Name: Shchi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: 470 grams Beef; 1½ Liters Water; 500 grams White Cabbage; 400 grams Potatoes; 1 Carrot; 7 Garlic cloves; 20 grams Celery; 1 tsp Black Pepper; 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar; 3 tbsp Butter; 40 grams Dill; 1 Beef Stock Cube; 3 Bay leaves

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In Russia, Shchi isn’t just a recipe—it’s rooted in a thousand-year-old tradition. The word ‘Shchi’ means sustenance, and it is pronounced as sh-chee. The dish itself is considered a relentless compilation of flavours that define Russia’s culture of resilience, tenacity, and strength.

During the 9th and 10th centuries, Byzantine traders travelled to Russia and brought cabbage with them. This led to the creation of the cabbage soup (Shchi). Prior to its arrival, Slavic people relied on a diet of radishes, turnips, peas, and meat (when available). This marked a turning point in the diet of the Russian people,

Cabbage was unique as it could be preserved through fermentation (kvashenaya kapusta), also known as sour cabbage. Before refrigeration, having a barrel of sour cabbage in Russia was a key survival tool during the winter months.

There are several different variations of Shchi. A popular version of cabbage soup is made with fresh cabbage and uses high-quality beef, such as brisket or beef chuck, with lots of butter. On the other hand, Sour Shchi uses fermented cabbage in place of fresh cabbage.

Ingredients

White Cabbage, Potato, Carrot, Garlic Cloves, Onion, Beef Sirloin, Celery, Beef Stock Cube, Dill, Bay Leaf, Apple Cider Vinegar, Black Pepper Powder, Butter, and Water.

White cabbage adds a distinct flavour to the soup. The broth can be made from scratch with beef on the bone, or you can prepare a vegetarian version. Popular meat options for this dish include Beef brisket, Beef Shank, or beef short ribs. You can also use sirloin beef for a lighter broth, and if you wish to amplify the flavour, you can use a beef stock cube.

Vegetables often include onions, carrots, and potatoes, which add hearty nourishment to the soup. Apple cider vinegar adds a touch of tartness to this soup. Fresh dill adds flavour and colour to the soup. Salt and black pepper lightly season the broth.

Instruction

Peel and slice the onions and garlic cloves. Rinse and cut the celery stalk into small half-inch cubes. Wash and peel the carrot. Remove the top layer of the cabbage and discard it. Thereafter, cut the cabbage in half, then into four quarters, and slice the cabbage.

Add butter and cooking oil to a pot. Add the onions and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, then add the celery and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and carrot, and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes. During this time, the vegetables will soften slightly.

Add the bay leaves, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, beef stock cube, and salt. Add water and add the potatoes. Slice the beef into cubes and add it to the pot. Simmer on medium-low heat for 90 minutes. Wash fresh dill and reserve until the last five minutes of cooking.

Add the dill to the cabbage soup in the last 5 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust the salt amount accordingly.

The Shchi is ready to enjoy with buttered bread. The core of this recipe is cabbage with hearty vegetables, creating a savoury, tart-flavoured soup. You can add sour cream to the soup and sprinkle it with more fresh dill for an authentic experience.

Traditionally, Shchi was cooked in a clay oven called a ‘Pech’ that uses fire and wood. The Shchi would be prepared in the early hours of the morning, and the pot would sit in the receding heat for hours, allowing the flavours to intensify over the course of the day without aggressive boiling, creating a deep, caramelized flavour alongside a mellowed tartness.

Expert tips

You can swap out apple cider vinegar with white vinegar or use the liquid from dill pickle brine. It is important to caramelize the onions and garlic for added flavour. Sautéing the cabbage is an integral part of making this soup; it adds a lot more flavour to the Shchi. You can cook this recipe in a pressure cooker in about 45 minutes. It is still necessary to sauté the onions and cabbage in the pressure cooker on the sauté setting, and then switch to the simmer setting.

If you want the flavours to develop, set the pressure cooker to warm and let the soup sit for several hours until you are ready to eat. Alternatively, you can sauté the ingredients in the oven-friendly pot, then place the Shchi in the oven to bake for 2 hours on medium-low heat. After that time, you can leave the pot in the oven (with the heat off) for an additional hour to allow the flavours to meld.

What can you Serve with Shchi?

Shchi is often served with a dollop of sour cream on top. Dark rye bread is a firm favourite in Russia; you can also serve the soup with buttered white bread. Pirozhki are small stuffed pastries that are filled with potatoes and meat. A side of pickles will balance the soup’s flavours. Hard-boiled eggs are a great addition for protein, especially if you are opting for a vegetarian shchi.

How to Store Shchi?

Once the soup has cooled, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Reheat on the stove-top or in the microwave. You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months.