Solyanka Soup

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/6/23
Tested by Tara Omidvar
Vibrant red thick solyanka soup with sour cream and dill in bowls

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings

Solyanka (also spelled soljanka) is a Russian soup that dates back to the 15th century. The recipe has been adapted and changed over the years to accommodate what meats and vegetables are available, and like many time-tested dishes, there are several renditions.

The Many Faces of Solyanka

Solyanka is also made in three different versions: meat, fish, and vegetable (most often mushroom), with meat being the most common. Solyanka is an "everything-but-the-kitchen-sink" type of soup, but it tastes so much better than that name implies. It's often considered the ultimate hangover cure because it replaces the salts lost after a night of revelry.

What Ingredients Are In Solyanka?

This hearty, thick soup is made with salty cured meats, sausages, olives, capers, pickles, cabbage, and sometimes carrots. The broth is a combination of beef base and an herbal sachet; bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice berries are bundled in a piece of cheesecloth and tied to the pot handle for easy retrieval.

How to Serve Solyanka

Garnish this soup with fresh dill and sour cream, and serve with whole-grain or rye bread for dunking.

"I've never tried this soup before and it totally amazed me. It's a great soup recipe for winter days. It's wonderfully aromatic and all the flavors are well balanced. This recipe makes enough for a crowd but it also freezes very well, making it perfect to pull out of the freezer and heat up any time you want. I used chopped parsley instead of the dill for garnish and it was great"- Tara Omidvar

Solyanka Soup
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Soup:

  • 2 large bay leaves

  • 6 whole black peppercorns

  • 4 whole allspice berries

  • 10 cups water

  • 4 tablespoons concentrated beef base

  • 1/2 medium head green cabbage, shredded

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped celery

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

  • 1 pound dried Polish kabanosy sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick

  • 2 medium cooked chicken breasts, cubed

  • 1 cup ham, cubed

  • 3 large dill pickles, coarsely chopped

  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

  • 2 (14-ounce) cans stewed or diced tomatoes

  • 3/4 cup sliced black olives

  • 2 tablespoons capers

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Optional Garnishes:

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill, or to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for solyanka soup recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Make a spice sachet by adding the bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice in a square of cheesecloth. Tie with a long piece of butcher's twine.

    Cheesecloth spice sachet tied with a long piece of butcher twine

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Using the ends of the butcher's twine, tie the sachet onto the handle of a large soup pot so that the sachet hangs into the pot.

    Spice sachet attached to the handle of a soup pot

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Add the water and beef base to the soup pot and bring to a boil. Add the shredded cabbage and chopped celery and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

    Beef stock, cabbage, and celery combined in the pot

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and carrots and sauté until translucent. Add the sausage, chicken, ham, pickles, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer to the soup pot.

    Vegetable and meat mixture being stirred with a wooden spoon in a large skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Add the stewed tomatoes, sliced olives, and capers, and bring it barely to a boil. Add the wine and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

    Vegetable and meat, olives, and capers added to the soup pot

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Remove the sachet and discard. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary.

    Thickened soup with the spice sachet removed

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Ladle the soup into hot bowls and garnish with the sour cream and dill. Serve hot.

    Solyanka soup in bowls garnished with sour cream and dill

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • You can substitute homemade beef stock in place of the beef base if you prefer. Use 5 cups stock and reduce the water to 5 cups.
  • If you don't have cheesecloth, you can use other items you may have in the house such as a coffee filter, fine-mesh bag, cotton fabric, or a small piece of a clean flour sack kitchen towel.

How to Store

  • Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for up to 5 days.
  • The cooled soup may be ladled into airtight containers (leave a little room for the soup to expand) and frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
274 Calories
13g Fat
17g Carbs
20g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 274
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 65mg 22%
Sodium 2199mg 96%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 23mg 115%
Calcium 105mg 8%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 696mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)