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Slow Cooker Borscht

Slow Cooker Borscht

Borscht is one of those foods from my childhood that I didn’t eat then, and now crave as an adult.  My Romanian grandmother and mother made this recipe often in the house growing up, and as with many things in my childhood I just didn’t know what a good thing I had right there in front of me!  My mother’s recipe is the authentic borscht.  I, myself, have figured out a way to make it that captures the flavor of the dish without a lot of effort.  When I told my mom I used coleslaw instead of shredding cabbage, and made it in the slow cooker instead of simmering on the stove, I thought she might disown me.  Then I realized that if she hadn’t done that yet, a Slow Cooker Borscht recipe probably wouldn’t be the tipping point.  Enjoy!

5.0 from 4 reviews
Slow Cooker Borscht
 
This recipe can be made on the stove-top as well but nothing beats coming home to a cooked comfort food like this!
Ingredients
  • 10 cups boiling water
  • 2 cups chopped beets (about 4 beets, peeled and chopped)
  • 2-3 potatoes, cubed
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 1 can stewed tomatoes
  • 2 cups coleslaw mix
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Boil 10 cups of water and pour into slow cooker (if you don't have time, just pour cold water in, it has all day to cook!)
  2. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and cook for 8-10 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high.
  3. Serve with sour cream if desired (I desire sour cream!!)
Notes
I squish the stewed tomatoes into the borscht before serving, to break them up a bit. Serve with sour cream, salt and pepper.

When peeling the beets, I use a vegetable peeler and latex gloves. Or, have nice beet stained hands for a few days like my mother and grandmother did! 😉

 

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  • In a difficult financial times my mom used to make it without meat, but the original recipes call for rich broth made of beef on the bone and then separated from it, torn into pieces and thrown into the borscht. And a dollop of sour cream always goes into each plate. Thanks for reminding me about it, I haven’t cooked it for just about as many years as I live in Canada… but then, mine was never the best from among all women in my family and extended family 🙂

  • I grew up with Borscht as well. LOVED it even as a child. I’m pretty sure my grandmother also threw in a few cloves and a couple bay leaves. I’m going to give this a try though. Thinking you could probably buy canned beets too.

  • I love borscht – I have heard rumors it was one of my first solid foods at a baby 🙂

    Thank you for sharing!

  • This is a great recipe, very close to my own and I thought I was the only one cheating by using coleslaw mix!

  • Growing up in Edmon-chuck borscht is one of my comfort foods, I wonder if I try this recipe my fussy boys will eat it? ah who cares, I will! Thanks for the easy slow cooker recipe.

  • With a German parent and Grandparent you would have thought that I would have tried borscht, but I never have. Maybe if I win a slow cooker I will be collecting recipes to try out

  • I love borscht. We make the broth base with the leftover bone from a ham (supper). The smokey flavor imparts a wonderful slant on a marvelous dish. I will have to try making it in the slow cooker though! Thanks for the idea! 🙂

  • Your Slow Cooker Borscht recipe looks great.
    I haven’t eaten Borscht in years.
    I am going to have to make this.
    Thanks for sharing.

  • I would love to try this. I like beets but really do very little with them other than boiling. I think this would make a perfect winter side, when you are bored of beans, carrots and peas!

  • I love Borscht and yet I have never made it, but after reading your recipe I think I’ll give it a try on a cold Saturday. Thanks so much for sharing all these great recipes.

  • Love borscht. I use a recipe from a Ukrainian cookbook, but could be easily adapted to a slow cooker. Very similar, but uses pork broth.

  • Immediately I saw this recipe. I forgot how much I love this, and how long it’s been since I have made it. Guess what I’m doing tomorrow?

  • I’ve never bad borscht before. It was always something I ordered. Will have to give this recipe a try. Thanks for sharing.

  • I never actually knew what Borscht was! I love beets though and can never get enough of new ways to prepare them!

  • I don’t recall ever having borscht, but all my favourites are in this dish so should be good. A good way to peel beets is do it the same as tomatoes put them in boiling water for a bit and the skin slides right off, that’s how I peel my beets when I do up 20lbs. for the freezer