Beet Borscht & Potato Salad
As I have mentioned here many times that its really really hot in Pondicherry (today’s temperature: about a 100F) I am constantly looking for food that cools down the body and is nourishing at the same time.
Today I have two recipes - for a soup and a salad that are served cold and taste very fresh and flavorful. The recipe is really quick and easy to make as well!
I had the beet borscht for the first time in NY a few years back in a Ukrainian restaurant. They served it with a slice of a rustic bread and some hard boiled eggs. I remember being so fascinated with the color and the flavor of the soup, I had never tasted something so unique before.
Ever since my trip to that restaurant I have been searching for the recipe of that soup, and only recently found one that looked closest to what I ate. This beet borscht recipe is from “The Moosewood Cookbook” by Mollie Katzen that was published in1977. They have a restaurant with the same name in Ithaca, NY.
Borscht has such fresh and soothing flavors from the beetroot, cucumber and buttermilk. I couldn’t find any dill so I had to skip it, but I can only imagine it enhancing the freshness of the soup.
The potato salad is a healthier take on the regular potato salad with some other twists. I used a cup of plain yogurt instead of the mayonnaise and added some sour cream to make the dressing. You can use the fat free variety of the sour cream to reduce the calories some more. I also added some chopped up fresh mint in the dressing which really added a lot of flavor to the salad.
The salad and the soup together makes a nice and nutritious meal that will cool your body down in this heat.
It is so important to stay hydrated and nourish your body with healthy food options that are less in fat. Enjoy these recipes to beat the heat this summer!
You always have such beautifully artistic photo’s. Are you also a food stylist? I love the bold angles and colors of your photo’s.
I see you lived in sarasota for a bit, that is my current hometown as well. And my background is Palestinian on my fathers side. I love international cuisine but have a huge like of arabic and indian food!
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OH you live in SRQ?! I miss so many restaurants from there..I lived there for little over a year around 2007 and then moved to Orlando. Have you ever been to Chutney’s etc.? Its one of may favorite.
Your background is so interesting, and thank you so much for your sweet words. I am neither a food stylist nor a photographer….I am just very passionate and curious about food photography so I keep on trying to get better at it. I am a graphic designer by profession!
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Not familiar with Chutney’s, I’ll have to look it up. I def see the graphic designer then in your work!
I am in the SRQ. Moving back to Philly my hometown in the fall though. Desperately missing city life..
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What a wonderful recipe for HOT summer :) Never ever heard of Beet Borscht but now I know where to find a recipe. Thanks for sharing it. Your pictures are beautiful as always.
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Thanks Grishma, you should give borscht a try- it is a very refreshing cold soup!
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Will surely do :)
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That borscht and potato salad both look really good - it’s such a shame I hate beets… a real shame.
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Oh no, you don’t like beets?! I am not a huge fan either but don’t mind it every now and then. Well, the borscht is made out of beetroot so you cant do much there, but for the salad you can skip the beet and add some green peas instead, that should taste and look pretty nice too.
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Pallavi .. i love this dish .. both the borscht and the salad and the color is gorgeous!
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What beautiful and juicy recipes, lovely lovely
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