Solyanka

June 20, 2026

Solyanka is a rich, hearty soup popular throughout Russia and Eastern Europe. It’s made with cured meats, green olives, pickles, vegetables, and a deeply flavorful beef broth. While the ingredient list might look unusual at first, everything comes together into a soup that’s bold, balanced, and completely irresistible.

Summary

  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Other:
  • Total Time: 40 min
  • Servings: 4
  • Yield:

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces bacon (chopped)
  • 7 ounces kielbasa sausage (diced)
  • 7 ounces salami (diced – see notes about meat)
  • 1 medium onion (minced)
  • 1 stalk celery (diced)
  • 1 large carrot (grated)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup green olives (chopped)
  • 3 pickles (chopped)
  • 6 cups beef bone broth
  • ¼ cup pickle juice (from the pickle jar)
  • Lemon slices, fresh dill, sour cream, extra olives (to serve

Directions

  1. Add the bacon to a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook until the bacon has started to crisp and much of the fat is released. Add the kielbasa and salami and continue to cook until the bacon is crispy and the meat has browned. Remove the meat from the pot using a slotted spoon then drain all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the pot. 7 ounces bacon, 7 ounces kielbasa sausage, 7 ounces salami
  2. Add the onion to the pot and cook until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and cook until both begin to soften, about 3 minutes. 1 medium onion, 1 stalk celery, 1 large carrot
  3. Push the veggies to the side of the pot then add the tomato paste. Spread it out a little then let it caramelize for 3 minutes. Add the paprika and allspice and mix everything together. 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  4. Add the bay leaves, olives, pickles, beef bone broth, pickle juice, and the cooked meat to the pot and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste the soup and add salt if needed – there are a lot of salty flavors in this so you probably won’t add extra salt. Remove the bay leaves.2 bay leaves, 1 cup green olives, 3 pickles, 6 cups beef bone broth, ¼ cup pickle juice
  5. Serve the soup topped with a slice of lemon, some fresh dill, a spoonful of sour cream, and a few extra olives. Lemon slices, fresh dill, sour cream, extra olives

Adjustments

  • None

History

  • None

References