Solyanka with sausage and pickles

If you want to make solyanka quickly, without spending hours simmering meat broth, this recipe is sure to please. Among many soup recipes, solyanka is rightfully considered one of the most delicious and filling. We'll show you how to make a rich soup with plenty of smoked meats and a piquant sourness using just 2 liters of water.

Here's a recipe for a delicious Russian solyanka, made with minimal ingredients and kitchen utensils. The key to making this rich soup according to our recipe is to use several types of meat and smoked meats. Please note that our solyanka does not include carrots or potatoes.

Step-by-step recipe

The recipe for solyanka with smoked meats and pickles begins with preparing the dishes and ingredients. To ensure a delicious and rich soup, prepare all the ingredients correctly.

Step 1: Preparing the base

Place a tablespoon of olive oil in a soup pot and place over high heat.

NOTE: In our solyanka, you can use butter instead of vegetable oil (olive, sunflower).

Step 2: Searing the Brisket

Cut 150 grams of smoked pork belly into small cubes. Then place the meat in the pan with the future solyanka, stirring until the fat is rendered.

NOTE: This fat will become the basis for further sautéing and will give the soup a rich flavor.

Step 3: Adding Meat

The boiled and smoked brisket should be cut into strips and added to the first portion of smoked meats, then mixed and fried over medium heat.

NOTE: Cutting the meat into small cubes and strips in our recipe will make the texture of the dish more interesting.

Step 4: Sauté the onions

For our sausage solyanka, cut 4 medium onions into half rings or, if you prefer, finely dice them. Then add the onions to the pan with the smoked fat. Stirring constantly, fry the onions until they soften and acquire a beautiful, slightly golden texture.

NOTE: Properly prepared sautéing in our recipe largely determines the taste of the future soup.

Step 5: Adding tomato paste

Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.

NOTE: The pasta must be thoroughly fried so that it imparts its bright color and sweetness to the future solyanka.

Step 6: Adding cucumbers

Thinly slice the pickled cucumbers (not marinated, to avoid an unwanted vinegar flavor). Add the sliced ​​cucumbers and continue to fry, stirring constantly.

Step 7: Add pepper

Next, cut the large bell pepper (into strips, cubes - whichever is more convenient) and add it to the pot with the solyanka.

NOTE: Bell peppers aren't often found in solyanka. But they add a special flavor that adds a unique aroma and flavor to the solyanka with smoked sausage and pickled cucumbers.

Step 8: Adding tomatoes

Peel the tomatoes with a vegetable peeler (you can also dip them in boiling water for a few seconds, then in ice water). Then dice the tomatoes and add them to the soup.

NOTE: The freshness of the tomatoes complements the tomato paste perfectly and makes the soup even richer.

Step 9: Adding spices

Finely chop two cloves of garlic. This will add a piquant flavor. Add it, along with half a teaspoon each of salt, ground black pepper, and one teaspoon of smoked paprika. Stir.

Step 10: Adding sausage

We add the remaining sausages to our sausage and pickle soup. First, we cut 250 grams of Krakow sausage into half rings and add them to the pot with the solyanka.

NOTE: You can cut the sausage into strips or small cubes, not just half rings—it's up to you. The sausage in the solyanka can be cut into several different types.

Step 11: Add smoked sausage

Then add another 250 grams of cooked smoked sausage to the solyanka saucepan. Our solyanka recipe is distinguished by its abundance and variety of meat ingredients.

Step 12: Adding the ham and filling

Lastly, add the smoked pork ham to the pot with the solyanka. It should also be cut into strips, then pour in 2 liters of boiling water.

NOTE: Solyanka soup with sausage and cucumbers can be made with either meat broth or water. With so many meat ingredients, water makes the soup rich without being overwhelming. It's an excellent base for a meat solyanka.

Step 13: Adding olives

Classic solyanka soup is always made with olives, so they need to be chopped and added as well. Add the olives and mix well (you need to chop about 100g of each).

Step 14: Final preparation

Taste and add another half teaspoon of salt if needed. Let the soup simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes until fully cooked, allowing all the flavors to meld and the aroma to blossom.

NOTE: Be sure to skim off any foam that may form on the surface. For a touch of tartness and piquancy, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. This will give the solyanka with sausage the perfect balance of flavors.

Step 15: Adding Greens

Chop the dill and parsley, add them to the solyanka saucepan, and stir one last time. Our soup is ready.

Cooking tips

The amount of meat ingredients in this recipe can be easily varied. The key is to use several types of cooked, smoked sausage, and other meats. You can also add hot dogs, raw meat, and other meat products.

If you like richer soups, you can use broth instead of water.

When choosing pickled cucumbers, choose barrel-pickled ones rather than cucumbers pickled with vinegar.

For our soup with pickles and smoked meats, it is important that the ingredients, diced or cut into strips, are approximately the same size.

To make the soup according to our recipe, be sure to fry all the ingredients well before adding water.

Classic solyanka can be served with sour cream, fresh black bread, and a slice of lemon, which is placed directly on the plate.