This Shchi (Russian Cabbage Soup) is a hearty, filling soup thanks to tender chunks of beef and a combo of sauerkraut and fresh cabbage. It’s a cozy recipe for fall and winter that you’ll want to make over and over again.
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
We all love a comforting, hearty soup, especially when it's cold outside. This Russian Shchi recipe stands out because of its deep, rich flavor and how easy it is to make. Here's why we love this recipe:
- Hearty and Comfort Food: This Russian soup is a hearty and comforting dish that's perfect for cold winters. The tender beef, potatoes, and cabbage will fill you up and keep you warm.
- Easy to Make: This soup is incredibly easy to make. Just follow the simple steps, and you’ll have a delicious, homemade soup in no time.
- Simple, Fresh Ingredients: The recipe uses simple, fresh ingredients that you can easily find in your local grocery store.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: This soup actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep. It's a great recipe to make ahead and enjoy for lunch or dinner throughout the week.
- Classic, Unique Flavor: The combination of sauerkraut and fresh cabbage gives this soup a unique, slightly acidic flavor that's simply delicious.
Key Ingredients
- Beef Chuck – The beef chuck is the star of our broth. It adds a rich, meaty flavor that forms the base of our shchi.
- Onion, Carrot, and Celery – These vegetables, along with the beef chuck, add a depth of flavor to our broth. They are a classic combination in stock-making for a reason.
- Potatoes – Potatoes add a hearty element to the shchi, making it a satisfying and filling dish.
- Tomato Sauce – Tomato sauce adds a hint of acidity and a beautiful color to the shchi. It's a key ingredient that sets shchi apart from other soups.
- Garlic – Garlic is a flavor booster. It adds a pungency that cuts through the richness of the broth and the earthiness of the vegetables.
Substitutions and Variations
This hearty Russian cabbage soup recipe is flexible and can be easily adapted to suit your preferences. Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions:
- Meat: While this recipe calls for beef broth and chuck roast, you can easily substitute them with your choice of protein. Try using chicken broth with boneless chicken thighs or mushrooms for a vegetarian version like in this Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff.
- Vegetables: Feel free to play around with the vegetables in this soup. For example, you can add bell peppers, parsnips, or even sweet potatoes for a twist.
- Tomato Sauce: This recipe uses tomato sauce to give the soup a rich, tangy flavor. You can substitute it with a few tablespoons of ketchup or a small can of tomato paste diluted in water.
How to Make Shchi (Russian Cabbage Soup)
Step 1: Make a broth by boiling water and beef chuck. Skim off the foam and add seasonings and vegetables.
Step 2: Cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours. Discard the vegetables and transfer the meat. Strain the broth.
Step 3: Add diced potatoes to the strained broth and cook for 10 minutes. Add carrots and celery root and cook for another 10 minutes.
Step 4: While the potatoes are cooking, sauté onions in olive oil. Add sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, tomato sauce, and sauté for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Add the sauté vegetables to the pot with potatoes and carrots. Then add the cubed meat, bay leaf, and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes.
Step 6: Turn off the heat, add garlic, and let the soup rest for 20-30 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and parsley.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
What to Serve with Shchi (Russian Cabbage Soup)
- Shchi is a complete meal in itself, but it can also be served with a side of bread, such as a crusty sourdough or a hearty multigrain bread.
- Some people enjoy a dollop of sour cream on top of their shchi. This can also be served on the side, so each person can add it to their bowl as they like.
- If you're looking for a traditional Russian meal, try serving shchi with some savory piroshki or pelmeny dumplings.
- For a lighter option, a fresh green salad can be a great accompaniment to shchi. It's a good way to get some extra veggies into your meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a rich and flavorful broth, we recommend using beef chuck for this shchi recipe. It's a cut that becomes beautifully tender when simmered for a long time.
While you can use store-bought broth, we highly recommend making your own beef broth for this shchi recipe. The homemade broth adds a depth of flavor that you just can't get from the store-bought version.
Shchi can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It actually tastes better the next day as the flavors have had time to meld together. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container.
Recipe
Recipe
Shchi (Russian Sauerkraut Soup)
Ingredients
For beef broth
- 1 lb beef chuck washed and dried
- 8 c water
- 1 large onion quartered
- 1 large carrot halved
- 1 stalk celery halved
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
For Shchi
- 2 large potatoes diced
- 1 medium carrot grated
- ⅓ c celery root cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely minced
- 2 ½ c (10 oz) sauerkraut
- 2 c cabbage shredded
- 3-4 tablespoon tomato sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tablespoon salt or to taste (don't add all salt at once)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- sour cream for serving
- parsley for serving
Instructions
1. Make a broth
- In a large stock pot add 8 cups of water along with 1 lb of Beef chuck. Bring the water to a boil. With a slotted spoon remove a foam on the surface, add 1 teaspoon of black pepper corns, 1 onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery stalk. Cook on a medium-low heat for 1 ½ - 2 hours.Discard the vegetables and transfer the meat to a plate. Sift the broth through a fine mash sieve and put it back on a stove.
2. Cook potatoes and carrot
- Add diced potatoes to a pot with a broth and cook for 10 minutes. Add carrot and celery root and cook for another 10 minutes.
3. Sauté cabbage
- At the same time, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and on a medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, 3-4 tablespoon of tomato sauce, cover with a lid and sauté on a medium low heat stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
4. Add vegetables to a soup
- Add sautéed vegetables to a pot with potatoes and carrot, along with cubed meat, bay leaf, salt, pepper to taste and continue cooking on a medium heat for 5 minutes.Turn off the heat, add garlic pushed through a garlic press and let the soup rest for at least 20-30 minutes.
5. Serve
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
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Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Carol says
I am excited -really excited to find this recipe. Way back I remember having this soup. I know it was amazing and of course those memories are always the best and make you long for childhood days. I love that you brought back that memory for me. i grew up eating so much delicious food from my Ukrainian background and of course there was some we had more often. It is those recipes we did not have a lot of that I really miss and occasionally somewhere along the line I come across them again.
I think I would love this recipe with sausage. The comment I read (I think that was Bev) made me realize this. It is something I will certainly make this winter.I just cannot wait!
Iryna says
Carol, you absolutely right, all these traditional and comforting recipes bring back those childhood memories. I hope you'll give this delicious soup a try, it's perfect for winter (despite it being on the warmer side:).
Kim says
My grandma would make this for family gatherings when I was small. I have looked for years and finally find it. Thank you! 😀❤️
Iryna says
You're very welcome Kim! This recipe indeed brings the memories of a childhood and it's perfect for winter.
Sue R says
The soup was a great success with the family. I did make it in my electric pressure cooker. I have enough leftovers for a few lunches too. It was nice with some rye bread. I dolloped some plain Chobani on it to cut calories from sour cream and it was really good!.
Iryna says
Sue, thank you so much for your wonderful review and 5 star rating! I'm very happy your family loved this soup.
And it's also good to know that you were able to make it in pressure cooker.
Sue R says
Another way to make the soup faster would be to use a pressure cooker for the broth and veggies. I can't wait to make this! It's going on my must make list since I already have a jar of sauerkraut I wanted to use up. I adore borscht with beef in it so I'm sure this will be awesome too.
Iryna says
Sue, using pressure cooker for the broth and vegetables sounds like a great idea. If you have one, you can definitely use it to speed up the process even more. I hope you'll like this recipe! Let me know how the soup turned out.
Sue R says
Shall do! I have an electric and a stove top pressure cooker 🙂 Love them.
Balvinder says
This looks lovely, definitely going to be a full meal! I love cabbage in smoothies so would know i love it in soup.
Andrea says
I can't believe I've never heard of this soup. I am a cabbage and sauerkraut fan and this soup sounds amazing. I cannot wait to make this.
kim says
I love the flavor of these! So cozy and perfect for fall!
Iryna says
Thanks Kim!
Raia Todd says
Mmmmmm... it's been far too long since I've had shchi! Now I'm craving it and all nostalgic. Thank you for sharing your recipe! I like the idea of adding in sauerkraut.
Iryna says
You're welcome:)
Natalia Bartkova says
I am familiar with this soup , it’s delicious and very good for this time of season and winter.
Iryna says
Thank you!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
I love soup like this. especially when it comes to this time of year. This looks delicious!
Iryna says
Thanks Bintu!
Bev Rucks says
It is also very good with smoked sausage or cooked bratwurst. This is a yummy recipe.
Iryna says
Thank you Bev! I imagine Shchi will taste amazing with either of those sausages. Plus, the cooking time will be cut in half, which is always a great thing.
Tawnie Kroll says
This is my first time having cabbage soup, thank you! It was delish!