Solyanka

Name: Solyanka
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500 g beef brisket or shin on the bone (for the broth); 2 L cold water for the broth + 1 onion + 1 carrot + 2 bay leaves + 5 black peppercorns + 1 tsp salt for the stock; 200 g smoked kielbasa or krakovskaya, sliced 5 mm thick; 150 g cooked ham, cut into 1 cm cubes (or boiled tongue, traditional); 100 g salami or hunting sausage, sliced thin; 2 large pickled cucumbers (~250 g, half-sour or fully sour), cut into thin matchsticks; reserve 100 ml of the pickle brine; 1 large onion (~200 g), finely diced; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 200 g grated tomatoes (or 1 × 200 g canned, drained); 2 tbsp butter or 30 g rendered beef fat for the soffritto; 80 g pitted black olives (kalamata-style) + 80 g pitted green olives; 2 tbsp capers, drained; 1 lemon, sliced into thin half-moons; 1 bay leaf + 0.5 tsp ground black pepper + 1 tsp paprika (optional, for color); A small bunch fresh dill, finely chopped; 200 g smetana (sour cream) for serving; To serve: 4 thick slices of fresh dark rye bread, optional 1 tbsp horseradish (khren)

Solyanka is Russia's festive soup — a thick and tangy broth with beef, smoked sausages, ham, pickled cucumbers, olives, capers, and tomatoes, all finished with sour cream and a slice of lemon. Its distinctive character comes from the combination of salty, sour, and spicy from the pickles that form the flavor base. Solyanka is not difficult to make, but requires quality ingredients and enough simmering time. In Russia, solyanka is eaten as a main dish, not a starter, served with black bread. It is the classic hangover cure — the acid from pickles and lemon restores balance.

Total time2h

Active time30m

Servings4

DifficultyMedium

Cost$$

Add to my meal plan

❤️

Rich in protein

Filling and nutritious

❄️

Can be frozen

Great for meal prep

🕐

Slow simmered

Low and slow cooking

⭐

Traditional recipe

Authentic taste

Ingredients 4 servings

500 g beef brisket or shin on the bone (for the broth)
2 L cold water for the broth + 1 onion + 1 carrot + 2 bay leaves + 5 black peppercorns + 1 tsp salt for the stock
200 g smoked kielbasa or krakovskaya, sliced 5 mm thick
150 g cooked ham, cut into 1 cm cubes (or boiled tongue, traditional)
100 g salami or hunting sausage, sliced thin
2 large pickled cucumbers (~250 g, half-sour or fully sour), cut into thin matchsticks; reserve 100 ml of the pickle brine
1 large onion (~200 g), finely diced
1 tbsp tomato paste
200 g grated tomatoes (or 1 × 200 g canned, drained)
2 tbsp butter or 30 g rendered beef fat for the soffritto
80 g pitted black olives (kalamata-style) + 80 g pitted green olives
2 tbsp capers, drained
1 lemon, sliced into thin half-moons
1 bay leaf + 0.5 tsp ground black pepper + 1 tsp paprika (optional, for color)
A small bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
200 g smetana (sour cream) for serving
To serve: 4 thick slices of fresh dark rye bread, optional 1 tbsp horseradish (khren)

How to make it

1THE BROTH: place 500 g beef brisket in a large pot with 2 L cold water; bring to a boil and skim the foam thoroughly for the first 5 minutes — this gives a clear broth; add 1 whole quartered onion + 1 whole carrot + 2 bay leaves + 5 peppercorns + 1 tsp salt; reduce to a gentle simmer and cook covered 1.5 hours until the meat is fully tender.
2STRAIN AND SHRED: lift the beef out and let it cool slightly; strain the broth through a fine sieve back into a clean pot — you should have about 1.5 L of clear, savoury broth; cut the beef across the grain into bite-sized strips, discarding any tough sinew.
3SOFFRITTO: in a wide skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat; add 200 g finely diced onion and sauté 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent; stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 minute until darkened; add the 200 g grated tomatoes and cook 4–5 minutes until the mixture has reduced and the oil starts to appear on the surface.
4ADD PICKLES: stir the cucumber matchsticks into the soffritto and cook 3–4 minutes; the pickles should be warmed through, not over-softened — they need to keep some crunch for texture contrast.
5FRY THE SAUSAGES: in a separate dry pan over medium heat, fry the smoked kielbasa slices, ham cubes, and salami slices 4–5 minutes until lightly browned at the edges and the fat has rendered; this step is non-negotiable — searing the meats before adding them to the broth is what gives solyanka its deep, smoky character.
6ASSEMBLE THE SOUP: pour the soffritto into the strained broth and stir in the seared sausages, ham, salami, and shredded beef; add the reserved 100 ml pickle brine + 1 bay leaf + 0.5 tsp ground pepper + 1 tsp paprika; bring to a gentle simmer.
7SIMMER: cook over low heat 15–20 minutes, partially covered, for the flavours to marry; add the olives + capers in the last 5 minutes only — they should warm through but keep their shape; taste and adjust salt — most of the saltiness comes from the pickles, capers, olives, and brine, so go cautiously.
8SERVE: ladle the hot solyanka into deep bowls; to each bowl add 1 thin lemon slice (whole, peel on), a generous spoonful of smetana, and a scatter of chopped dill; black pepper to taste; serve immediately with thick slices of fresh dark rye bread on the side — solyanka is a main course, not a starter; in Russian tradition, this is the classic post-celebration restorative.