Solyanka

Solyanka is a thick Russian soup that is sour, salty and smoky, cooked on beef broth with several kinds of sausage and smoked meat, pickled cucumbers and their brine, tomato paste, olives and capers. In the bowl it gets a slice of lemon and some dill.

Pot calculatorOrder Solyanka

Dairy freeMeat

Updated

SolyankaIllustration
Time2 h 35 minCook 2 h
Pot10 bowls3.5 litres
Per bowl237 kcal22.7 g protein · a 350 ml bowl
Cost of the pot₪143for the pot, about ₪14 a bowl

The story of Solyanka

Solyanka belongs to Russian cooking and is known across the former Soviet Union, from Ukraine to Siberia. The name is usually linked to the Russian word for salt, though some say the older form was selyanka, from the word for village. Either way, this is a soup built on salt and sourness: pickles, brine, olives and capers. The meat version is called mixed solyanka, because several kinds of meat go into it together.

In the homes of olim from the former USSR in Israel, solyanka is a well-known way to finish what is left after a festive meal: a bit of sausage, a bit of smoked meat, half a jar of pickles. In a kosher kitchen it goes through one clear change. In Russia it is served with a spoonful of sour cream; in the kosher meat version the cream goes, and lemon and dill bring the sourness and the softness instead.

What makes Solyanka itself

What makes solyanka itself is three strong tastes in one bowl: salty, sour and smoky. The base is a clear beef broth, and the body comes from several kinds of smoked meat cut into strips. The sourness arrives in three layers: pickled cucumbers, their brine, and lemon in the bowl. Olives and capers bring a different, sharper saltiness, and fried tomato paste gives an orange colour and depth. It is a soup that hardly needs salt, because every ingredient brings its own.

Solyanka for any number of people

Change the number of people and the bowl size, and every ingredient updates in grams, with the cost, calories and protein per bowl.

Bowl size
Units
3.5litres in the pot
5Pot to use, litres
₪143Cost of the pot
₪14per bowl
237kcal per bowl
22.7g protein per bowl
IngredientAmountCost
The broth
Beef shank600 g₪60
Water2.2 l
Bay leaves1 g · 2 pcs₪0.4
Black peppercorns2 g₪0.3
The smoked meats
Pastrami or smoked beef200 g₪27
Smoked sausage or frankfurters250 g₪22
Smoked turkey breast150 g₪12
Sour and salty
Canola oil30 ml₪0.5
Onion300 g · 2 pcs₪1.8
Tomato paste60 g₪2.1
Salt-brined pickled cucumbers300 g · 4 pcs₪5.3
Pickle brine250 ml₪3.5
Pitted green and black olives120 g₪4.8
Capers20 g₪1.8
Salt, only if needed3 g₪0.0
For the bowl
Lemon, sliced120 g · 1 pcs₪1.5
Dill, chopped15 g₪0.9
Send on WhatsApp

Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026. Nutrition from the ingredients in grams, before cooking.

How many calories in Solyanka? Nutrition facts and calorie calculator

Change the amount of any ingredient, drop one, or pick a lighter version, and the numbers per serving update at once: calories, fat, carbs, protein, sodium and fibre.

Solyanka has 68 calories per 100 ml. A 350 ml bowl made with our recipe has 237 calories: 22.7 g protein, 12.7 g fat and 8.1 g carbohydrates. A 250 ml cup has 169 calories.

Lighter

Ingredients, for the whole recipe

  • 600 g69 kcal per serving
  • 2 pcs0 kcal per serving
  • 2 g1 kcal per serving
  • 200 g22 kcal per serving
  • 250 g60 kcal per serving
  • 150 g15 kcal per serving
  • 30 ml24 kcal per serving
  • 2 pcs12 kcal per serving
  • 60 g8 kcal per serving
  • 4 pcs4 kcal per serving
  • 250 ml0 kcal per serving
  • 120 g17 kcal per serving
  • 20 g0 kcal per serving
  • 3 g0 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs3 kcal per serving
  • 15 g1 kcal per serving

What each add-on adds to Solyanka

Values for the amount in the row, from the national food database.

Add-onCaloriesProtein, gFat, g
A tablespoon of oil122013.8
A slice of white bread792.50.5
A slice of challah12641.1
A side cup of cooked rice, about1823.50.3

How to make Solyanka

In cook mode the screen stays on, tap a step when it is done, and the timers run next to each step.
  1. Put the beef in a pot with the water, bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns and simmer gently for about an hour and a half, until the meat is tender.
  2. Lift out the meat, strain the broth and cut the meat into small cubes. Cut the smoked meats and sausages into thin strips.
  3. In a wide pot heat the oil and cook the chopped onion for 8 minutes, until soft and golden.
  4. Add the tomato paste and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly and smells sweet.
  5. Add the pickles in thin strips with a ladle of broth and cook with the onion for 5 minutes.
  6. Add the smoked meats and stir for 2 minutes so they release some fat and aroma.
  7. Pour in the broth and the cubes of boiled beef, bring to a gentle boil and cook for 10 minutes.
  8. Add the olives, capers and pickle brine and cook for 5 minutes more, no longer. Taste, and only then decide whether it needs salt.
  9. Turn off the heat, cover and rest for 10 minutes. Put a slice of lemon in each bowl and scatter chopped dill on top.

The science of Solyanka

Kitchen science

Why the brine goes in last

Salt-brined cucumbers go through lactic fermentation: bacteria turn the cucumber's sugars into lactic acid, and together with garlic and dill this creates a fresh, tangy aroma. The acid itself does not evaporate, but much of the aroma does. Long boiling drives it off and leaves only sourness and salt, and as water evaporates the salt concentrates. That is why the brine goes in for the last 5 minutes.

Kitchen science

Solyanka that needs no salt

Smoked meats, sausages, pickles, olives and capers are all salty. As they cook, salt moves from them into the broth until the concentration evens out. Salt added at the start leaves the soup too salty once everything is in. Taste only at the end, after it has all simmered together for a few minutes.

Kitchen science

Fried tomato paste

Tomato paste fried in oil for 2 to 3 minutes loses its raw, metallic taste. Its sugars begin to caramelise and the colour darkens. Lycopene, the red pigment of tomato, dissolves in fat, so the broth takes on a deep orange colour and a reddish layer of fat.

Kitchen science

Smoke travels in the fat

Smoking puts phenolic compounds into the meat that are responsible for the smell of smoke, and many of them dissolve in fat. Warming the smoked meats for a few minutes before the broth goes in melts their fat and carries that aroma through the whole pot. The sausages go in near the end, because long boiling leaches out their flavour and leaves them spongy.

Kitchen science

Why the lemon is never boiled

Lemon peel and the white pith contain bitter compounds that are released by heat. A lemon slice boiling in the pot turns the whole soup bitter. A fresh slice in the bowl gives acidity and fragrant peel oils without the bitterness.

Solyanka in every kitchen

Mixed meat solyanka

The best-known version, with beef broth and three or four kinds of meat: boiled beef, smoked sausage, frankfurters and pastrami. The more kinds, the deeper the flavour.

Fish solyanka

Fish broth with pieces of salmon and white fish, pickles, olives, capers and plenty of lemon. The kosher version uses only fish with fins and scales.

Mushroom solyanka

A meatless version with fresh and dried mushrooms, sauerkraut and pickles. Here sour cream can go on top, and the soup becomes dairy.

In the homes of olim in Israel

It is made from whatever kosher sausage is in the fridge, from smoked turkey to salami. The pickles are bought salt-brined from Russian shops, not in vinegar.

Common Solyanka problems and how to fix them

Solyanka is too salty

The salt went in before everything else, or too much brine was added. Dilute with unsalted broth or boiling water, and add more unsalted boiled beef if you have it. Next time do not salt at all until the final taste.

Solyanka tastes bitter

Almost always a lemon that cooked in the pot, and sometimes tomato paste that scorched while frying. Fry the paste over medium heat, stirring constantly, and leave the lemon for the bowl.

The sourness is harsh and sharp

Vinegar pickles and their brine were used. Vinegar gives a sharp sourness, while pickles fermented in salt give a rounder one. If vinegar pickles are all you have, add only half the brine.

The soup is too greasy

Sausages and smoked meat release a lot of fat. Chill the broth and lift off the hardened fat, or spoon it off the surface of the hot soup. Leave some, since it carries the flavour.

The pickles in solyanka are soft and tasteless

They cooked for too long. Give them 5 minutes with the onion and about a quarter of an hour in the soup, no more. That way they stay slightly crisp and sour.

Storing, freezing and reheating

3 days

In the fridge

2 months

In the freezer

2+4

To cool

Bring it from 60 to 21 °C within two hours and down to 5 °C within four more. Split a big pot into shallow boxes.

75 °C

Reheating

Reheat to a gentle boil without cooking it for long. Lemon and dill go in only in the bowl. The flavours get stronger the next day; if the soup is too thick, add a splash of water.

Nutrition of Solyanka

From our recipe, per bowl and per 100 g, next to the national food database.

ServingkcalProtein, gFat, gCarbs, gFibre, g
Our recipe, a 350 ml bowl23722.712.78.12.0
Our recipe, 100 ml686.53.62.30.6

What the ingredients of Solyanka cost

What each ingredient costs in one pot, and where to buy it.

IngredientPriceIn this potWhere to buy
Beef shank₪100 per kg₪60Butcher
Pastrami or smoked beef₪135 per kg₪27Supermarket
Smoked sausage or frankfurters₪87 per kg₪22Supermarket
Smoked turkey breast₪80 per kg₪12Supermarket
Salt-brined pickled cucumbers₪18 per kg₪5.3Supermarket
Pitted green and black olives₪40 per kg₪4.8Supermarket
Pickle brine₪14 per litre₪3.5Supermarket
Tomato paste₪35 per kg₪2.1Supermarket
Capers₪90 per kg₪1.8Supermarket
Onion₪5.9 per kg₪1.8Greengrocer
Lemon, sliced₪1.4 each₪1.5Greengrocer
Dill, chopped₪4.9 each₪0.9Greengrocer
Canola oil₪15 per litre₪0.4Supermarket
Bay leaves₪360 per kg₪0.4Supermarket
Black peppercorns₪139 per kg₪0.3Supermarket
Salt, only if needed₪2.1 per kg₪0Supermarket

Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026, VAT included. Vegetable prices change with the season.

Make Solyanka a meal

Shabbat

Ready Shabbat food

Soup, hamin, mains and sides, with a quantity calculator and prices.

Plan Shabbat
Hosting

Hosting trays

9 trays to go with the soup, with a planner by number of guests.

Tray planner
Events

Catering

A whole menu in grams per guest, with a reheating table.

Menus

What to serve with Solyanka

Serve very hot in small bowls, with a slice of lemon, dill and an olive or two on top, and dark rye bread on the side.

Solyanka in large quantities: events, offices and communities

How much of everything by number of guests, at a 350 ml bowl. For institutional pots, catering and community kitchens.

GuestsLitres30 l potsCost of ingredients
258.81₪359
50181₪717
100352₪1,435
200703₪2,869
5001757₪7,173

Every ingredient for any number of guests is in the calculator above: type the number of people.

Order Solyanka

A ready pot for Shabbat, an event or the office, ordered ahead.

  • Cooked to order, for Shabbat, an event or the office.
  • Tell us how many people and when, and we send a quote.
  • Delivery in Tel Aviv from ₪35, free over ₪750.
Ask for a quote for Solyanka

Order Solyanka for a large event

Large orders in Israel and abroad: events, offices, synagogues, communities and institutions.

  • In Israel: cooked in Tel Aviv and delivered to events in the area, and to large events anywhere in the country on a quote.
  • Abroad: for communities, events and restaurants. Tell us where, how many and when, and we come back with a quote and options.
  • Institutional quantities and a shopping list for any number of guests, in the calculator above.
Ask for a large-order quote

Frequently asked questions

Why is this solyanka made without sour cream?

Because this is meat solyanka, and a kosher kitchen does not serve cream with meat. Lemon and dill provide the sourness and the softness. For sour cream, cook the mushroom version, which has no meat.

Which sausages go into solyanka?

Any combination of three or four kosher kinds: boiled beef, pastrami, smoked sausage, frankfurters, salami or smoked turkey. The more varied the kinds, the richer the soup.

What is the difference between solyanka and rassolnik?

Both are Russian soups with pickled cucumbers. Rassolnik has pearl barley or rice and potatoes and is mild. Solyanka is richer, with plenty of smoked meats, tomato paste, olives, capers and lemon.

Do potatoes go into solyanka?

Not in classic solyanka. Some homes add a few cubes to make it more filling; they go in before the pickles, because acid slows down their softening.

What does the name solyanka mean?

The usual explanation links it to the Russian word for salt, since it is a salty and sour soup. Another holds that the older name was selyanka, from the word for village.

Can solyanka be frozen?

Yes, for up to two months, without the lemon and dill. The pickles soften a little in the freezer, but the flavour holds.

Can I make solyanka without capers?

Yes. Add a few more olives and a spoonful of their brine. Capers add sharpness, but solyanka stands without them.

How many calories are in Solyanka?

A 350 ml bowl of Solyanka made with our recipe has about 237 calories and 22.7 g of protein. Per 100 ml: 68 calories.

How much does it cost to make Solyanka at home?

A pot of 10 bowls costs about ₪143 at Israeli shelf prices in October 2026, about ₪14 a bowl. The calculator above works it out for any number of people.

Every soup in Israel

75 soups, each with a pot calculator, a price list and the science. Search by community, time, calories or cost.

All the soups

More soups

RassolnikIllustration
Russian

Rassolnik

Rassolnik is a tangy Russian soup of pickled cucumbers and their brine, with pearl barley, potatoes, carrot…

BorschtIllustration
Ukrainian, Russian

Borscht

Borscht is a sour beet soup from Eastern Europe, and here it is in its hot Ukrainian form: beef broth, beets,…

Goulash soupIllustration
Hungarian

Goulash soup

Goulash soup is the national soup of Hungary: beef simmered slowly with plenty of onion, sweet paprika and…

KharchoIllustration
Georgian

Kharcho

Kharcho is a thick Georgian beef soup with rice, ground walnuts, plenty of garlic and coriander, and the…