Solyanka

A hearty, sour-savoury broth is loaded with assorted cured and smoked meats, pickled cucumber, olives and capers, then finished with lemon and sour cream. It is a rich, briny Russian soup.

Solyanka likely evolved from Russian peasant cooking as a way to use leftover salted and smoked meats, with documented popularity rising in the 18th and 19th centuries, though its exact origins are debated. The defining sour-and-salty character comes from pickled cucumbers, olives, capers, and lemon, making it a robust, restorative soup often served in restaurants and homes as a hearty winter meal.

Regional variations include meat solyanka (the most widespread), fish solyanka favored in coastal and river areas, and mushroom solyanka prepared during Orthodox fasting periods. Culturally, solyanka is celebrated as a warming, practically restorative dish - sometimes touted as a hangover remedy - and remains a staple of Russian cuisine, reflecting the country's tradition of preserving foods for long, cold seasons.