Welcome to the world of authentic Eastern European comfort food! Today, we're making Rassolnik, a traditional and beloved soup with a history as rich as its flavor. What makes Rassolnik so special is its delightful tangy and savory taste, which comes from its star ingredients: salt-cured pickles and their flavorful brine. This vegetarian version is packed with cabbage, potatoes, and hearty pearl barley, making it a deeply satisfying and nourishing meal, especially on a chilly day. Get ready to fall in love with this unique and delicious soup!
Rassolnik with cabbage and pickles
Ingredients for Rassolnik with Cabbage and Pickles
- 300 g white cabbage
- 200 g potatoes
- 60 g yellow onion
- 100 g carrots
- 100 g pearl barley
- 150 g salt-cured pickles
- 150 g pickle brine
- 1 L mushroom or vegetable broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- vegetable oil
How to Make Rassolnik with Cabbage and Pickles
Shred the cabbage into thin strips, about 3 millimeters wide.
Dice the peeled potatoes into large cubes.
Sauté the onion and carrots over medium heat until soft, about 7-8 minutes.
Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage head and cut out the core. Shred the cabbage into thin strips, about 3 millimeters wide—the thinner, the tastier the soup. Place the shredded cabbage in a pot and pour in the mushroom or vegetable broth.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into large cubes. Add the diced potatoes to the pot. Bring to a boil. If you don’t have broth, you can use water. In that case, add spices and seasonings like a parsley root, a celery stalk, 2 bay leaves, and a few black peppercorns.
Slice the onion into thin half-rings. Cut the carrots into rounds 2-3 millimeters thick. Pour a tablespoon of odorless vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet and add the chopped vegetables. Sauté the onion and carrots over medium heat until soft, which should take about 7-8 minutes.
Cook the potatoes and cabbage for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Cook the potatoes and cabbage for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Then, add the sautéed onion and carrots.
Add the diced pickles and pour in the pickle brine into the pot.
Add the cooked pearl barley to the rassolnik right after the pickles and brine.
Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, then turn off the heat.
Dice the solenye ogurtsy (salt-cured pickles, which are fermented without vinegar, unlike standard dill pickles). For larger pickles, it’s best to remove the seeds and only use the flesh. Add the diced pickles to the pot and pour in the ogurechny rassol (the pickle brine). Important! Pickles are added to the rassolnik (a traditional Russian sour pickle soup) at the very end of cooking!
Cook the pearl barley separately. Add the cooked barley to the soup right after the pickles and brine. How to cook pearl barley: Thoroughly rinse 100g of pearl barley; you can also soak it in cold water for a few hours. Place the rinsed barley in a saucepan, add 1 cup of water, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid. Simmer on low heat for 40-50 minutes, until the barley is tender.
Stir the soup and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, then turn off the heat.
Season with ground black pepper and serve immediately. Enjoy your meal!
Pour the hot rassolnik into a bowl. Garnish with any finely chopped fresh herbs like dill, parsley, or celery. Season with ground black pepper and serve immediately.
And there you have it—a steaming bowl of delicious, homemade Rassolnik! This soup is a true taste of tradition, perfect for warming you up from the inside out. For an even more authentic experience, serve it with a dollop of sour cream (or a plant-based alternative) and a slice of dark rye bread. Rassolnik tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together, so don't hesitate to make a big batch. We hope you enjoy this unique and comforting dish. Happy cooking!
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