Soljanka with sausage, gherkins, olives, lemon, sour cream and dill
Russian Recipe

Solyanka

For Soljanka, onions, tomato paste, pickled cucumbers and meat or sausage are roasted and filled with broth. Cucumber water, lemon, olives and sour cream give the soup its typical savoury-sour character.

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Total time 55 min
Calories 430 kcal
Servings 6 servings
Difficulty Easy
By the Published Updated Editorially approved

Why this recipe works

Solyanka hearty-sour with pickles

Solyanka thrives on contrast. Smoked meat or sausage adds spice, tomato paste adds depth, pickles and lemon provide acidity. The soup should not be overloaded with salt, because cucumbers, sausages and olives already bring a lot of spice.

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Recipe

Solyanka

Solyanka is a strong, sour soup with broth, meat or sausage, pickles, tomato paste, onions, olives, lemon and sour cream. The acidity makes it fresh instead of heavy.

Ingredients

6 servings

Method

  1. 1

    Cutting ingredients

    Cut sausage or meat into strips. Prepare pickles, onions and lemon.

  2. 2

    Roasting approach

    Sauté onions in oil or butter. Add tomato paste and fry briefly.

  3. 3

    Add meat and cucumber

    Add sausage or meat and gherkins and fry for a few minutes.

  4. 4

    Simmer soup

    Add stock, bay leaf and a little cucumber water. Simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes.

  5. 5

    Sour finish

    Season with olives, lemon, pepper and salt if necessary, and serve with sour cream and dill.

Kitchen know-how

Tips for Solyanka

Carefully dose salt

Sausage, cucumber and olives bring a lot of salt.

Fresh lemon

Add lemon slices or juice when serving to keep the acidity clear.

Leave to stand briefly

Solyanka becomes more aromatic when it rests for a few minutes after cooking.

Variations

How to adapt this recipe

Cooked beef instead of sausage makes the soup clearer and less salty.

Some hot peppers, chilli or hot sausage gives Solyanka more warmth.

Nutrition per serving

430kcal
20.0 gCarbohydrates
24.0 gProtein
28.0 gFat

Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ about Solyanka

Cucumbers, cucumber water and lemon give the typical acidity. It balances the strong sausage and broth.

Yes, it often tastes rounder after a little rest. Add lemon, sour cream and dill fresh when serving.

A mixture of mild and smoked sausage, smoked meat or cooked meat adds depth.

Add salt only at the end, because sausage, cucumber, olives and broth already contain a lot of seasoning.

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