Simple Homemade Solyanka
A quick, budget-friendly, yet incredibly delicious lunch. Simple homemade solyanka doesn’t require much effort or time. You can make it just with sausages, and it turns out as hearty and rich as the version prepared with meat broth and assorted smoked meats.
Updated : 07 July, 2025
Easy
About 20 min.
Ingredients
200 grams
Sausages
1.5 liter
Water
100 grams
Cornichons
50 grams
Olives
3
Potato
1
Onion
1
Carrot
0.5
Lemon
2 tablespoon
Tomato paste
2 tablespoon
Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon
Dry spices
2
Laurel leaf
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Besides sausages, you can also use other smoked meats such as salami, ham, etc. You can replace pickled gherkins with regular pickled cucumbers, and olives with black olives.
Step 2
Remove the casing from the sausages and slice them into rounds. You can use any type of sausages for this dish. However, keep in mind that the kind you choose will significantly affect the final taste. For instance, if you choose sausages with a pronounced smoky flavor, the whole dish will have a slightly smoky taste. If you prefer a more neutral taste, choose plain sausages like milk or cream sausages.
Step 3
Peel the potatoes and cut them into medium-sized cubes.
Step 4
Slice the gherkins into rounds. You can replace gherkins with regular pickled cucumbers.
Step 5
Grate the carrot on a coarse grater.
Step 6
Peel the onion and chop it into small cubes. If you or your children don’t like onions, you can skip adding it to the sauté. Instead, add the whole onion to the pot along with the potatoes, and remove it at the end of cooking. It will release its juices into the broth.
Step 7
Slice the olives into rounds. If you wish, you can add the olives whole. You can also substitute olives with black olives.
Step 8
Slice the lemon into half-moons.
Step 9
Put the potatoes into boiling water. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Step 10
While the potatoes are cooking, heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the carrot and onion, and sauté, stirring, for 5-7 minutes.
Step 11
Add tomato paste to the vegetables. Continue stewing, stirring, for another 3-5 minutes until the vegetables soften.
Step 12
Transfer the vegetables into the pot with the potatoes.
Step 13
In the same pan where the vegetables were sautéed, add the remaining vegetable oil. Add the sausages and fry them, stirring, for about 5 minutes until golden.
Step 14
Transfer the sausages into the pot. Then add the gherkins, olives, lemon slices, bay leaves, and spices. If desired, add a little brine from the olives or pickles. To avoid bitterness from the lemon zest, you can replace the lemon slices with just the juice.
Step 15
Simmer the solyanka over low heat for another 10-15 minutes. Exact cooking times for sautéing the vegetables and simmering the soup may vary depending on your equipment, ingredients, and personal taste. Adjust according to your stove, ingredients, and preferences. Turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let the soup sit for 10 minutes.
Step 16
Ladle the solyanka into bowls, adding some fresh herbs to each. Enjoy your meal!