 In its currently most popular , beet @-@ based version , borscht most likely originated in what is now Ukraine . Borscht 's role as a staple of everyday Ukrainian diet is reflected in the Ukrainian saying , " borscht and porridge are our food " ( compare the equivalent Russian saying , where borscht is replaced with shchi ) . The hearty soup in which the beetroot is just one of sundry vegetables , as opposed to the typically Polish clear beet broth , is still known in Poland as " Ukrainian borscht " . 
