Recipes
Meat Solyanka
2025-11-07
Solyanka is one of those soups where the salty-sour punch and deep meaty flavor matter more than any fixed recipe — whatever cured or cooked meat is on hand tends to go into the pot, as long as the balance of smokiness, salt, and acidity holds up. The classic mixed-meat version combines simmered beef with smoked sausage or ham, and sometimes whatever leftover roasts happen to be around.
The real flavor secret is the trio of dill pickles, olives, and capers, which together create that signature briny tang. Simmering the pickles briefly before adding them softens their sharp edge and rounds out the flavor. Tomato paste, cooked with the onion, adds depth and a touch of sweetness that balances the acidity.
Solyanka is traditionally served with a dollop of sour cream and a thin lemon slice right in the bowl — press the lemon gently with a spoon so its juice mixes into the broth. Fresh herbs, usually dill or parsley, go on at the very end to cut through the rich, savory broth.
The soup keeps well and tends to taste even better the next day, once the flavors have had time to meld and deepen. It’s especially welcome in cold weather and scales up easily, making it a good choice for a crowd.
Ingredients
- 300 g bone-in beef
- 150 g smoked sausage or cocktail frankfurters
- 150 g ham or cooked meat
- 3 dill pickles
- 100 g olives (green or black, or a mix)
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1 large onion
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lemon
- 2 bay leaves
- sour cream and fresh herbs, for serving
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Simmer the bone-in beef in 2.5-3 liters of water until tender (1.5-2 hours), skimming off foam regularly, and season with salt and the bay leaves near the end.
- Remove the meat from the broth, strain the broth, dice the beef, and return it to the pot.
- Dice the pickles and simmer them for 5-7 minutes in a splash of water to take the edge off their brine.
- Finely chop the onion and cook it in vegetable oil until soft, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Cut the sausage and ham into small pieces or strips.
- Add the tomato-onion mixture, softened pickles, sausage, ham, olives, and capers to the simmering broth.
- Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls, topping each with a thin lemon slice, a spoonful of sour cream, and fresh herbs.
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