Sasha's Vegan Beet Soup

Ingredients

• 4 medium red beets with greens
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 2 quarts water
• ¼ medium head green cabbage, shredded
• 2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, or more to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small bunch parsley, stems removed, finely chopped
• ¼ cup sour cream, or to taste

Step 1

Trim the beet greens from the beets, tossing the stems, then give the leaves a good wash and dry before chopping them roughly. Set those aside for later. Next, scrub the beets well and pop them into a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let them simmer, covered, for about 30 to 40 minutes until you can easily poke them with a knife. Drain the beets and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle, then peel and grate them coarsely.

Step 2

In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm up some olive oil over low heat. Add the chopped onion and cook gently until it’s soft and translucent, stirring often, which should take around 3 to 5 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook for another minute until it smells amazing but doesn’t brown.

Step 3

Add the carrots, rutabaga, and parsnip to the pot and cook over medium heat until they start to soften, about 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle in a little brown sugar and keep cooking until you see some nice browning on the veggies, around 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in about 2 quarts of water, then add the cabbage, salt, and a bay leaf. Give everything a good stir.

Step 4

Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer until all the vegetables are tender, roughly 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the beet greens during the last couple of minutes, keeping the pot uncovered so the greens stay bright and fresh-looking.

Step 5

Finally, stir in the grated beets and take the soup off the heat right away to keep that beautiful color. Taste and season with vinegar, salt, and pepper as you like. Serve it up with some chopped parsley and a dollop of sour cream on top if you want.