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Rassolnik is a strange and classic soup made with barley, beef, pow-taters, carrots, and… pickles? You mean cucumbers, right? Nope, pickles as in dill pickles in a jar. That’s right! I just devoured a large bowl of this pickle soup goodness. It’s hearty and the beef was tender and oh so satisfying. It’s strangely good with the pickles.
Did you know Rassolnik has existed for more than 500 years :-O! And more than a few of you love it since you’ve been hammering me about posting a good rossolnik recipe for the past couple years. I finally caved and I’m glad I did!
Everyone except the little guy enjoyed this, but he also doesn’t like sorrel soup. Something about the sour in soups doesn’t mesh well with him so he ate vareniki instead ;). I tell you what, this pickle soup is definitely a comfort food; my Mom’s favorite.
Ingredients for Rassolnik Pickle Soup:
12 cups water
1 lb lean Beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup barley, rinsed
1/2 Tbsp salt + more to taste
3 medium potatoes, diced
1 carrot thinly sliced into rings
6 baby pickles (about 1 1/2 cups diced)
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 carrot grated
1 onion, finely diced
2 celery sticks, finel sliced
1 Tbsp tomato paste or Ketchup
2 Tbsp dill, optional, but very nice
2 Bay leaves
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream and extra dill to serve
How To Make Rassolnik Pickle Soup:
1. In a large pot, partially cover with lid and cook 12 cups water, beef and barley with 1/2 Tbsp salt (30 min). Skim off any impurities that rise to the top to keep your soup clear.
2. Sautee pickles with 1 Tbsp oil for a few minutes on medium/high heat. Add pickles, potatoes and sliced carrots to the pot and cook for an additional 10 min while making your Mirepoix “zazharka” in step 3.
3. Mirepoix/Zazharka: Add 3 Tbsp olive oil to a large skillet and sauté onion (2 min), then add grated carrot and sliced celery and continue to saute until carrots are soft (5 min). Stir 1 Tbsp tomato paste or ketchup into the pan and add this mixture to the soup pot.
5. Toss in 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 2 Tbsp dill and more salt to taste. Continue to simmer for another 2 minutes or until your potatoes are fully cooked and can be easily pieced with a fork.
Enjoy! Some people eat it with a dollop of sour cream, but I didn’t think it needed it. I’ve tried both ways and I like the lighter taste without the sour cream. I hope you love it!!
Beef, Barley and Pickle Soup (Rassolnik)
Ingredients
- 12 cups water
- 1 lb lean Beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup barley, rinsed
- 1/2 Tbsp salt + more to taste
- 3 medium potatoes, diced
- 1 carrot thinly sliced
- 6 baby pickles/ 3 adult pickles, or 1 1/2 cups diced
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 carrot grated
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finel sliced
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste or Ketchup
- 2 Tbsp dill, optional, but very nice
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Sour cream, optional and extra dill to serve
Instructions
- In a large pot, partially cover with lid and cook 12 cups water, beef and barley with 1/2 Tbsp salt (30 min at a light boil). Skim off any impurities that rise to the top to keep your soup clear.
- Sautee pickles with 1 Tbsp oil for a few minutes on medium/high heat. Add pickles, potatoes and sliced carrots to the pot and cook for an additional 10 min while making your Mirepoix a.k.a. "zazharka" (step 3).
- Zazharka: Add 3 Tbsp olive oil to a large skillet and sauté onion (2 min), then add grated carrot and sliced celery and continue to saute until carrots are soft (5 min). Stir 1 Tbsp tomato paste or ketchup into the pan and add this mixture to the soup pot.
- Toss in 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 2 Tbsp dill and more salt to taste (I added another 1/2 Tbsp salt). Continue to simmer for another 2 minutes or until your potatoes are fully cooked and can be easily pieced with a fork.
Notes
You didn’t right how much Calories per serving?……………..
This calculator can be useful.
Regarding the pickle soup recipe.:
I plan to make it this week as I need something different to add to the menu this week. Just wanted to let you know where the ingredients are listed potatoes are spelled powtaters. Maybe it was there to put a smile on our faces.
Hi Diane, that’s my weird sense of humor coming through. I work from home and I try to keep things fun and I do love to make people laugh and smile (as evidenced by our Bloopers video). Thanks for writing in and I hope you love this recipe.
In the first step, you say cook 12 cups of water etc for 30 minutes but is that boiling? Simmering?
If it’s boiling, won’t the beef get really dry?
Hi Thuy, I would suggest keeping it at a light boil.
Thank you! I ended up making it before your reply and had it on boil. Naturally, the beef was overcooked hehe. Next time I’ll try a light boil (maybe even a simmer?) for 30 minutes.
I always understood that the brine was a main ingredient in rossolnik, but it’s absent from your recipe…. Why?
Hi, we grew up eating it this way and the flavor is wonderful without the extra pickle brine so long as you have enough pickles.
Love this soup. Very happy I stumbled onto your recipe. My husband was very skeptical when I told him I am making “pickle soup” (being a true Canadian). However, I have made it twice this week and we both cant get enough.
Thank you!
I never liked Rassolnik, made it for my boyfriend and I loved it. Will defiantly cook this again.
Thank you!
I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
Wow another great recipe! I seared my beef as well as used beef broth instead of water but other then that I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious. The sour cream makes it even better! Your recipes have been such a big help with learning how to cook Russian food for my boyfriend who grew up eating nothing but these kinds of foods. Can’t wait to try another one of your recipes soon!
I’m so inspired reading your review. Thank you, Katie!
Hi Natasha – another excellent and well-explained soup recipe from you. Made it just as you presented and it turned out marvelous. Thank you!
My pleasure Jay! I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
This soup is delicious. The whole family enjoyed this. It will be a recurring soup for us. Thank-you!
You’re welcome Amy! I’m glad to hear the recipe is a HIT! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Tasty and budget friendly. Thanks for the unusual recipe. I would have never attempted to put pickles in a soup. My next adventure is to try your sour Kraut soup recipe. Just bought the bacon.
You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Tasty and budget friendly. Thanks for the unusual recipe. I would have never attempted to put pickles in a soup. My next adventure is to try your sour Kraut soup recipe. Just bought the bacon.
Hi Natasha,
I would like to try your pickle soup, to make it right and I have a question. What kind of pickles do you use in this case(vinegar or salt ones)?
Michaela, these are just regular pickled pickles from the jar that I bought at Costco.
Thank you very much for your answer.
My pleasure Michaela!
Do you know if this soup tastes good with pork?
Hi Anna, I’ve only made this one with beef but I do think it would work fine with pork.
Made this soup today for a very first time. Followed the recipe as is and it turned out absolutely amazing! My husband loved it and it will be our favorite after sauerkraut soup. Thanks Natasha!
I’m so happy to hear that!!! Thank you for the fantastic review! 🙂
I have 10 minute barley from trader joes, it is pre-cooked. Would I still only add 1/4 cup of barley in my soup?
Hi Katerina, I haven’t tried cooking with a pre-cooked barley. Is it already swollen as it would be with normal barley that is cooked or does it still expand with cooking? If it is already swollen, I would double the amount and add it later so it doesn’t over cook.
I totally wowed my overnight guests with an overflowing, fresh pot of rossolnik thanks to you! I didn’t follow the recipe exactly but it gave me the confidence to just go for it! This soup recieved thumbs up all around, they even asked for it the next day!
I am so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your awesome review 🙂
What if I have instant barley.. Do I still add it at the beginning with the barley or add it way later since it cooks and lot faster??
I would add instant barley later or it would get overcooked with the lengthy cooking time required for regular barley.
Turned out phenomenal! I simmered the soup on low for an extra hour and the flavor a were just amazing! I love this soup so much I was afraid there wouldn’t be enough left for my husband!
Katrina, thank you for such a nice review! It looks like you might have a new favorite 😀.
Just made this and it is delicious! Nothing bad to say about it! So so good! Thanks Natasha for all your recipies! If you released a cookbook I would buy one right away 😉 love all your recipies !!! God bless you!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. It really means alot to me 🙂
YES, PLEASE RELEASE A COOKBOOK!🙏 I WOULD BE THE FIRST TO BUY IT! 😉 trying out this rosolnik today!
I’ll keep everyone posted! Please let me know what you think of the recipe Rose!
This was my last soup of the winter. My husband questioned the inclusion of pickle but there was no hesitancy in eating it! I made the soup a day ahead. Thought the 12 cups of water was on the high side so started with 8 cups but it needed the extra 4 cups. The finished soup was filling & tasty.
Irene, I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!