Rassolnik With Rice and Tomato Paste
Rice Rassolnik
A hearty Russian pickle soup made with rice, potatoes, vegetables, tomato paste, and briny dill pickles for a balanced sour-savory broth.
Rassolnik is a classic Russian soup built around the sharp, clean flavor of pickled cucumbers. This version uses rice instead of pearl barley, so it cooks more quickly while still giving the broth a gentle body.
Tomato paste is not used in every rassolnik, but it works beautifully here. Blooming it with onions and carrots adds color, a light sweetness, and a rounded savory base that balances the pickle brine.
Use crisp dill pickles with a pleasantly salty brine rather than sweet bread-and-butter pickles. Add the brine gradually near the end so the soup tastes bright without becoming harsh.
The soup is best served hot with sour cream, chopped dill, and rye bread. Like many cabbage and pickle-based soups, it tastes even deeper after a short rest.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Place the beef and water or broth in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, skim off any foam, then add the bay leaves and peppercorns.
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2
Cover partly and simmer for 25 minutes, until the beef is beginning to soften and the broth tastes meaty.
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3
Add the rinsed rice and diced potatoes. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender and the rice is nearly cooked.
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4
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
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5
Stir the tomato paste into the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until it darkens slightly and smells sweet and savory.
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6
Add the tomato-vegetable mixture and diced pickles to the soup. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes so the pickles soften and the broth turns lightly red.
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7
Pour in half of the pickle brine, taste, then add more brine as needed for a balanced sour-salty flavor.
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8
Season with salt and black pepper. Remove the bay leaves, rest the soup for 5 minutes off the heat, then serve with sour cream and dill.
Ingredients
- Boneless beef chuck cut into small cubes:1 lb
- Water or unsalted beef broth:8 cups
- Long-grain white rice, rinsed:1/2 cup
- Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced:1 lb
- Dill pickles, finely diced:1 1/2 cups
- Dill pickle brine:1/2 cup
- Yellow onion, finely chopped:1 medium
- Carrot, grated or finely diced:1 large
- Tomato paste:2 tbsp
- Neutral oil:2 tbsp
- Bay leaves:2
- Black peppercorns:6
- Kosher salt:to taste
- Black pepper:to taste
- Sour cream for serving:as needed
- Fresh dill, chopped, for serving:2 tbsp
Tips & Notes
- If your pickles are very salty, start with only a few tablespoons of brine and adjust at the end.
- For a faster weeknight version, use cooked shredded beef and good beef broth, then reduce the first simmer to 10 minutes.
- Do not add the pickle brine before the potatoes are tender; too much acidity early in cooking can keep potatoes firm.
