Beetroot is a great vegetable, it can help reduce blood pressure, lower risks of heart attacks and strokes. Its red pigment, called betacyanin, is a powerful antioxidant. There is a lot of different variations of this traditional Russian or Ukrainian (both countries claim the ownership) beetroot soup called borscht. Some require making your own beef stock using a beef chuck on the bone. And it might take you 3 hours to prepare the soup. I never had enough patience to follow these recipes and invented my own quick way of making beetroot soup.

Ingredients

• 250g pack of cooked beetroots;
• 2 large carrots;
• 3 celery sticks;
• 1 large or 2-3 medium potatoes;
• 1 large white onion;
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes;
• 2 beef stock cubes or pots (I prefer pots);
• Fresh coriander, black pepper, salt, garlic;
• Soured cream;

Step by step

• Grate the carrots, chop the onion and celery.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes.
• Cut the beets into small cubes too.
• Heat a bit of cooking oil in the large soup pot and saute the carrots, onion, and celery for 3-4 minutes.
• Add 2L of boiling water and the stock pots. Stir well.
• Add the potatoes and cook them until they are soft (10-15 min but it really depends on potatoes you use).
• Add the beets to the pot.
• Open the tomato can and add it to the soup.
• Cook for 3-4 min, add more water if needed.
• Season to taste. Add the coriander finely chopped. I like adding fresh garlic just before serving to preserve its flavour.
• Serve with soured cream and rye bread.

  Your shopping basket

• 250g pack of cooked beetroots – £0.95
•  600g large carrots – £0.70
• 330g potatoes – £0.75
• 3 large onions – £0.55
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes – £0.86
• 4 beef stock pots – £1.45
• 28g fresh coriander – £0.95
• 1 bulb garlic – £0.50
• 300g soured cream – £1.00
• Total basket £7.71 | Cost of ingredients (6 serving) £3.70 | Per serving £0.62