This roasted beet soup is beautiful and inviting with its vibrant red colour. It’s naturally sweet with a little zest from fresh lemon juice and dill. A perfectly creamy, absolutely delicious, and satisfying vegan beet soup.
This recipe was originally published in August 2018. It has been updated for content and photos.
This warming bowl of goodness is perfect in colder months, but if you like soup all year long, don’t miss it, no matter the time of year.
Also known as borscht soup which is very popular in Russia and Ukraine. Although borscht is usually served chunky rather than smooth and creamy.
This roasted beet soup is naturally vibrant and easy to make. If you love cooking with beets, make sure and check out my beet hummus, beet pancakes, red velvet cupcakes, and air-fried beet chips, too.
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Why you’ll love it
- You eat with your eyes first, and this dish is GORGEOUS!
- Its texture is creamy, velvety, and truly satisfying. All without sour cream or dairy.
- Low in fat and calories, without sacrificing flavour.
- Great for chilly days, when battling a cold, or makes a great starter for Christmas or Thanksgiving.
- Can be made in advance and reheated when ready to enjoy. Great for meal prep.
- It’s not only a vegan beet soup, but it’s gluten-free, and nut-free, suitable for most allergies.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this roasted beet soup recipe.
- Beets: Choose medium beets that are firm, smooth, and feel heavy for their size. Small or medium beets are more tender than large ones.
- Onion/carrot/celery: Also known as a mirepoix, these 3 veggies make the perfect starting point to enhance the flavours for an excellent soup.
- Lemon: For a little zip and tang. But you may use apple cider vinegar in its place if you don’t have fresh lemons on hand.
- Broth: Use a flavourful option for your broth. I like this homemade bouillon for all my veggie broth needs.
Instructions
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Roast the beets
Rinse or scrub your beets and then slice off the top and bottom stems. If your beets are large, slice them in half. Otherwise, leave them whole. Don’t peel them yet.
Make pockets with aluminum foil and place your beets inside on a baking sheet. (photo 1)
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then roast the beets until fork tender. (photo 2)
NOTE: Roast time will vary depending on a few factors:
- Beet size, smaller beets cook faster.
- The freshness of your beets. Fresher beets cook faster than older ones.
- If you have other things in your oven and whether or not you’re using convection. Convection roast cooks faster.
Once the beets are roasted, remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. When they’re cool enough to handle, peel the skins using a paring knife, or your fingers. The peel will come off easily.
TIP: Use gloves to prevent your fingers from getting red.
Make the soup
While the beets are roasting, prepare the rest.
Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery to a large pan. (photo 3)
Sauté the veggies until softened and reduced. (photo 4)
Peel the roasted beets and add them to your blender with ALL remaining ingredients. (photo 5)
Blend until completely smooth and pureed. (photo 9)
Serve your creamy vegan beet soup with dollops of sour cream or vegan Greek yogurt and extra fresh dill, if desired.
Variations
Here are some ideas to change up your vegan beet soup:
- Make it spicy with some red pepper flakes to balance the natural sweetness of the beets.
- Add fresh garlic cloves to your tray of roasting beets. Then peel once roasted and add to your blender.
- Add more veggies like cabbage, potatoes, or tomatoes.
- Top with vegan sour cream,
- Garnish with extra fresh dill, chives, grated ginger, fresh thyme, parsley, or another fresh herb.
Storage
Store your roasted beet soup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop. Or use your blender if you have a powerful one, like a Vitamix.
To freeze, make sure to completely cool the soup first. Then store in a freezer-safe, airtight container and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure to leave some space for expansion.
Expert Tips
- To save time, roast and peel your beets 1-2 days in advance. Then when you want to make your soup, sauté the other veggies and blend.
- Leave the peel on your beets when roasting. They’re easier to peel after being roasted. (Wear gloves when peeling to prevent red fingers.)
- For oil-free, simply omit the butter and sauté in water or broth instead.
More delicious vegan soup recipes
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Buon appetito
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds beets approx. 8-10 small/medium beets
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter omit and sauté in water or broth for oil free
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 large carrot peeled + diced
- 1 celery rib diced
- 2.5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dry dill weed
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice approx. 1 medium lemon
Optional Garnishes
- cashew cream
- more fresh dill
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉/218℃ convection roast. If you don't have a convection oven or a roast function, just use the bake setting, allowing a little more time for tender beets.
- Scrub/wash your beets and slice off the ends. If your beets are large, cut them in half for faster cooking, otherwise, leave them whole. Using aluminum foil, make pockets to hold your beets inside, and place the pockets on a baking tray. Fold up the sides of the foil to prevent the red beet dye from spreading and making a mess. (Refer to process photos above, if needed.) Sprinkle the beets with salt and pepper and roast until fork tender. This will take anywhere from 30-60 minutes depending on how fresh (fresher beets cook faster) and how large your beets are.
- While the beets are roasting, melt the butter (if using) in a pan and add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Then set aside.
- Remove the beets from the oven and let cool slightly, just enough to handle. Then peel the beets (the skin will remove easily once roasted) and place them in your blender. Add the sautéed veggies, and ALL remaining ingredients to your blender and process until smooth. Work in batches, if needed.
- Serve with cashew cream and more fresh dill if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- To save time, roast and peel your beets 1-2 days in advance. Then when you want to make your soup, sauté the other veggies and blend.
- Leave the peel on your beets when roasting. They’re easier to peel after being roasted. (Wear gloves when peeling to prevent red fingers.)
- For oil-free, simply omit the butter and sauté in water or broth instead.
Candice says
This was excellent! I had some celeriac on hand to use so roasted it as well. I added some chicken bone broth and it was absolutely delightful! Thanks for sharing!
Rosa says
You’re welcome Candice, glad you enjoyed!
Cassie says
Delicious!! I didn’t want to make cashew cream so I just threw a handful of cashews in the blender with the beets. Turned out wonderful. Thanks again for another amazing recipe!
Rosa says
My pleasure Cassie! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
CAROL says
Sounds yummy!! Grew up eating lots of cold borscht. Wondering how this would be served cold instead of hot. Thank you for creating & sharing healthy, yummy recipes!
Rosa says
Hi Carol, I bet it’d be great cold. Hope you enjoy. 🙂