Solyanka

Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links.See my disclosure policy.A delicious combination of smoky, salty, and sour, Solyanka soup is made with a variety of fresh, smoked and cured meats, pickled vegetables, and a rich beef broth, creating a unique and exciting symphony of flavors.

This Solyanka recipe captures everything that has made it such a beloved soup throughout a vast geographic region for generations.What is Solyanka? Solyanka is a savory-smoky-sour soup made with a variety of meats (fresh, cured, smoked) and pickled and brined vegetables which contribute to its classic tanginess, all in a tomato-infused beef broth.Because of its astringent/sour qualities it earned the nickname “hangover soup” because it was thought to help alleviate hangovers, though it really isn’t “that” sour, at least not the way it’s made today (more on that later).

Solyanka is of Russian origin and sources I’ve seen say that the recipe dates back as far as the 15th century, a dish that was especially popular among Russian peasants as a way to use up leftover ingredients (various leftover meats and pickled vegetables).Hence the meaning of its name which translates to “food of the villager” or “villager’s stew”.It was regarded as a dish unworthy to grace the tables of the aristocracy but by the 19th century it was embraced by the population at large (as with the humble beginnings of such dishes as Beef Bourguignon and Coq Au Vin which