I've been working on a veggie borshch recipe for a while now
and I couldn't help notice that there are literally thousands of recipes out there for borshch. Does anyone have a recipe they consider definitive? When does borshch get so different it becomes another soup altogether?

You can take a look at my version here http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art25509.asp

I just follow the directions on the seasoning packet. The brand is Магия востока. I just make it vegetarian. My husband loves it!
2 liters bouillon
2 C cabbage,shredded
1 carrot,shredded
2 beets,shredded
1 onion,finely chopped
2-3 potatoes,peeled and diced
3 T vegetable oil
2 T vinegar
2-3 T tomato sauce(I use paste)
Put shredded cabbage and diced potatoes into boiling bouillon and cook 15 minutes. Meanwhile,heat 3 tablespoons oil and saute onion then add carrot,beets,tomato sauce and 2-3 tablespoons bouillon. Saute 15 minutes,remove from heat and add vinegar. Mix and add to the soup. Add seasoning. Cook 5 minutes more. Serve with mayo or sour cream.

Yours sounds a lot easier than mine, if I can find the seasoning as I'm in UK at the moment - we get a lot of Polish products but it can be difficult to find Russian ones

You might be able to find it. I ordered mine from a place in NYC. I do think any kind of borsch seasoning you can find will work. I hope you like it! In fact,I'm just getting ready to make a huge pot of it for the weekend. My 18 month old daughter even likes it!

Now thinking about a cold borsch. When I worked in a cement factory in Vol'sk the dinner ladies used to make me a special veggie version, which was very refreshing in the heat of summer. The depth of flavour they got was brilliant, I think they used beetroot kvas

I quess that was the dish called "Okroshka" - chopped boiled and fresh vegetables with some boiled eggs poured with cold kvas.
Very delisious! I love it!

Hi VestnikRA,

It wasn't okroshka, though I do love that - when I was living by the Volga we used to chop the stuff, take it to the beach in a pot and then add the kvas and some mayonnaise. No, this was with beetroot kvas - maybe it was svekolnik?