Borscht seems to be a generic Eastern European word for soup, just as caldo is in Spanish.
My grandmother used to make a fantastic beef and cabbage borscht, either with or without beans. She also made beet borscht, which my grandfather loved with sour cream. My palate was not developed enough at that age to appreciate it.
My favorite "grandma soup" was a thick chowder [in the original sense] which I eventually learned was a lentil soup. Again, she made it either with or without beef, depending on her mood or her plan for the rest of the meal.