Botwinka (Beet Greens Soup)

Beet greens soup, spoon, lemon and leafy greens.

5 from 2 votes

Botwinka or Beet Greens Soup is a traditional Polish soup made using young beets together with their vibrant, crunchy stems and plentiful leafy greens. With added carrots, new potatoes and plenty of fresh dill, this delicious and filling soup is a real celebration of early summer's garden bounty.

Course Soup

Cuisine Polish

Keyword beet greens soup, botwinka

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 408kcal

Author Jo Allison

Equipment

Ingredients

1 bunch young beetroot with stalks and greens I used 7 small (golf ball size) beets. Beets peeled and cut into half moons, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped.
2-3 medium carrots scrubbed or peeled and sliced
500 g new potatoes scrubbed or peeled and cut into chunks
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped/minced
2 bay leaves optional
4 allspice berries optional
20 g fresh dill finely chopped
1.3 ltr vegetable stock homemade or bouillon or stock cube
3 tablespoon lemon juice or more (to taste); apple cider vinegar can be used instead
120 ml soya cream or coconut milk see notes
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 x 400 g tin of kidney beans optional
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Start by preparing all the veg.
Peel and finely chop an onion.
1 onion
Peel and finely chop or mince garlic cloves.
2 garlic cloves
Scrub and/or peel carrots (no peeling required if using new season's carrots) and slice them (not too thinly).
2-3 medium carrots
Scrub and/or peel new potatoes and cut them into small(ish) cubes.
500 g new potatoes
Prepare beets by separating the roots from the stems, peeling them and cutting into half moons (you might want to use gloves here).
You want the size of cut beets to be similar to that of carrots and potatoes so that all the veg cooks evenly.
Give beet greens a good wash and separate the stalks from the leaves. Chop the stalks finely and roughly chop the leaves.
1 bunch young beetroot with stalks and greens
Heat up couple of tablespoons of oil in a large pot with a lid or in a stockpot.
Add onion and garlic and sauté for few minutes until they start to soften. Make sure to stir from time to time to prevent garlic from catching and burning.
1 onion, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 garlic cloves
Next, add potatoes, carrots, beets (root only), bay leaves and allspice berries (if using).
Let them fry for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until they start to brown a little.
Feel free to add a splash of water to help veggies along.
2-3 medium carrots, 2 bay leaves, 4 allspice berries, 500 g new potatoes
Pour in veggie stock, bring to boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until veggies are tender (you will need to give them a quick check with the tip of the knife).
1.3 ltr vegetable stock
Next, add chopped beet stems and kidney beans (if using) and let them cook for a couple of minutes.
Last but not least add chopped beet greens, cook for a minute or two and take the soup off the heat.
1 bunch young beetroot with stalks and greens, 1 x 400 g tin of kidney beans
With the soup off the heat add soya cream or coconut milk (as per your preference) and give it a good stir.
Follow with lemon juice and plenty of fresh dill.
Taste and season well with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
20 g fresh dill, 3 tablespoon lemon juice, 120 ml soya cream or coconut milk, salt and pepper

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (based on 4 servings) and should be treated as a rough guideline only.
Leftover soup can be stored int he fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze (without cream) for up to 3 months. For more info see - Storing.
For other ingredient substitutes see - Ingredients and substitutes above.

Tips:

Try and cut your veg into similar size pieces for even cooking.

Beetroot is notorious for staining so wear gloves when peeling it to prevent your hands from going pink.

If you grow your own beets and find yourself with lots of them, simply freeze them. Prepare roots and greens as per above and freeze for later. This way you can make botwinka even in winter.

If your baby beets are really small you can always add one extra medium size beetroot for added colour and extra body.

If using soya cream, remember to add it once soup is off the heat or on very low heat. Rapid boiling and high heat will make the cream curdle. This is not an issue if using coconut milk.

Always taste and adjust seasoning according with your preference. The amount of salt you add will depend on saltiness of your stock.

Nutrition