Shchi uses beef broth for a rich and robust flavor, making this Russian version different from other Cabbage Soup recipes.
Shchi: More Than Just Cabbage Soup
Shchi (pronounced she) is one of the national dishes of Russia, and while you may think that a cabbage soup makes for quite a boring national dish, think again. This soup has a base of beef broth, making it rich and flavorful.
Grated carrots and sliced onions give the soup a light sweetness. And, a finishing of diced tomatoes gives a nice pop of color.
Classic Russian Comfort Food
Shchi has been a staple soup in Russian cuisine for centuries, and legends tell of its impact in the political sphere since the early days.
For instance, the Mongol ruler Batu Khan in the mid 1200s is said to have refrained from pillaging a small Russian village after they served him a pot of Shchi, which he found very tasty.
It was also a common staple of the army in Tsarist Russia, made by the gallon in rolling field kitchens.
That’s a lot of Shchi!
Different Ways of Making Russian Shchi
Variations of Shchi can be found using sauerkraut instead of, or in addition to, fresh cabbage, creating “Sour Shchi.” Still other versions make use of sorrel or other greens in a “Green Shchi.”
Today, we’re sticking with the most basic, “Fresh Shchi.”
This version is often found as a summer soup in Russia, where there are old sayings that no meal is complete without Shchi. But, cabbage is incredibly nutritious and a good source of Vitamin C, making this soup an excellent choice for a nourishing winter food as well.
Yield: 12 cups
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter,
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced thin
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 2 potatoes, peeled and diced small
- ½ medium head cabbage, shredded
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 c beef stock, good quality (we prefer low sodium)
- 3 large tomatoes or 2 c canned, diced tomatoes, diced
- Salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill (or dry)
- ½ c sour cream
- Melt butter in medium soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onions and carrots and sauté over medium heat, until golden, 3-5 min. Add potatoes, cabbage, bay leaves, and beef stock. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes with any juice and mix well. Taste the soup and season as desired with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer until the tomatoes are heated through, 3-5 minutes.
- Serve the soup garnished with dill and sour cream, if desired.
This soup pairs wonderfully with a thick slice of rye bread.
Do you have the nutrition information for this soup as I keep a food diary for: calories, grams of fat, grams of protein, grams of sodium, grams of carbs. Thanks.
Hi Annette,
For a 2 cup serving, you are looking at 137 calories, 4.3 g fat, 5.4 g protein, 176 mg of sodium (although this will vary depending on the sodium content of your beef stock), and 20.5 g carbohydrates.
Enjoy!
I had a bowl of Russian Cabbage Soup today for the first time and was looking for the recipe The soup I ate had small chunks of a very tender beef, I also detected a hint of worchestershire sauce in it do you know of a recipe like this? It was outstanding
Hi Sue!
Since Shchi is made with beef stock, it is possible that the place you had your Shchi made their own beef stock and left some of the meat from making the stock it it for the soup.
If you would like to try making your own beef stock, you can combine 1-2 lbs of meaty beef stock bones (ask your butcher) and 1/2 lb of chopped beef stew meat with 1/2 gallon of water, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, a couple of garlic cloves, and a few peppercorns. Simmer everything for 6-8 hours, skimming any foam off the top. After simmering, you can taste your stock and add some salt as you desire. You can then chop the meat from this stock up finely and use it with the broth in your Shchi.
As for the Worcestershire sauce, Shchi is one of those soups that everyone has their own recipe for. If you detected a hint of it in the soup you tasted, I would say go ahead and try adding a little bit to your Shchi when you make it. I bet it would give a great flavor. We’ll have to give it a try the next time we make this soup!
Just finished the last of my first batch of this wonderful soup. I did add a bit more seasoned salt and more broth from a new batch – that gave the flavour I like. I am starting a new batch of this soup with the latest broth I just cooked. My turn to host my 2 sewing and quilting buddies and I know they will enjoy this as we are in another chilly spell here. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed the soup Cheryl! We hope your sewing buddies enjoy it as well!
Tried this soup today. I cooked it much longer than was recommended so that the flavours could blend better. I think I needed a bit more flavour as it seemed there was something missing – perhaps my broth was not strong enough. However, it was still very good and we enjoyed it.
Hi Cheryl, Thanks for your comment. Typically this soup has a really nice flavor from the combination of a good beef broth and veggies. Is is possible that your broth was not strong enough, or maybe your soup just needed a little more salt to bring out the flavors. We’re glad you still enjoyed it though!
Sounds wonderful. Will be trying this – love cabbage soup!
Happy New Year!
Thanks Christy!
The beef broth will transform this from something Ivan Denisovich would have survived upon to a meal fit for a tzar. Very nice indeed.
Agreed! Thanks Conor!