Chinese Russian Soup: A Hong Kong-Style Borscht Recipe

Chinese Russian soup is a tomato-rich, Russian-inspired beef and vegetable soup best known in Hong Kong-style cafés, where it is often called borscht. This version simmers beef with cabbage, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes for a hearty, gently tangy soup; unlike many Eastern European borscht recipes, it does not use beetroot.

Ingredients

1½ lb (680 g) boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral cooking oil
1 large yellow onion, about 8 oz (225 g), diced
2 medium carrots, about 6 oz (170 g), peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
2 celery ribs, about 3 oz (85 g), diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1 can (28 oz / 794 g) crushed tomatoes
8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium beef stock
1 small green cabbage, about 1 lb (450 g), cored and cut into bite-size pieces
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, about 12 oz (340 g), peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
2 bay leaves
1 tsp (2 g) sweet paprika
1 tsp (5 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar, optional, to soften the tomatoes’ sharpness
1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
¼ cup (10 g) chopped fresh parsley, for serving
½ cup (120 g) sour cream, for serving, optional

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Cut the beef and vegetables to roughly the sizes listed so they cook evenly. Keep the beef separate from the ready-to-eat vegetables while you work, and wash your hands, knife and board after handling raw meat. Open the tomatoes and measure the stock and seasonings before you start cooking.
Brown the beef, 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the beef dry, then brown it in two batches, turning the pieces so several sides get a deep color. Crowding the pot makes the meat steam instead of brown. Transfer the browned beef to a plate; leave the flavorful browned bits in the pot.
Soften the aromatics, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly. If the pot looks dry, add a splash of stock rather than more oil.
Simmer the beef, 1 hour 10 minutes. Pour in a little stock and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining stock, crushed tomatoes, browned beef, bay leaves, paprika, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid just to a boil, then lower the heat until it maintains a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for 70 minutes, stirring occasionally. A hard boil can make the beef tough and cause more liquid to evaporate than intended.
Add the cabbage and potatoes, 25 minutes. Stir in the cabbage and potatoes, cover the pot partially again, and simmer gently for about 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the cabbage has softened. Check the largest piece of beef with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS gives 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of beef. Chuck usually needs longer simmering to become tender, so continue cooking if needed; tenderness, not just temperature, is the cue that it is ready for this soup.
Season and serve, 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the vinegar and optional sugar, then taste the broth. Add salt, pepper or a little more vinegar as needed; the finished soup should be savory, tomato-forward and pleasantly tangy rather than sharply sour. Let it stand for 3 minutes, then ladle into bowls and finish with parsley and a spoonful of sour cream if you like.

Tips

Brown in batches. A good sear adds depth to the broth, but the pot needs room for moisture to escape. If beef releases liquid and turns gray, lift it out, let the pot heat again, and brown the next batch without crowding.
Keep the simmer gentle. Small, occasional bubbles help the beef soften without making the vegetables disintegrate. If the soup gets thicker than you want, add hot water or extra stock a little at a time.
Adjust the acidity at the end. Canned tomatoes vary in sweetness and sharpness. Add vinegar gradually, tasting between additions; the optional sugar is only there to balance a particularly tart batch, not to make the soup sweet.
Choose the right substitute. Beef chuck gives a rich broth and becomes tender with a long simmer. Stewing beef is a practical alternative, though its tenderness can vary. For a lighter meatless soup, omit the beef, use vegetable stock and add a drained can of white beans; the result will be less rich and will not need the long beef simmer.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup hot as a filling lunch or as the first course of a simple dinner. A spoonful of sour cream adds a cool, creamy contrast to the tomato and vinegar, while parsley brings a fresh finish. Keep the sour cream separate until serving so diners can choose how much they want; stirred into the whole pot, it can mute the bright tomato flavor and may not reheat as smoothly.

Crusty bread, a soft dinner roll or thick slices of toasted bread are useful for soaking up the broth. For a more substantial meal, serve a smaller bowl before a main dish, or pair a full bowl with a plain green salad. The soup already contains beef, potatoes and several vegetables, so uncomplicated sides work best rather than another heavily seasoned dish.

Variations

Chinese Russian soup has regional and café-style variations, so treat this recipe as one home-cook-friendly version rather than the only correct formula. Hong Kong-style versions commonly feature tomato, cabbage and beef, while Russian and other Eastern European borscht traditions include many beet-based versions. This recipe uses the name for the tomato-and-cabbage café style and deliberately leaves out beetroot.

For a deeper, slightly sweeter tomato flavor, replace up to 1 cup (240 ml) of the stock with water and add 1 cup (240 ml) of tomato juice. For more pronounced tang, add another teaspoon of red wine vinegar at the table. If you prefer a thinner soup, add hot stock after the potatoes are tender; if you prefer a thicker bowl, mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot and stir them into the broth.

You can use leaner beef, but it may not become as succulent as chuck during a long simmer. If you want to skip browning, add the raw beef directly to the stock and tomatoes, then simmer until tender and safely cooked; the soup will have a less roasty, layered flavor. For a vegetarian variation, omit the beef, choose vegetable stock and add white beans or chickpeas for substance. Since those additions are already cooked, add them with the potatoes and cabbage, and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow airtight containers so they chill efficiently. The soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store sour cream and other toppings separately, and discard any soup left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C). Add a splash of water or stock if the broth has thickened in the refrigerator. You can also reheat a serving in the microwave in a covered, microwave-safe bowl, stirring partway through and checking that it reaches 165°F (74°C). Freeze cooled soup in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little space at the top for expansion, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat to 165°F (74°C). Potatoes may become a little softer after freezing, but the soup will still be suitable to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chinese Russian soup the same as Russian borscht?
Not exactly. The name commonly refers to a tomato-based, Russian-inspired soup served in Hong Kong-style cafés, often with beef, cabbage and other vegetables. Many familiar Russian and Eastern European borscht recipes are beet-based, and recipes vary across regions and households.

Does this soup contain beetroot?
No. This version follows the tomato-and-cabbage style associated with Chinese Russian soup, so it has no beetroot. You can add cooked beetroot if you want a sweeter, earthier flavor and a deeper red color, but that will move the soup toward a beet-based borscht style.

Can I make it without beef?
Yes. Leave out the beef and use vegetable stock. Add a can of drained white beans or chickpeas with the potatoes and cabbage, and shorten the simmer to the time needed for the vegetables to become tender. The broth will be lighter than the beef version.

Why is my beef still chewy?
Beef chuck can reach a safe temperature before its connective tissue has softened enough to feel tender. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer and cook longer, checking every 10 to 15 minutes. If the liquid boils vigorously, lower the heat; a rolling boil can make the meat seem tougher.

Can I make the soup ahead?
Yes. The broth and beef can be made a day ahead and refrigerated promptly. For the best vegetable texture, you can cook the beef in the tomato broth first, chill it, then bring it back to a simmer and add the cabbage and potatoes on the day you plan to serve. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).

What can I use instead of red wine vinegar?
Use an equal amount of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, then taste and adjust. Lemon juice can also brighten the broth, though it gives a more citrusy finish. Add any acidic substitute a little at a time so it balances the tomatoes instead of overpowering them.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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