Prepping the Vegetables:

1. Read through the recipe in it's entirety before getting started. Wash, prepare, and measure all of your ingredients before getting started with the cooking.
2. Chill a can of coconut milk overnight in the fridge. When it's ready to be used turn it upside down, open it, and use only the solid cream from the top. Discard or reserve the liquid for smoothies.
3. Pay close attention to the ingredient amounts used in each step. Some ingredients, like the 3 cups of cabbage, are split up and used in separate steps (1½ cups are fried in step 3, and the remaining 1½ cups are added to the soup raw, in step 5.)
4. Make sure to remove any hard center leaves and leaf stems from the cabbage before you begin shredding it. If you don't remove the stems and hard leaves the cabbage tends to take over and give the soup a mealy texture.
5. Make sure all of the vegetables are cut into small, uniform pieces (unless otherwise specified.)
6. Use a high quality vegan margarine or Earth Balance and don't substitute with other vegetable oils. The buttery flavour of the Earth Balance is integral to this recipe. To make this recipe soy free, use Soy Free Earth Balance.

Making the Soup:

1. In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil over high heat - as soon as your water comes to a boil skip down to step 2. While you wait for the water to heat up you can begin cooking your tomatoes. Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is preheated, add 1 tbsp of Earth Balance and 1/4 cup of diced white onion. Cook for about 30 seconds and add the drained tomatoes. Use a potato masher to mash the tomatoes in the pan thoroughly. Simmer over medium-high heat until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture becomes thick. Pour into a bowl and set aside. Rinse out your frying pan and place it back on the heat.
2. After your pot of water has come to a boil, add 2½ tsp of salt, the halved potatoes, 1/4 cup of chopped carrot, 1/4 cup chopped celery, the whole beet, and ½ of the simmered tomato mixture from earlier.
3. In the frying pan used in the 1st step, add 1/4 cup of Earth Balance, 1/4 cup white onion, 1/4 cup grated carrots, 1/4 cup green onion, 1/4 cup green pepper, and 1½ cups of shredded cabbage. Sauté until the cabbage is tender and translucent but not browned. Set aside in a separate bowl.
4. Check on the boiling potatoes after they've been cooking for 15-20 minutes. When they're tender, remove them from the soup using a slotted spoon. You'll know the potatoes are tender when you can easily slide a fork into the center. Mash the potatoes with 1 tbsp of Earth Balance, 1/3 cup of coconut cream, 1/4 cup of green pepper, 1/4 cup of green onion, and 1/3 cup of dill. Set aside.
5. Add 1/2 cup of diced potatoes, 1 1/2 cups of raw shredded cabbage, and 1/3 cup of coconut cream to the pot. Bring to a boil. Stir in the mashed potatoes, the remainder or the tomatoes from step 1, and the fried vegetables from step 3. Bring the soup back to a boil and then reduce to medium-low heat to simmer. Remove the whole beet and discard.
6. Gently simmer the soup over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes. If necessary, add a little bit of water to achieve your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the salt to your preference, feel free to add some fresh cracked pepper or extra dill. This soup is best served the at least a few hours later or the next day.

Serving

1. To serve, reheat the soup in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches a simmer. If the soup has thickened overnight, you can add a touch more water. Taste it and adjust the seasonings as needed.
2. Serve the hot borsch with fresh bread + vegan butter and cheese, and dill pickles. Add a dollop of vegan sour cream for a creamier bowl.