Cole Cooks: Instant Pot Russian Solyanka
In looking for a Russian dish to make with pelmeni dumplings I came across solyanka. Solyanka is a versatile sour Russian soup/stew most noted for pickles. My family loves pickles, and this version of Instant Pot solyanka has become a perfect dish for cold winter nights.
Go To Recipe
Vine Ripe Market in La Mesa is a great source of international foods. Next to the butcher shop Vine Ripe has a bin filled with stuffed pasta called pelmeni. Pelmeni is a Russian dumpling that is stuffed with different meats, cheese and vegetables.
In researching what to serve with pelmeni, I came across a Russian Educational Center site that was serving pelmeni with a Russian soup called solyanka.
With further research I came across the Russia and Beyond site that described solyanka as “the everything and the kitchen sink soup.” Apparently solyanka has many different variations throughout Russia and the former Eastern Bloc, including East Germany.
In looking at recipes there were all kinds of variations. Different types of meat and fish were used. Some vegetarian versions used mushrooms. The only consistent was pickles. Solyanka is designed to be a sour dish with various combinations of pickles, lemons, sauerkraut, capers and olives adding the flavor.
In my case I wanted something the family would eat. Everyone loves pickles, but I also wanted to add the flavor of capers and olives. The kids hate capers and olives, so my solution was to blend them with the tomatoes in the Nutri Ninja.
In terms of meat, I went with a chuck roast cut that is typical of beef stew.
Sausage, bacon or ham is common in most recipes. It only seemed fitting to do a Polish kielbasa.
A few recipes describe solyanka as a sweet and sour soup. Sugar and allspice were added in some cases. In our case, I kept it sour and left out any hint of sweetness.
In the Instant Pot solyanka is a very easy dish to prepare. It is just adding some ingredients to a pot, turning on the pressure and letting the Instant Pot do its magic. Check out our guide for additional tips on using the Instant Pot.
This is also a dish that can be customized to personal tastes. According to Russia and Beyond there is no classic recipe for this soup. Every family tries to add something unique to solyanka.
Instant Pot Russian Solyanka
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast cubed
- 1 pound Polish sausage kielbasa, sliced
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 large dill pickles diced
- 1 tbsp capers
- 10 green olives diced
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 6 ounce tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients. Seal and cook in Instant Pot on high pressure for 25 minutes. Let natural release for 20 minutes.
- Serve in bowls as a soup or stew. If desired serve with parsley, dill, lemon wedges and sour cream as toppings.
For more info on the Instant Pot check out our Top 10 Instant Pot Tips and our Top 10 Instant Pot Recipes
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My dad would like to have a pot of Solyanka for our lunch this coming Sunday, which is why I’m currently looking for a Russian cuisine recipe. Anyhow, thank you for sharing these tips; we’ll make sure to prepare capers and olives. I’ll also keep in mind to opt for chuck roast as meat for the said stew.