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Shanghai-Style Borscht Soup (Luo Song Tang) Recipe
Shanghai-style borscht soup, also known as Luo Song Tang （罗宋汤）in mandarin, is a healthy, hearty soup cooked with a variety of vegetables and beef sausage. The soup is cooked with a rich beef flavor and adds a sweet and tangy taste from tomato paste. It’s utterly delicious and irresistible.
This is the easiest Shanghai-style borscht soup recipe you can find online, and the taste rivals the one from local Chinese restaurants.
The traditional borscht soup from Russia is made with red beetroots, beef and other vegetables as the main ingredients, which creates a deep red color vegetable soup severed commonly with sour cream on top. Unlike the western style borscht soup, this homemade Asian one, with a twist, is buttery and creamier with a little bit of sourness and every sip is bursting with a deep beef flavor.
Why This Recipe Works
This flavorful Shanghai-style borscht soup recipe is easy to make at home with the most affordable healthy ingredients from your local grocery stores. And the final result is just fantastic.
It’s a warm and hearty soup to enjoy all season long, and serves great with steamed rice or noodles. It’s also a perfect recipe for busy weeknight dinners.
This Shanghai-style borscht soup recipe is also freezer-friendly. The soup stores well in the freezer for a longer time. Believe it or not, this amazing soup tastes even better on the second day. You may reheat it anytime with the microwave or warm the soup over the stove for a future meal.
Ingredients For Shanghai-Style Borscht Soup (Luo Song Tang)
This classic Shanghai-style borscht soup is easy to make with a few simple ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Onion
- Tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Potato
- Beef broth
- Beef sausage
- All-purpose flour
- Water
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
The best thing about this recipe is it’s fail-proof. You won’t get it wrong, even cooking the soup with regular ketchup, it’ll still bring a savory and tangy taste with the most ordinary ingredient.
If you love meat, don’t hesitate to add some stir-fried tender beef to the soup while simmering.
How To Make Shanghai-Style Borscht Soup (Luo Song Tang)
Making this mouthwatering soup is effortless and only requires one pot to finish.
First, brown the onion in a heavy-bottom soup pot with butter. Add fresh tomatoes and tomato paste and sauté until the juice comes out.
Next, add the rest of the vegetables and stir-fry until aromatic, then pour in beef broth. Turn up the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Add beef sausage, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
Meanwhile, melt the rest of the butter in a clean frying pan over medium heat. Add all-purpose flour to the pan and stir for a few minutes until lightly browned. Turn off the heat and transfer to a small bowl and mix well with 1 cup of water.
Once the potatoes are softened, stir in the all-purpose flour slurry to thicken the soup. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Stir-fry the vegetables for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic, then add beef broth. It brings the soup a natural sweetness from the vegetables after simmering.
- Cook the soup with beef broth instead of water for the best taste.
- For a rich taste, thicken the soup with stir-fried all-purpose flour slurry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to serve with Shanghai-style borscht soup?
In China, Shanghai-style borscht soup is commonly served with Tonkatsu (deep-fried pork chop) for the best combination. You will also love it with a bowl of hot steamed rice, noodles, or dig into it with some crusty bread.
How to store Shanghai-style borscht soup?
Store the leftover soup in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. You may store the soup in the freezer for a longer time.
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This recipe has 300 calories per serving.
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Shanghai-Style Borscht Soup (Luo Song Tang)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
- 1/2 large onion (sliced)
- 2 tomatoes (diced)
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 head cabbage (roughly chopped)
- 1 carrot (cut into large chunks)
- 1 large potato (peeled and cut into large chunks)
- 6 cups beef broth
- 12 oz beef sausage (cut into strips)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat a heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pot and add onion. Stir well and cook until the onion is tender and lightly browned.
- Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste, keep stirring for 2 minutes until the juice comes out. Add chopped cabbage, carrot, potato chunks and stir-fry the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes, then add beef broth. Now turn up the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.
- Once the soup is boiled, reduce the heat to medium and add beef sausage. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Occasionally stir the soup to avoid the potatoes sticking to the bottom.
- Meanwhile, melt the rest of the butter in a clean frying pan over medium heat. Add all-purpose flour to the pan and stir for a few minutes until lightly browned. Turn off the heat and transfer to a small bowl and mix well with 1 cup of water.
- Once the potatoes are softened, stir in the all-purpose flour slurry to thicken the soup. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Stir-fry the vegetables for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic, then add beef broth. It brings the soup a natural sweetness from the vegetables after simmering.
- Cook the soup with beef broth instead of water for the best taste.
- For a rich taste, thicken the soup with stir-fried all-purpose flour.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Borscht is a Ukrainian dish