Slow Cooker Borscht

With getting back into the busy work routine, I often use my slow cooker to make meals simpler.  Soups work well in the slow cooker because it does not matter if the vegetables get mushy.  Puree the soup at the end of the cooking time to improve the texture.

My daughter really likes Borscht, so I often use vegetarian beef flavoured bouillon cubes when I am making it for her.  If I am making Borscht for just my husband and myself, I prefer to use homemade beef stock.

I have adapted one of the best Borscht recipes so it can be made in the crockpot.  The original recipe is from the cookbook "Slice - Health Inspired Food" by Barb Davies & Jennifer Rallison.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of butter or coconut oil

1 medium onion, diced

4 to 6 small to medium beets, peeled and cut into (1-cm) cubes

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

5 cups gluten-free beef stock (I use homemade beef stock or water and 2 beef bouillon cubes that are gluten-free and vegetarian)

3 cups cabbage, shredded (I use a coleslaw mix that is already shredded)

6 oz can pure tomato paste

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon each: caraway seeds and dill

Directions

1.  Grease the slow cooker with the butter or oil.  Combine the onions, beets, potatoes, carrots, stock, cabbage, tomato paste and salt in the slow cooker (I like to prepare this the night before and refrigerate it until the morning).

2.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until vegetables are tender.

3.  Add vinegar, caraway seeds and dill.  Let simmer for an additional 15 minutes.  Puree with a hand blender or in batches in a blender.

4.  When ready to serve, spoon into individual bowls and top with sour cream or dairy free sour cream. Once it has cooled, I freeze the borscht in individual portions for quick lunches or dinners.