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Meat, European

Solyanka with meat

Solyanka with meat is a tangy Russian soup made with smoked meats, pickles and olives, serving 4, ready in 50 minutes, easy to make, for a cost of €2.90 per person. Its success relies on balancing the sharpness of pickle juice with the smoky meats, adjusted to taste right before serving with sour cream and lemon.

Tonight, a Russian soup that wakes up your taste buds, solyanka, tangy and bold, with smoked meats, pickles, olives and a touch of lemon.

Solyanka with meat
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
740 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Solyanka surprises from the first spoonful, with a bold tang that cuts through the richness of smoked meats. Smoked sausage, ham and frankfurters mingle with crunchy pickles and olives, in a broth sharpened by capers and tomato paste. This is a soup with real character, far from the usual mild veloutés.

It's the perfect dish for a winter evening when you want to wake up your taste buds without spending hours in the kitchen. It mostly appeals to adults who enjoy bold flavors, a bit less to kids thrown off by the tang. Mon Chou suggests it as a change from classic soups, finished with a touch of sour cream and lemon stirred in at the table.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Beef brothoften in the pantry 1.5 l
  • Picklesoften in the pantry 5
  • Pickle juiceoften in the pantry 6 cl
  • Green olivesoften in the pantry 12
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Capersoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Smoked sausage 200 g
  • Diced cooked ham 150 g
  • Frankfurter sausages 2

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Lemon 1

Dairy

  • Thick sour cream 6 tbsp

Bakery

  • Rye bread 6 slices

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the smoked sausage, ham and frankfurters into small dice, and thinly slice the pickles.

    The smaller the pieces, the more variety in every spoonful.

  2. Sauté the chopped onion and tomato paste in the oil, add the meats and let them pick up a little color. 8 min

    Cook the tomato paste well, it loses its sharpness and turns mellow.

  3. Pour in the hot broth, add the pickles, pickle juice and capers, then let it simmer. 20 min

    Keep the broth at a gentle simmer so it stays clear.

  4. Add the olives and pepper, taste before adding salt, the soup is already well seasoned. 5 min

    Green olives are the most authentic choice, but black ones work too.

  5. Serve piping hot with a lemon slice, a spoonful of sour cream and rye bread.

    Add the lemon and sour cream to the bowl right before eating.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick pickles that are genuinely tangy rather than sweet, they give the soup its real identity.
  • Don't add salt until you've tasted it, the smoked meats and capers already bring plenty.
  • Make the soup ahead without the sour cream or lemon if you want to keep it a few hours, add both to each bowl at the last moment.

The variations

  • Swap the smoked sausage for diced smoked bacon for a heartier, more rustic version.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the meats and use vegetable broth with mushrooms for umami depth.
  • For kids, cut back on the pickle juice and capers so the soup tastes milder.

What to serve it with

  • Toasted rye bread
  • A hot black tea
  • A beet salad

Storage

Solyanka keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, without the sour cream or lemon added ahead of time. It freezes well for up to 2 months, minus the sour cream. Reheat gently on the stove and stir in fresh sour cream and lemon right before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you swap the frankfurters for another smoked meat?

Yes, you can use smoked bacon or lardons instead, keeping the same total meat amount. Just be sure to keep at least one smoked meat for the soup's signature flavor.

Can you make solyanka ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before without the sour cream or lemon, which go in right before serving. Gently reheat the soup the next day before garnishing it.

Why add pickle juice to the soup?

Pickle juice brings the tang that truly defines solyanka, even more than the pickles themselves. It's what sets this soup apart from other smoked meat broths.

Is solyanka a good soup for kids?

It's better suited to adults because of its strong tang and the bold flavor of capers and olives. For kids, cut back on these ingredients or serve a milder version.

How long does it take to make a solyanka, a tangy Russian soup with smoked meats, pickles and olives, topped with sour cream?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a solyanka, a tangy Russian soup with smoked meats, pickles and olives, topped with sour cream?

About 740 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a solyanka, a tangy Russian soup with smoked meats, pickles and olives, topped with sour cream cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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