Solianka or Russian Beef Soup

This rich and tangy Russian soup recipe calls for wild mushrooms and three types of meat cooked in a highly seasoned beef stock with kalamata olives, marinated mushrooms, capers, and dill pickles.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 478 Calories

Ingredients

• ¾ cup water
• 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style whole peeled tomatoes
• 3 onions, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 ounces dried mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup cooked diced veal
• 1 cup diced ham
• ¼ pound kielbasa sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 quarts beef stock
• 10 black peppercorns
• 2 dill pickles, diced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 12 marinated mushrooms
• 12 kalamata olives
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh dill weed
• ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
• ¼ cup dill pickle juice
• 1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 lemon, sliced
• ½ cup unsalted butter, divided
• 1 cup sour cream, or as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Soak mushrooms in water in a small bowl until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside.

Step 2

Melt 1/2 of the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté onions, veal, ham, sausage, and rehydrated mushrooms in melted butter. Add stock and mushroom water; bring to a boil. Make a bouquet garni by tying bay leaves and peppercorns tightly in cheesecloth. Add bouquet garni, marinated mushrooms, pickles, and capers to soup. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 3

Melt remaining butter in a skillet; cook tomatoes and tomato paste in melted butter for 2 to 3 minutes, then add flour and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Stir 1 cup soup into the skillet, then pour back into the soup pot.

Step 4

Add olives, dill, pickle juice, garlic, paprika, and marjoram. Season with salt and black pepper; simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 5

Remove the pot from heat and discard bouquet garni. Adjust seasonings and garnish servings with dollops of sour cream and lemon slices.