Hong Kong Style Borscht Soup

Hong Kong Style Borscht Soup is that popular soup that you will find in any Cha Chan Tang restaurants. It actually originated from the original borscht soup in Russia where they would use beets as the vegetable base of the stock instead of tomatoes. The tomatoes gives it a nice punch of acidity that makes you crave more bite after bite. It is one of my favorite soups to make. It’s super simple but also very nutritious and delicious. You can add pasta or noodles to make it a full and balanced meal.

I personally find that both the homemade version and restaurant version is delicious in their own way. However, making the home version is much healthier and obviously cost-friendly than the ones at Cha Chan Tangs. Cha Chan Tang’s version is heavy on the sauces while the one at home tastes almost the same but a little less acidic and sweet.

Hong Kong Style Borscht Soup

This nutritious and delicious soup is a savory, tomato-based broth brimming with tender beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and onions. Infused with sweetness and tang, it balances Western ingredients with a comforting Hong Kong diner twist.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 2.5 hours

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1.25 lb beef chuck (you can use beef brisket or ox tail)
  • 1 small (~3g) knob ginger, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1.5 large carrot, diced
  • 2 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 large potato, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
  • 2-3 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 3 cups Taiwanese cabbage, roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • 1/2 whole lemon
  • 6-7 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2-3 tsp sugar (adjust to taste)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Blanch the Beef:
    • Place beef chunks in boiling water for 3-4 minutes to remove impurities.
    • Drain and rinse under cold water.
  2. Saute Aromatics:
    • In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat.
    • Add ginger, garlic, and onions. Saute until translucent.
    • Add carrots and celery and saute for 1-2 minutes.
    • Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
  3. Build the Soup Base:
    • Add blanched beef and bay leaves
    • Pour in water. Bring to a boil then lower to a gentle simmer.
    • Cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beef is tender.
  4. Add Remaining Veggies:
    • Add tomatoes, potatoes and cabbage.
    • Add ketchup and lemon (juices and entire lemon).
    • Add sugar.
    • Simmer for another 30 minutes until veggies are soft.
  5. Season to Taste:
    • Add salt and black pepper.
    • Add more sugar, ketchup or lemon juice depending on your taste.
  6. Serve hot and enjoy!

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