This vibrant red and yellow beet soup is as stunning to look at as it is to eat. Sweet, earthy beets are blended into two purées and layered together for a vibrant and flavorful twist on classic borscht.
Jump to:
About This Recipe
This colorful beet soup takes the sweet, earthy flavors of beets and gives them a delicious modern spin. Inspired by traditional borscht that I grew up with, this version keeps the flavors clean and bright by highlighting the beets themselves.
Here, I separate the red and golden beets into two different purées. The red beets are flavored with warm cumin and pureed with potatoes, carrots and other aromatics, mimicking the flavors of classic borscht. And the golden beets are blended with fresh ginger and earthy turmeric that pair so well with the mild yellow beets.
📋 Ingredients
- Beets (red and golden) – Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler before chopping. Wear gloves for red beets (they stain), and prep golden beets first so they don’t pick up the red color.
- Carrots, potatoes, onion – Classic beet soup vegetables that add body and flavor.
- Fresh ginger – Peel with a vegetable peeler and grate with a microplane for a fresh, peppery kick.
- Turmeric – Use ground or fresh root (peel and grate if fresh). Like beets, it stains easily, so gloves help.
- Vegetable stock – Store-bought or homemade vegetable stock (save veggie scraps to make your own).
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Beet greens: Fry them for a crunchy garnish. Pat the leaves dry and shallow fry in olive oil for a few seconds on each side until crisp.
- Single-color version: Make only the red beet or only the yellow beet soup if you prefer not to layer.
- Texture: Blend until smooth, or leave the soup a bit chunky for a rustic feel.
- Garnishes: Swap dill for fresh chives or parsley, or add a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream for a creamy finish.
⏲️ Instructions
Make the red beet soup. Sauté shallot, garlic, cumin in olive oil. Add red beets, carrot and potato and pour in vegetable stock. Season and cook until very tender. Purée until smooth.
Make the yellow beet soup. Sauté shallot, garlic, grated ginger, and turmeric in olive oil. Add golden beets and vegetable stock, season, and cook until very tender. Purée until smooth.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Cook until tender – Make sure the vegetables are very soft before blending for the smoothest texture.
- Use two pots – Keeps colors bright. If you only have one, cook the golden beets first, then rinse before making the red soup.
- Blending – An immersion blender is easiest, but a regular blender works too (just cool slightly first).
- Layering – Ladle one color first, then gently spoon the second soup on top for clean layers.
Serving Suggestions
This soup makes a beautiful starter for holiday meals and special occasions. It pairs especially well with:
- Rosh Hashanah or Passover dinners as a first course.
- Serve alongside braised brisket, roasted chicken, or pistachio crusted lamb.
- Or seafood dishes, such as herbed salmon or panko crusted halibut.
- A fresh kale salad with apples and feta cheese and crusty bread for a lighter meal.
More Beet Recipes to Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Red and Yellow Beet Soup
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
For the Red Beet Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ shallot finely chopped
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 3 medium red beets peeled and chopped
- 1 cup Yukon gold potatoes chopped (about 3 to 4 small–medium potatoes)
- 1 cup carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Yellow Beet Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ shallot finely chopped
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 3 medium golden beets peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger about ½-inch piece
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For Serving
- Fresh dill
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cayenne (if using).
- Add the red beets, carrots, potatoes, and vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- In a separate pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the ginger and turmeric until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the golden beets and vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Blend until smooth.
- To serve, ladle one soup into bowls, then gently spoon the second soup on top to create layers. Garnish with fresh dill and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Cook until tender – Make sure the vegetables are very soft before blending for the smoothest texture.
- Use two pots – Keeps colors bright. If you only have one, cook the golden beets first, then rinse before making the red soup.
- Blending – An immersion blender is easiest, but a regular blender works too (just cool slightly first).
- Layering – Ladle one color first, then gently spoon the second soup on top for clean layers.
Amy @ What Jew Wanna Eat says
Love the idea of fried beet greens on here! This is gorgeous. Love neon pink food!! 🙂
Samantha says
Haha Thanks Amy! :))
Joanne says
I'm a little iffy on beet consumption, but this soup is gorgeous! It could convince me to change my ways.