Solyanka

Solyanka

Solyanka with olives
Alternative names	Selyanka
Type	Soup
Place of origin	Russia
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	Meat, fish, or mushrooms, pickled cucumbers with brine; often cabbage, smetana, dill

Solyanka (Russian: соля́нка; [sɐˈlʲankə] is a thick, spicy and sour Russiansoup that is common in Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union and certain parts of the former Eastern Bloc.

There are three basic types of solyanka, with the main ingredient being either meat, fish, or mushrooms. All of them contain pickled cucumbers with brine, and often cabbage, salted mushrooms, smetana (sour cream), and dill. The soup is prepared by cooking the cucumbers with brine before adding the other ingredients to the broth.

Solyanka is also popular in the former German Democratic Republic, where it is commonly found in restaurants and available in canned form in grocery stores. (The German transliteration is Soljanka.) This practice stems from the era when Soviet troops were stationed in the GDR, and Soljanka was found on the menu at many East German restaurants. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was raised in East Germany, is fond of Solyanka.