 The vegetables most commonly added to borscht are beetroots , white cabbage , carrots , parsley root , potatoes , onions and tomatoes . Some recipes may also call for beans , tart apples , turnip , celeriac , zucchini or bell peppers . Parsnip may be used as a substitute for parsley root , and tomato paste is often used as well as or instead of fresh tomatoes . The traditional technique of preparing the soup is to <unk> the vegetables – by sautéing , braising , boiling or baking – separately from the meat and only then to combine them with the stock . This distinctive feature of borscht derives from the practice of slow cooking in the Russian oven ( traditional masonry stove , used for both cooking and heating ) , wherein the differences in cooking times of individual ingredients had to be taken into account in order to ensure that all components reach doneness at the same time . The importance of this method is reflected in the Russian language , where a variant in which all vegetables are added raw directly into the stock is referred to by the diminutive form <unk> rather than borshch . Vegetables are usually julienned , except for potatoes and zucchini , which are diced . The beetroots may be partially baked before being sprinkled with vinegar or lemon juice to preserve the color and braised separately from other vegetables . Onions , carrots , parsley root , turnip and other root vegetables are sautéed ( traditionally in animal fat , especially lard or butter ) and then mixed with tomatoes or tomato paste . Dry beans are boiled separately . Potatoes and cabbage are boiled in the stock for about 15 minutes before the <unk> vegetables are added . 
