Classic solyanka is a thick, rich soup with a sharp taste and bright aroma, and it suits lunch or dinner when a hearty hot dish is wanted. Meat solyanka is made from several kinds of meat and meat products, including sausage and smoked meats. This version is cooked with a broth from beef ribs, then finished with dry-cured sausage, semi-smoked sausage and, of course, olives. The serving is kept classic too: parsley, lemon and a spoonful of sour cream.
Beef ribs give the soup its strong broth, and smoked sausages give the soup its deep aroma and fuller meat flavour. Pickled cucumbers bring the sour, salty edge that makes solyanka recognizable. Tomato paste adds colour and a concentrated savoury note, while onions form the base of the fried mixture. Bay leaf and a pinch of coriander seeds support the aroma, and olives are the final note that completes the soup.
Gentle simmering is what matters most while cooking the broth, because the broth should stay clear and rich rather than boiling hard. Bring the water to a boil, remove the foam, and then cook on low heat for about 40 minutes. The onion for the fried base should become translucent, not browned. After the pickled cucumbers and tomato paste are added, fry the mixture for 7 to 10 minutes over medium heat so the flavours combine and the moisture reduces slightly.
The soup is right when the meat from the ribs is cut small and returned to the broth, the sausages have simmered in the soup for about 20 minutes, and the olives are added only at the end. After the sausages are added, bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 20 minutes more. Add the olives at the end, pepper the soup, bring it back to a boil and turn off the heat. That final short boil keeps the olives distinct and keeps the finished flavour bright.
The source notes one practical swap for the beef ribs: beef brisket or beef shoulder can replace the ribs and still give a broth that is just as rich. Pork ribs can also be used, but the taste will be softer and less pronounced. The rest of the ingredient balance is best kept the same, because the combination of pickled cucumbers, tomato paste, smoked sausage and olives is what gives classic solyanka its familiar taste.
Serve classic solyanka hot with parsley, a wedge of lemon and sour cream, because that is the traditional finish chosen here. Add the lemon to each portion rather than leaving slices in the pot. Store the soup in a closed container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Ready solyanka can also be frozen in portion containers for up to 2 months, but add lemon and sour cream only when serving, otherwise the soup can become bitter.
The total time for this solyanka is 1 hour 20 minutes. Active cooking time is 30 minutes, and the rest of the time is used for simmering the beef rib broth and cooking the soup.
Beef brisket or beef shoulder can replace the beef ribs and still give a broth that is just as rich. Pork ribs can also be used, but pork ribs give a softer and less pronounced flavour.
Ready solyanka can be frozen in portion containers for up to 2 months. Leave a little space at the top of each container, thaw the soup in the refrigerator, and add lemon and sour cream only when serving so the soup does not turn bitter.
Solyanka keeps for 3 to 4 days in a closed container in the refrigerator. Add lemon slices to each portion instead of leaving them in the pot, because lemon left in the soup can make the soup bitter by the second day.
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