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Brief Overview
Solyanka is the kind of soup that demands attention from the first spoonful. Salty, sour, savoury, and rich all at once, it is a bold dish that feels both rustic and refined. It is deeply satisfying, especially when the weather leans cold and grey.
This hearty Russian soup is built around preserved ingredients, a practice born from necessity that blossomed into something delicious. Solyanka brings together cured meats, pickles, olives, and lemon in one fragrant, slightly acidic broth.
It is a dish that feeds more than hunger. With its briny depth and warming quality, Solyanka offers a meal that feels generous and full of character, often best shared with others at the centre of a lively table.
What Is Solyanka?
Solyanka is a traditional Russian soup made with a medley of meats or fish, pickled vegetables, and a richly spiced broth. The most popular version is the meat based one, which includes smoked sausages, ham, and cured beef.
What sets it apart is not just the protein but the pickled flavours woven through the dish. Chopped gherkins, brine, capers, and slices of lemon are stirred in to cut through the richness and build layers of bold, balanced taste.
It is usually served hot with a spoonful of sour cream and a piece of black rye bread. The textures and flavours are complex, but the experience is straightforward: warm, salty, sour, and ultimately comforting.
Ingredients and Taste
Solyanka’s signature flavour starts with a base of beef or chicken stock simmered slowly to build depth. Into this goes a mix of smoked meats like kielbasa, salami, or cold cuts, often fried lightly to deepen their flavour.
Pickled cucumber is essential. Not just the vegetable, but its brine, which gives the soup its distinct sourness. Tomato paste adds body and a mellow sweetness, while onions and carrots provide a rounded base.
Black olives and lemon slices offer surprising but essential contrasts. The result is a bowl of rich, meaty broth layered with tangy, salty, and slightly sweet notes. It is bold but balanced, full bodied but never heavy.
A Taste of History
Solyanka’s roots trace back to 17th-century Russia, where it was first known as a peasant dish. It was originally a thick, spicy stew eaten with bread and vodka, often used to cure hangovers or warm up after long days in the cold.
Over time, it moved into broader kitchens and was refined into a soup. The use of pickles and cured meats reflected the Russian tradition of preserving food during long winters, making Solyanka both practical and flavourful.
It gained popularity in Soviet times, served in canteens and restaurants across the country. Each region and household gave it their own spin, sometimes adding mushrooms, cabbage, or switching meats for fish or game.
Today, Solyanka still carries that mix of comfort and character. It is a soup that tells a story in every bowl, shaped by history, resourcefulness, and a love of bold, uncompromising flavour. It may look humble, but it leaves a lasting impression.
How to make Solyanka
Solyanka is a robust and savoury Russian soup that blends smoked meats, pickles, olives and tomato for a boldly seasoned bowl. Expect a salty sour depth balanced by a gentle sweetness and layers of umami from assorted meats. Best enjoyed with sour cream and lemon. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the soup base
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 medium pickled cucumbers, diced
- 8–10 green olives, pitted and halved
- 1 tbsp capers (optional)
- 1.5 litres beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the meats
- 150g cooked beef (brisket or stewing beef), diced
- 150g smoked sausage (like kielbasa), sliced
- 100g cooked ham, diced
- 50g salami or cured meat, chopped
For serving
- 1 lemon, sliced into wedges
- 4 tbsp sour cream
- Fresh dill or parsley, finely chopped
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the aromatics
To begin, heat sunflower oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Transition to building the base.
Step 2: Build the soup base
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes to deepen its flavour. Add the diced pickles and cook for another 2 minutes. This brings acidity and texture. Move on to adding liquid.
Step 3: Add stock and seasonings
Pour in the beef stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add bay leaf, smoked paprika, black pepper, olives, and capers (if using). Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Begin preparing the meats.
Step 4: Prepare the meats
Dice or slice all meats into bite sized pieces. Use a mix of smoked, cured and cooked meats for depth. Avoid over salting, as pickles and meats already carry salt. Move to combining with the soup.
Step 5: Add meats to the soup
Stir the meats into the simmering soup and cook for another 15–20 minutes on low heat. This allows the flavours to meld and meats to soften. Check for seasoning and adjust with black pepper if needed. Transition to final prep.
Step 6: Rest the soup
Remove from heat and let the soup sit covered for 10 minutes. This enhances the overall flavour. While resting, prepare garnishes.
Final step: Serve with garnish
Ladle hot Solyanka into bowls. Add a spoonful of sour cream and a wedge of lemon on the side. Sprinkle with chopped dill or parsley. Presentation tip: serve with black rye bread for an authentic Russian pairing.
Variations and substitutions
- Replace beef with chicken for a lighter version.
- Omit salami or cured meat and increase sausage for a milder flavour.
- For vegetarian Solyanka, use mushrooms and vegetable broth instead of meat.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Solyanka
- Use a mix of smoked and cooked meats to layer flavour.
- Add tomato paste early to deepen the colour and taste.
- Letting the soup rest before serving improves flavour balance.
- Balance sourness with a touch of sweetness from the tomato base.
Russian Solyanka (Meat Soup)
Ingredients
For the soup base
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 medium pickled cucumbers diced
- 8 –10 green olives pitted and halved
- 1 tbsp capers optional
- 1.5 litres beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the meats
- 150 g cooked beef brisket or stewing beef, diced
- 150 g smoked sausage like kielbasa, sliced
- 100 g cooked ham diced
- 50 g salami or cured meat chopped
For serving
- 1 lemon sliced into wedges
- 4 tbsp sour cream
- Fresh dill or parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- To begin, heat sunflower oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Transition to building the base.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes to deepen its flavour. Add the diced pickles and cook for another 2 minutes. This brings acidity and texture. Move on to adding liquid.
- Pour in the beef stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add bay leaf, smoked paprika, black pepper, olives, and capers (if using). Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Begin preparing the meats.
- Dice or slice all meats into bite sized pieces. Use a mix of smoked, cured and cooked meats for depth. Avoid over salting, as pickles and meats already carry salt. Move to combining with the soup.
- Stir the meats into the simmering soup and cook for another 15–20 minutes on low heat. This allows the flavours to meld and meats to soften. Check for seasoning and adjust with black pepper if needed. Transition to final prep.
- Remove from heat and let the soup sit covered for 10 minutes. This enhances the overall flavour. While resting, prepare garnishes.
- Ladle hot Solyanka into bowls. Add a spoonful of sour cream and a wedge of lemon on the side. Sprinkle with chopped dill or parsley. Presentation tip: serve with black rye bread for an authentic Russian pairing.
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