want to cook in advance or have lunch sorted without much effort. The flavor is balanced and slightly tangy, and it doesn’t require any special ingredients.
Tips and Variations
Tips
If you want the soup to be tangier, you can add a bit more borscht at the end, to taste.
Avoid stirring the soup too much after adding the cauliflower to prevent it from breaking apart.
If using store-bought borscht, taste it first—some varieties can be saltier or more acidic.
Frozen vegetables don’t need long cooking, so check their texture more frequently.
Substitutions
You can replace yellow beans with green beans if that’s what you have.
Cauliflower can be substituted with broccoli, or you can omit it entirely if you don’t tolerate it.
Instead of a bell pepper, you can use a kapia pepper or even a small sweet pepper.
If you don’t have borscht, you can sour it with lemon juice or a bit of vinegar, but add it gradually.
Variations
Add celery or parsnip for a more intense flavor.
If you want a heartier soup, you can add a small diced potato, but it’s not mandatory.
For color, you can add a bit of paprika when sautéing the onion.
You can also add fresh lovage along with the parsley.
Serving Ideas
Serve warm, plain, with fresh bread or polenta.
For those not fasting, it also works well with a spoonful of sour cream on top.
It’s also good cold, especially in summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What do I do if I don’t have borscht?
You can use lemon juice or vinegar, added gradually and tasted along the way. It won’t have the exact same flavor, but the soup will still be tangy and good.
2. Can I use only frozen vegetables?
Yes, the soup can be made without issues using frozen vegetables. The cooking time might be shorter, so check the texture of the vegetables more frequently.
3. How long do I cook the vegetables?
It depends on their freshness and how large you cut them. Generally, 20-25 minutes for cauliflower, beans, and peas, then another 5-7 minutes for carrots and the rest.
4. What do I do if I added too much borscht?
Add a bit of hot water and adjust the salt if needed.
5. Can the soup be frozen?
Yes, but the texture of the cauliflower and beans may change slightly upon thawing, becoming softer. The flavor remains fine.
Nutritional Values
One serving (approx. 350 ml) has about 100-120 kcal, 5-6 g protein, 17-20 g carbohydrates, and under 2 g fat (depending on how much oil you use). It’s a low-calorie soup rich in fiber and vitamins due to the variety of vegetables.
Storage and Reheating
The soup can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. It reheats easily on the stovetop over low heat, just until it comes to a boil. I don’t recommend using the microwave as it changes the texture of the vegetables. If you want to make it in advance, add the greens only at serving time for a fresher taste.