Today I would like to tell you about my best Polish recipes with beetroots. Why? The answer is simple. Poland is without doubt the kingdom of beets. Beetroot cultivation is so popular that Poland produces the most of them in the entire European Union.
Beetroots are a key ingredient in one of the most popular soups on the Polish Christmas table – barszcz, and it is most often associated with this dish. According to many, it is not considered a sophisticated vegetable, rather modest and unassuming.
However, don’t let appearances deceive you. It’s worth reaching for it not only during the holidays and of course not only in Poland.
Not everyone knows how many health benefits beetroot has and at the same time, that in Poland there are many ways to prepare it. So let’s take a closer look at the best Polish recipes with beetroots.
The Fascinating History of Beetroot
Did you know that people have been growing beetroots since ancient times?
In ancient Greece, they even offered beetroot to the sun god Apollo. And Hippocrates, the famous doctor, used beet leaves to help heal wounds. Even the ancient Romans were into it for its medicinal properties.
Beetroots made their way to Poland around the 14th century. Legend has it that even the Polish king, Władysław Jagiełło, was a fan. And here’s a fun fact: Queen Bona brought a special kind of beetroot called Chioggia all the way from Venice to Poland.
The Healing Power of Beetroot
Firstly, beetroots are easy to digest and low in calories (around 40 calories per 3.5 oz/100 g). They have a low glycemic index, so they won’t cause a sudden drop in blood sugar after eating, which helps to prevent hunger pangs.
They’re also rich in dietary fiber, which speeds up metabolism and improves digestion. So, if you’re on a diet or just looking for a low-calorie snack, beetroots are an excellent choice.
As if that weren’t enough, beetroots cleanse the intestines of toxins and regulate digestion.
Secondly, they’re full of vitamins like A, B1, C, and minerals such as magnesium, copper, manganese, and zinc.
They have two pigments, betanin and choline, which are thought to help prevent cancer.
Additionally, they help regulate blood pressure and support heart health because they have potassium. Betanin also acts against the development of atherosclerosis.
Beetroots are also rich in folic acid, which helps make blood and fights anemia and leukemia.
Moreover, betanin has antibacterial properties, so it protects against infections.
Best Polish Recipes With Beetroots
Now that you’re aware of the health perks of munching on these veggies, let’s dive into some best Polish recipes with beetroots!
Best Polish Beet Juice Recipe
Homemade Zakwas Buraczany Polish Fermented Beet Juice Recipe
Let’s start with the basics. If people outside of Poland think of the best Polish recipes with beetroots, it is red barszcz (Polish beet soup) which comes to mind first. But have you ever tried beet juice?
In Poland, it’s common to drink juice made from both fresh and pickled beets. Fresh beet juice has a mild, earthy taste, while pickled beet juice, known as “zakwas,” has a tangy, robust beet and garlic flavor. In other words, the latter tastes better.
Zakwas (beet kvass) has a rich history in Poland. It even appeared as one of the first dishes of the Christmas Eve supper in the iconic Polish novel “Chłopi” by Władysław Reymont (written between 1901 and 1908). Zakwas remains an incredibly popular beverage in Central and Eastern Europe today.
Pickling is a traditional method of preserving vegetables for winter. It makes them even healthier and tastier than when eaten raw. Beet kvass is entirely natural, no chemical additives or artificial flavors are added.
Its burgundy color, specific smell, and taste come solely from beets, garlic, salt, and water. It’s easy to prepare using my recipe for Homemade Fermented Beet Juice.
Regularly sipping on beet zakwas can help boost your immune system, thanks to its vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
And if you’re watching your waistline, pickled beet juice is a smart choice. To clarify, it’s super low in calories, with just about 100 calories per glass. What’s more, it’s got some carbs, protein, and fiber. Drink it in particular on an empty stomach to help rev up your metabolism and aid digestion. It helps your stomach churn out acids, which can aid in shedding pounds.
Best Polish Beet Salads Recipes
Beetroots are so tasty that they don’t need many extras and can be the main ingredient, especially in salads. Salads are a crucial part of Polish cuisine. The best Polish salad recipes with beetroots are easy to prepare and can use boiled, roasted, or pickled beets.
Polish Beet Salad With Sour Cream
This Polish beet salad with sour cream is a classic on Polish tables and a perfect addition to dinner, or even sandwiches. For some, it’s just a tasty snack.
The combination of beets, sour cream, and apples is an ideal combo. Sweet beets, tart apple, and delicate sour cream complement each other perfectly.
Roasted beets are a healthier version (and just as tasty), so you can roast them for both flavor and health benefits. Obviously you can use them to prepare this salad.
Beets take quite a while to roast, so it’s a good idea to put a larger amount in the oven right away. Washed beets are roasted in the oven for about 60 minutes at 390°F (200°C).
You can also boil them if you prefer. Cook them for about 60-90 minutes.
You can replace regular dairy sour cream with soy sour cream, for example, for a vegan version.
Traditional Polish Shredded Beets Salad – Buraczki
Poles love this salad either cold, called Buraczki (Cold Beets Salad), or warm, known as Buraczki Zasmażane (Warm Beets Salad). Both are super easy to make so they’re both included in my Traditional Polish Shredded Beets recipe. You don’t need many ingredients; it’s all about the beet.
It’s a super famous side dish, often served alongside different mains. People often enjoy it with meatloaf, pork chops, or even with goulash. You also snack on it.
You can also spice up cold buraczki by serving it with horseradish. We call it ćwikła in Poland. It gives the salad a nice kick that goes perfectly with the natural sweetness of the beets. If you prefer a spicier taste, I recommend checking out my recipe for ćwika The first Polish recipe for ćwikła was recorded in 1567 by Mikołaj Rej, often called the father of Polish literature.
Beet Polish Beet Soups Recipes
Beet soups are just as important in Polish cuisine as salads. Depending on the season, soups vary greatly.
Polish Cold Beet Soup Chłodnik
Chłodnik is special in a few ways. It’s not only one of the rare Polish soups served cold, but it also has a fascinating history.
Sometimes it’s called Lithuanian chłodnik. Why?
Well, a long time ago, Polish and Lithuanian cuisines started influencing each other. In the region where chłodnik comes from, Podlasie, there’s also a Lithuanian minority, so some of the dishes there have Lithuanian roots. Hence, people say chłodnik has Lithuanian origins.
Fun fact: The first mentions of chłodnik appeared in a famous Polish book called “Pan Tadeusz” by Adam Mickiewicz, who was born in Nowogródek.
Adam Mickiewicz is considered a national poet in Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. Why? The Nowogródek region, even though mostly populated by Belarusian speakers, was considered part of Lithuania for many centuries. And the author’s family was a member of the Polish nobility. This also shows how closely Poland and Lithuania were connected in the past, which is why we share similar dishes.
Today, it’s a classic dish in Polish and Lithuanian cuisine. Poles love to eat it during spring and summer because it’s incredibly filling and also quenches thirst quickly.
Due to its complex history, there are many way to make chłodnik. Check out my simple recipe with which you can prepare chłodnik in just 30 minutes!
Barszcz Ukrainski (Ukrainian Style Polish Beet Soup)
There are lots of different ways to make this soup similarly to chłodnik. It comes from Ukraine, and the recipes there vary depending on the region. They’re a secret closely kept by chefs and home cooks alike. Of course, everyone thinks their recipe is the best.
Originally, this soup was made without meat for fasting days, though today some versions include it. In Ukraine alone, there are 40 types of barszcz!
Besides beets, traditional barszcz also has beans. Similarly, it’s a favorite soup in Poland, Romania, and Moldova. Surprisingly, only Poland recognizes Ukrainian barszcz officially as its own and separates it from Polish barszcz.
If you’re up for trying a Polish twist on Ukrainian barszcz, take a look at my recipe and dive into the incredible fusion of both cultures in one beet soup.
Barszcz Czerwony (Polish Red Borscht)
What about Poland and its barszcz?
The word “barszcz” has been around since the 13th century in Poland.
At first, Poles made a soup from a plant called sorrel. They would ferment it beforehand. A doctor from Lviv supposedly said, “A Slav is sad without enough sour food and drinks.”
Later, wheat bran or rye flour were used instead. This resulted in a sour taste and, consequently, white barszcz.
Soon, however, beets appeared in Polish cuisine, and they too were used for fermentation. Subsequently, pickling beets became a national tradition and that’s how a soup called red barszcz was invented. Poles would serve it with dumplings called ”uszka”, meat, groats, and mushrooms.
Check out my barszcz czerwony recipe.
On a side note, Polish barszcz is tangier, while Ukrainian barszcz is sweeter. All in all, both are tasty and packed with the superpower veggie, beets.
Barszcz became a go-to soup for any occasion; sometimes people had it for breakfast or as their only meal at midday on Christmas Eve. Interestingly, it wasn’t always seen as a Christmas Eve dish. For instance, the Polish king Stanisław August Poniatowski used to have almond soup for this occasion.
Interestingly, borscht was a cure-all remedy already in the old days. In the 18th century, we can find advice in one source: “After eating garlic, have some borscht, and you’ll get rid of the garlic breath.”
And in the 19th century, Zygmunt Gloger wrote in medical advice: “Pure unsalted borscht relieves fever. It’s also good for improving the condition after heavy drinking. Sore throat, on the other hand, can be relieved by gargling with beet and honey vinegar.”
However, there is one downside to borscht that still bothers people today. Promoter of Polish cuisine, Nela Rubinstein, wrote: “Eating borscht with a spoon from a deep plate tends to leave traces in the form of small, pink dots, preferably on white shirts.”
Barszczyk Z Botwinką (Baby Beet Soup)
What is botwinka?
Botwinka, also called botwina or boćwina, is nothing more than young beetroot. You can eat them whole because they are tender. In fact, the roots, leaves, and even the stems are very tasty.
Poles also call botwinka a soup made from these leaves and stems.
When botwinka soup appears on Polish tables, it means that spring has arrived in Poland.
The botwinka season starts in the second half of April and ends in late May or early June. During this time, beet leaves are soft and delicate, with the most flavor and aroma.
Therefore, if it is this time of the year, I recommend you to try my Barszczyk z Botwinką recipe.
Botwinka has a beautiful, deep pink color and is usually served with egg, potatoes, and dill.
Fresh herbs are a perfect addition to this soup and give it a springtime character. Instead of dill, you can add parsley or chives, for example. It can happen that the soup loses its intense color. In that case, it’s worth adding a little lemon juice to restore it.
To sum it up, beet is tasty no matter how you cook it. These best Polish recipes with beetroots are easy-peasy and don’t need a ton of ingredients. Nowadays, more and more people in Poland are loving beets because they’re packed with so many health perks.
So why not join the beet fan club and give them a whirl in all sorts of tasty ways? Your taste buds and your health will certainly thank you!
