I get a deep hankering for this soup such that I must stop what I am doing at once to make it. Perhaps it is a call for the mineral-rich ingredients or the crimson-purple hue that delights my senses. The deep pigment of beets is demonstrative of the betacyanin they contain – a powerful cancer-fighting compound. With origins in the Ukraine, iterations of this dish have been celebrated by Eastern and Central Europeans for eons. My trick to elicit just the right substantial texture is to shred some of the beets instead of using a heavy hand with potatoes.

Yields: 8 or more servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion
3/4 lb potatoes, peeled and diced small
2-1/2 cups purple cabbage (about 1/4 of a medium head), sliced

8 cups veggie broth (homemade is best!)
2 carrots, cut in half long-ways and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
6 beets, peeled and chopped (shred 1-1/2 of them finely)
1 cup organic canned tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
sea salt to taste

1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
vegan sour cream or organic sour cream to garnish

PROCEDURE:

Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan.
Add onion, potato, and cabbage and saut' until cabbage softens, about 5 minutes.
Add stock, carrots, beets, tomato and paste, red wine vinegar and a dash of salt.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes or until the beets can be easily pierced with a fork.
Season to taste with salt and stir in dill.

SERVICE

Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream or organic sour cream and a pinch of chopped dill.

LEFTOVER STORAGE

Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.