Pork rib bortsch

Name: Pork rib bortsch
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 19 min
Total time: 29 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 1kg Pork Back Ribs; 2 Bay Leaves; 1 tablespoon Dried white beans; 1 large Carrots; 1 sliced Onion; 3 sliced thinly Garlic Clove; 1 chopped Red Pepper; 2 chopped Red Chilli; 2 Beetroot; 3 chopped Potatoes; 3 tablespoons Tomato Puree; 1/2 White Cabbage; Handful Parsley; Handful Dill; 300g Sour Cream

By The Spice & Simmer Kitchen · Published May 3, 2026

A one-pot Pork recipe with Polish flavors, built for busy weeknights when you want real food without a sink full of dishes. Comes together in roughly 45 minutes, serves about 4, and uses ingredients you can find at any normal grocery store. The technique is simple: build a base in your pot, layer in the main ingredients, simmer until everything has had time to talk to each other, and serve straight from the pan. If you're cooking for picky eaters, this one tends to land — the flavors are recognizable, the texture is comforting, and there's nothing weird hiding in the ingredient list. Perfect for the kind of evening where you want dinner on the table by 7pm and the kitchen empty by 7:30.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings · 29 min total

1kg Pork Back Ribs
2 Bay Leaves
1 tablespoon Dried White Beans
1 large Carrots
1 sliced Onion
3 sliced thinly Garlic Clove
1 chopped Red Pepper
2 chopped Red Chilli
2 Beetroot
3 chopped Potatoes
3 tablespoons Tomato Puree
1/2 White Cabbage
Handful Parsley
Handful Dill
300g Sour Cream

Step-by-step instructions

Cut the meat into large pieces, put in your largest saucepan and cover with 5 litres water. Bring to the boil over a high heat, skimming away any foam that rises to the surface. Add the bay leaves. Season. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 1 hr, or until the meat is soft and falls off the bone. Add the beans if using dried.
Turn the heat up. Bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 20 mins – the beans should still be slightly raw. Add the carrots, onions, garlic and pepper. Stir well, then add the chillies, if using. Cook for 15 mins more.
Stir in the beetroot and cook for 10 mins before adding the potatoes. After 15 mins, add the tomato purée to taste and beans, if using canned, and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 mins, add the cabbage and cook for 5 mins more. Season, then garnish with the parsley and dill. Turn off the heat and leave to stand for 5 mins. Serve with soured cream on the side.

Why this works on a weeknight

Pork rib bortsch genuinely fits a 30-minute weeknight window, which is why it earned a spot in our Skillet & One-Pan collection. The technique is forgiving, the ingredient list is grocery-store standard, and the active cooking time is short enough that you can answer a text message in the middle without ruining dinner.

Cleanup notes

This is a single-pan recipe, so the cleanup is exactly one pan, one cutting board, and one knife. While the dish rests, fill the pan with hot soapy water — by the time you are done eating, the residue lifts off with a single pass of a sponge. Skip the steel wool on cast iron; a stiff brush and warm water are all you need to keep the seasoning intact.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a dry pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce. Pork rib bortsch actually improves overnight as the flavors keep talking to each other, so doubling the recipe and packing tomorrow's lunch is a high-leverage weeknight move.

Filed under 🥘 Skillet & One-Pan Pork Polish ⚡ 30-Min Dinner