Borscht

 This eastern European soup is chock-full of vegetables, although the vibrant ruby red from the beets overtakes all other colors. Half of the soup is pureed, creating a thick, rich texture that doesn’t weigh you down.

PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES / SERVINGS: 4








 
 Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 large onion, sliced (about 1½ cups)
2 medium carrots, thickly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 celery stalk, sliced (about ½ cup)
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1½ pounds red beets, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cored
1 pound red potatoes, chopped (about 23⁄4 cups)
¼ cup reduced-fat (light) sour cream
Fresh dill sprigs 

1 HEAT the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, fennel seeds, and caraway seeds and cook until the onion is tender and carrots are lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add the broth and 1 cup water. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Add the beets and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, until the beets are partially cooked, 20 minutes.

2 SHAVE about ¼ of the fennel bulb with a vegetable peeler. Set strips aside. Chop the rest of the fennel. Add the potatoes and chopped fennel to the pot and simmer, covered, until the potatoes and beets are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

3 TRANSFER about half of the soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary. Puree (be careful when blending hot liquids) until smooth and return to the soup pot. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide among 4 bowls and top evenly with sour cream, dill, and the reserved shaved fennel.

NUTRITION (per serving: about 2 cups) 252 calories, 6 g protein, 47 g carbs, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 550 mg sodium