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Solyanka, a Russian Sweet and Sour Beef Stew is a meat lover’s heaven. It’s made with beef, smoked kielbasa sausage, bacon, mushrooms, potatoes and more!
Serve this delicious and hearty stew with our Sweet Potato and Swede (Rutabaga) Mash.
Old Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe
The cold season is here and I feel like stews are becoming a staple in our home. Warm and comforting stews also have a reputation for being a bit boring. So to break up the routine I love adding dishes from around the globe.
Interestingly enough a hearty meat dish cooked in the oven for a long time is an international concept. Stew recipes are easy to find all over the world
Let’s take a look at the Beef Stew called Solyanka from Russia. This recipe is an example of the simple, rustic cooking which we all long for at the end of a day.
What is Solyanka?
This sweet and sour beef stew is one of the brightest examples of Russian peasant food. It’s a much loved dish and widely eaten across Belarus, Ukraine, Germany and many other countries.
Russian it may be, but one story as to its origins is that it was invented by a French chef in Moscow in the early 19th century who needed to improvise a meal using ingredients at hand. This is the best explanation I can find for the unique combinations of ingredients!
The origin of its name is even less clear. It’s either derived from the word sol meaning salt or selo meaning village, perhaps a nod to more humble dishes. Over time, the dish has evolved and been adapted, but the one I’m sharing is the one I grew up with.
Whatever the source, one thing that is not disputed is that it is a meat lover’s heaven. Made from a combination of beef and a variety of smoked meats like ham, smoked sausage, bacon, salami and salted preserves like pickles, mushrooms, olives, and capers. This hearty beef stew has got it going on.
How To Make It
One of the great things about this beef stew is that it’s very forgiving. And the ingredient list is easily adjustable.
There are only two requirements.
- Right balance of sweet, salty and sour.
- Somewhat lengthy cooking time.
Most of the cooking time is the stew bubbling away on your stove. And you wouldn’t mind that, would you?
Solyanka is most often served as a soup rather than a stew. However, I prefer this dish a bit thicker. This recipe is my own take on the tradition. I adjusted quantities of ingredients and added or omitted some of them to my own liking.
Thankfully Russian food allows for that kind of freedom of expression and I hope there will be no authenticity police lurking around. I like Solyanka as a stew but a soup consistency would be more traditional.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Use stewing beef or cut a roasting beef joint into large cubes (my preference). Tougher and cheaper beef cuts work perfectly here.
- This stew doesn’t use wine but rather relies on pickles, olives and marinated mushrooms for that acidic touch, which brings balance to the rich beef and sausage mix.
- The sweet taste comes from This is an affiliate link.crushed tomatoes and carrots. When cooked for a long time they release an incredible amount of natural sweetness.
- Don’t skip potatoes as they absorb some of the sour notes and add bulk to your stew.
- This stew could be cooked on a stove or in the oven. Instructions for both can be found in the recipe card below.
Serving suggestions
Like many Russian dishes, this one benefits from a sprinkling of fresh dill and a generous dollop of sour cream. It’s also traditional to serve with lemon slices as well.
I also love adding a chunk of sourdough or rye bread, all the better for soaking up any delicious remains in your bowl.
Storage and leftovers
Solyanka freezes very well! The recipe makes enough to freeze the leftovers and enjoy at a later date. The stew will keep well in the freezer for up to 1 month without losing its flavour.
It will be safe in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep it in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container and reheat in a microwave or on your stovetop.
More beef stew recipes from around the world
Russian Sweet and Sour Beef Stew “Solyanka”
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Cast iron Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup / 40g dried porcini or mixed mushrooms
- 1 cup / 250ml cup/250 ml hot water
- 2kg / 4 lbs stewing beef
- 4 (340g / 12 oz) smoked sausages/Polish kielbasa
- 100g / 4oz smoked bacon lardons
- 150g / 1 cup pickles/gherkins, chopped
- 6-8 marinated mushrooms, preferably from Eastern European store
- 15 Kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 2 This is an affiliate link.bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cups / 500g tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp This is an affiliate link.sweet paprika, smoked
- 6 baby potatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp of each chopped dill and parsley
- sour cream/creme fraiche
- lemon slices for serving, optional
Instructions
- Soak dried mushroom in boiling hot water and set aside to soften for 30 minutes, then remove mushrooms from water and strain the liquid through a fine sieve, set aside for later use.
- In a large cast iron pot fry bacon lardons until they render fat, remove to a separate plate. To the same pot add stewing beef and brown on high heat with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper, remove to the same plate as bacon, then add sliced smoked sausage and brown briefly, remove to the same plate as beef and bacon.
- To the same pot add chopped onion and sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes, add chopped carrot and garlic and continue sautéing for 5 more minutes, then add butter, marinated mushrooms, pickles, olives and rehydrated mushrooms and paprika, cook while stirring for 5 minutes.
- Return beef, bacon and smoked sausage to the pot, add 2 bay leaves, the liquid mushrooms were soaked in, tomato passata and 1.5 litre of water, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 2 hours and 30 minutes before the time is up add halved baby potatoes. Alternatively it could be cooked in an oven at 150C/300F.
- Check your stew once in a while, stir to avoid burning. By the end of the cooking time it should be thick and the beef should be very tender. Add chopped herbs at the end. Taste and adjust the flavour if necessary. You might need to add 1 tsp of sugar if your tomatoes were not very ripe.
- Serve with sour cream or creme fraiche and slices of lemon if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I was not prepared for how incredibly good this was. I was expecting another variation of a beef stew. This was not that, it is in another league!
Thanks so much, Wayne. I am thrilled you loved it.
Making again today to greet my wife and niece after their long walk over the South Downs. My wife has been raving about this dish since last time I made it.
My dad has been craving solyanka soup, which is why I’m currently looking for some traditional Russian recipes online. Well, thank you for sharing here that this type of stew includes smoked meats like ham, smoked sausage, bacon, salami, and salted preserves like pickles, mushrooms, olives, and capers. I’ll also keep in mind to balance its sweetness, saltiness, and sourness.
Wow, so many delicious flavors going on!! It’s hearty & will be fantastic all winter!! So excited to make it!
Oh my goodness this looks so delicious and bursting with flavor! I can’t wait to give this a try! I’m so excited!
Right when I read “meat lovers dream” I knew this was going to be a hit in our house! So glad you made this recipe more like a stew because it was so rich and hearty. Loved it!
So pleased to hear it, Jen!! Thank you!
I made this yesterday, and with the smell filling the house my wife could not wait to eat! Every bite was a new mouthful of delicious. So many wonderful flavors going on… I served with Sourdough bread and butter. Excellent for dipping into that hearty broth. The only change I had to make was to give the potatoes 10 more minutes due to our high altitude (6500 feet). Now I’m planning ahead to make your cabbage rolls tomorrow! My Grandparents were from Yugoslavia and this recipe is nearly identical to what my Grandfather made!!! I’ve tried many cabbage roll recipes and could not get it quite right. Thank you for your incredible recipes!
What a lovely comment, Gary! I am so pleased you enjoyed this beef stew! The smell that carries through the house as it cooks is one of my favourite things in the world!
This was delicious! I followed the recipe “as is” and just added dumplings (1 C flour, 1/2tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 Tbls soft butter, 1/2 C milk and 1/2 tsp fresh dill). My husband eats meat 3xs a day, and usually isn’t a fan of stew, but he loves your recipe (me too). Thanks for teaching this 71 year old “cook” something new!
What a sweet comment, Kim. This absolutely made my day! And thank you for a dumpling recipe I will make sure to try it myself!!
Thanks for this recipe. It was so very very tasty. I added a little lemon juice just to give it some zing. All the flavors worked very well together.
Excellent! Thank you for your comment and a lovely review, Mauro.
Hi Vikalinka
I want to try the Russian stew recipe this weekend, but need help regards Polish kilebasa sausage for this dish. We have plenty of Polish shops in Hatfield but there seems to be an infinite range of kilebasa which I’m not familiar with.
Thanks
Tim.
Hi Tim, any smoked sausage from a Polish shop will do. It has to be the kind that’s already cooked, other than that you are pretty safe to choose whatever. Take a look at the photo of the ingredients in this post, which will give you a visual guide. Enjoy!