Culture of Ukrainian Borscht Cooking: UNESCO's Video Portrait of a National Dish

Few dishes are as closely tied to a nation's identity as borscht is to Ukraine. Ask ten Ukrainian families how they make it and you will hear ten different answers, each defended with real passion. That diversity, and the way the recipe passes from one generation to the next, is exactly what UNESCO set out to protect.

A dish that is also a tradition

Ukrainian borscht is built on beetroot, which gives the soup its deep red colour, together with cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions and usually a rich meat or bone stock. A touch of acidity, whether from vinegar, lemon, fermented beet kvass or tomatoes, balances the sweetness of the beets. It is traditionally finished with a spoonful of sour cream and served with garlic-brushed pampushky buns.

Yet borscht is not a single recipe. Regions, villages and individual households have their own versions:

• green borscht made with sorrel in spring;
• meatless Lenten borscht with beans or mushrooms, often served on Christmas Eve;
• versions enriched with smoked pears, prunes or salo;
• summer cold borscht based on young beets and kefir.

In 2022 UNESCO inscribed the culture of Ukrainian borscht cooking on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. The listing recognises not just the soup itself but the social practices around it: growing the vegetables, cooking together, and sharing the meal with family and community.

What to expect from the video

This film, titled Culture of Ukrainian borscht cooking, comes from UNESCO's official YouTube channel, which publishes short documentary portraits of traditions on its heritage lists. Viewers can expect an introduction to borscht as a living cultural practice rather than a simple cooking lesson, presented from the perspective of the organisation that evaluated and inscribed it.

It is a good starting point for anyone curious about why a humble beetroot soup carries such meaning for Ukrainians, and why safeguarding everyday food traditions matters as much as protecting cathedrals and castles. If the video inspires you to cook, remember that there is no single correct recipe: the best borscht is the one shared at your own table.

Video: UNESCO / YouTube