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Do you want to feel the real taste of Russia? Then keep reading to learn about the staples of Russian cuisine and find their authentic recipes here.
Soup
The tsar of Russian cuisine is, certainly, the soup. A Russian lunch can't do without soup. The range of Russian soups is huge: borsch (beetroot soup), shchi (cabbage soup), solyanka (a spicy soup of vegetables and meat or fish), okroshka (cold soup of raw vegetables, boiled meat, pot-herbs, and kvass), etc. And each of those has dozens of versions! French writer Alexander Duma was so impressed with the traditional Russian cabbage soup (shchi) that he asked for the recipe and included it into his private cookbook. Find traditional Russian soup recipes here.
Borsch is probably the most widespread dish in Slavic cuisines. This type of vegetable soup got its name after the old Slavic name of beetroot – “byrsch” – the vegetable compulsory for this dish. The major veggie bulk in borsch is that of cabbage and beetroot; besides, borsch needs carrot, onions, parsley, celery, tomato paste or tomatoes. Borsch can be based on meat broth, and fattened with ham, bacon, salted pork fat, sausages, duck, or goose. At times it is cooked on fish broth. Beetroot soup can also be vegetarian: enriched with beans or mushrooms, or even seasoned with prunes and other dry fruit, or made from vegetables only. Learn everything about Russian beetroot soup, borsht
Traditional Russian Rye Bread
From time immemorial Russian people ate rye bread which was both dear to their taste and easy on the pocket. In the beginning of the 20th century consumption of rye flour products comprised over sixty percent. Today this figure is much less, reaching only about 10 to 13 percent. But till now Russia is in the top five of the largest manufacturers of rye. A star of a medical science A.I.Kuptsov wrote: “Unvaried diet of black rye bread among Russian poor population never led to deficiency disease, and it testifies that rye bread belongs to the category of food most corresponding to requirements of a human body”.
Learn to bake traditional Russian rye bread
Russian Kasha
"You can't feed a Russian without kasha", as a saying goes... Porridge ("kasha" in Russian) is undoubtedly a primordial Russian dish. Moreover, porridge is a cult dish. According to Old Russian traditions, on their wedding ceremony the groom and the bride necessarily cooked porridge. It was evidently this tradition that brought about the saying: “One cannot possibly cook porridge with him/her” meaning that the person is not reliable. Even entire history of the Russian state is inseparably linked with porridge. So, Russian porridge can be justly called the most important dish of the national Russian cuisine. Buckwheat porridge has always been the most popular porridge in Russia.
Find recipes of Russian porridges here
Pancakes
Haven’t you tried pancakes with caviar or cottage cheese stuffing? Then you are still far away from the real taste of Russian cuisine. We like to eat pancakes with different types of fillings, such as meat, mushrooms, cottage cheese, caviar, and what not.
Here are some recipes of Russian pancakes for you
Stuffed Pies Oh those age-old Russian tea drinking ceremonies with the traditional samovar and a variety of stuffed pies steaming hot! Their recipes seem to be unfading: they seem to have not changed throughout centuries. Among the favorites are mushroom pies and cabbage pies.
Pelmeni
Pelmeni is an age-old traditional dish that Russian cuisine cannot be even imagined without. These are dumplings made of wheat dough and stuffed with minced meat or sometimes fish. They have long been rooted in the Russian cuisine and culture. This is a hearty and tasty dish, convenient to cook and store.
Russian Salad
Russian salad is known all over the world, but not everybody knows its Russian name - Olivier - which comes after its French creator. Strange, isn't it? So let's make it clear what the Russian salad salad really is and how to make it.
Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff ("beef a La Stroganov", in Stroganov's style) is made from finely chopped pieces of beef cooked in sauce with the addition of sour cream.
Shashlik
If you like meat, then a well-roasted meat shashlik should be your choice. Barbecue is made of lumb, pork, or chicken and traditionally served with pita bread and pickles. To make it more savoury, ketchup or adzhika can be added.
Soviet Ice Cream "Plombir"
In the last century they used to say that the USSR was worth visiting for three things: ballet, Soviet circus with Yuri Nikulin and Soviet ice cream. There is neither Soviet Union nor Soviet ice cream any more... But the good news is Plombir is still available in Russia.
Kvass
Traditional Russian kvass is one of the best refreshing and most natural soft drinks. The very word “kvass” is undoubtedly of Russian origin and means “sour drink”, or “fermented drink”. Though it is pungent rather than sour. Kvass based on bread fermentation has been a traditional drink for many centuries for Russians.
Bon appetite...
Read also:
Top 5 Native Russian Drinks You Should Try
Guide on Traditional Russian Desserts
Read articles about regional Russian cuisines:
Moscow Cuisine: What to Eat in the Russian Capital
Top 5 Dishes to Try in the St. Petersburg
Siberian Cuisine – Delicacies of Lake Baikal
Vladivostok Heads Gourmet Tourism in Russia
Gourmet Tour around Golden Ring: What Special Russian Dishes to Try
Traditional Ural Dishes: What to Eat in Perm and Yekaterinburg
Westernmost Cuisine of Russia: What to Eat in Kaliningrad
Russian North Cuisine: What to Eat in Arkhangelsk
Author: Vera Ivanova
