When you think about Russian culture, a lot of things come to mind.
There’s music, art, architecture, and history. And then there’s the day-to-day things like food. What we eat and how we cook it is a huge part of pride and identity.
So this article is going to give you a brief introduction to traditional Russian dishes.
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Table of Contents
The Basics Of Russian Cooking
Russian cuisine is both a product of the country’s geography, agriculture and history.
First off, the main carb is bread. Called khleb (хлеб) in Russian, the production and consumption of bread to the Russian palate is so ubiquitous, it can almost be taken for granted sometimes.
There are two broad categories of bread in Russian – belyj khleb (white bread) and čornyj khleb (black bread) which includes the staple ržanoj khleb (rye bread ).
Traditional Russian dishes are quite meat-focused, often putting the protein front and centre with vegetables acting as a side dish. The exact meat can be quite varied using chicken, pork, beef, lamb and a wide ride of fish.
Vegetables in Russian cooking include things like potatoes, cucumbers, beets, onions, and cabbages. Tomatoes are also used to a lesser extent.
In a traditional Russian home, you can often find a pantry or cellar with veggies that have been pickled for the upcoming winter. I have a Russian friend whose cellar always contains few dozen jars of pickled cabbage or beets.
When it comes to condiments and seasonings there are a few worth noting. Russian cuisine often uses a dairy product called smetana (сметана).
Most dictionaries translate this to sour cream or crême fraîche, but when my Russian friend cooks pelmeni, standard sour cream just won’t do.
Smetana has a higher fat content and thicker texture. A huge number of dishes, soups, and salads will be topped with some dill (укроп). Aside from that you can expect to see a lot of honey, mushrooms, and cottage cheese.
Soup / Суп
Soup is a huge part of Russian cuisine with meals that can be hot or cold. No matter the temperature, most soups can or should be served with a pinch of dill and smetana.
A curious fact for Russian learners is that when talking about суп in Russian, you don’t use the word for bowl. For historical reasons, Russian-speakers usually refer to a portion of soup as тарелка супа (tarelka supa) which would translate word-for-word as “a plate of soup.”
1. Borsch Борщ
This red, beet-rooted based soup is one of the most iconic traditional Russian dishes.
Almost every family has its own recipe but the most common things you’ll find with borsch are carrots, onions, and potatoes. Many recipes also include beef.
Borsch is a hearty soup that is normally served warm when the weather outside is cold.
2. Rassolnik / Рассольник
If you like огурцы (cucumbers) then you'll love rassolnik. This traditional soup is made from pickled cucumbers, pearl barley and often meat (usually pork or beef). It’s often said to be a good cure for hangovers.
For the etymologically minded, the name of the soup comes from the word рассол (rassol) which is the word for pickle brine.
3. Schi / Щи
Alongside borsch, shchi is one of the most widely cooked soups throughout the Russian-speaking world. In fact, evidence points to shchi being eaten in the region for at least 1,000 years.
The main ingredient is cabbage and it’s normally prepared with some kind of meat stock. For veggies, you can add things like carrots, onions, and potatoes.
Aside from cabbage, there are a huge range of shchi varieties. Some recipes call for tomatoes, others call for meat. For me, either or both is fine depending on my own mood when cooking.
4. Ukha / Уха
Ukha (accent on the a) is another soup that has a long history in Russian. The most important ingredient in ukha is fish, which is almost always freshwater.
Aside from that ukha often contains root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, parsely. This together makes a nice warm soup with clear broth that tastes great when the temperature gets low.
5. Okroshka / Окрошка
Okroshka is a dish that’s a bit hard to explain if you’ve never had it. Firstly, it’s a cold soup. Some people call it the meeting point between a soup and a salad.
On top of that, one of its key ingredients is kvas which not everyone is familiar with.
Aside from kvas, okroshka needs raw cucumber and usually some kind of meat like beef or pork. It’s also often made with radishes or hard-boiled eggs. At the end, you can add dill, mustard, and salt to taste.
All that may sound odd, but on a hot summer’s day, it really hits the spot.
6. Kvas / Квас
If you’ve never had kvas, the taste is a bit hard to describe. It’s savory, non alcoholic and there’s nothing quite like it.
It’s made from fermented rye bread and tastes somewhat earthy. Russians I know have many nice memories of coming in from doing work in the garden and then having a nice cup of kvas as a refresher.
7. Каsha / Каша
Kasha is more of a category than a specific dish. In general, it’s a porridge that is normally boiled in milk or in water.
The cereal used can vary from millet to barely to oats, but most often the cereal it’s made from buckwheat.
In fact, this traditional breakfast dish is a large part of the region where Russians consume more buckwheat than any of its neighbours. Kasha is considered such a staple food that it’s even part of a well known Russian expression.
- Щи да каша – пища наша
- shchi da kasha – pischa nasha
- schi and kasha are our foods
- shchi da kasha – pischa nasha
People add a whole range of things to their kasha including butter, sugar, salt, jam, fruit, berries, and creams. I've had it before and I like my kasha simple with some berries and just a bit of yoghurt but really it’s all delo vkusa (a matter of taste).
Salads / Салаты
8. Olivier Salad / Оливие
Sometimes it’s also called a Russian salad, this dish is a must have at every large gathering of Russians for parties and holidays.
If you’ve never had olivier, imagine a potato salad that swaps out olive oil for mayonnaise. The vegetables are normally diced and include potatoes, carrots, pickles, as well as sliced hard-boiled eggs.
Honestly, it’s hard to imagine a Russian New Year without it.
9. Vinegret / Винегрет
This is a vegetable salad that usually comes out in various shades of red. The main ingredients normally include potatoes, carrots, onions, sauerkraut, and of course red beets which gives the salad its distinctive colour.
Other Traditional Russian Dishes
10. Pelmeni / Пелмени
Around the world, different cultures have taken something tasty, wrapped it in dough and taken pride in their own local dumpling. In Russian these are pelmeni.
Made with a simple dough, pelmeni can be stuffed with a lot of things. Cabbage and meat are some of the most common filings. In addition to boiling them, you can also fry them afterwards.
If you do, I recommend doing it in butter with some onions. Pelmeni are almost always served with smetana.
For Russian learners –
Pelmeni is the plural form. The singular is pelmen, but you’ll rarely hear it since no one eats just one!
11. Cutlets / Котлеты
Russian cuisine has a long history with different kinds of kotlety. Often these use chicken but you can also find them with other meats.
Expect to see some kind of breading and a side serving of vegetables with any given cutlet.
12. Beef Stroganoff / Бефстроганов
Beef Stroganoff is probably one of the most widely known traditional Russian dishes in the English-speaking world that people don’t realise is Russian.
As you might guess from the name, the main ingredient is beef, normally sauteed. This is served in a sauce made with smetana, and very often mushrooms.
Today there are a lot of variations on the dish found around the world and in Russia, sometimes putting tomato or mustard in the sauce and sometimes serving it with pasta.
13. Shashlik / Шашлык
It may very well be impossible to go to a large outdoor gathering of Russians and not encounter shashlik.
On the whole, it’s very similar to shish kebab or satay and can be made anywhere that you can set up a barbecue…or even just an open flame.
Today, Russian shashlik is made from almost any meat aside from fish so on your vertel (skewer) you can find lamb, chicken, beef, or pork. Usually, this is cut into cubes and marinated the night before.
14. Bliny / Блины
If you’re familiar with the French crêpe, the Dutch pannekoek and the American pancake, then you have some idea of what to expect from a blin (bliny in plural).
They are flat, easy to make and great to cook if you want something simple and filling.
Bliny can be served plain but can also come with a whole range of toppings. If you like sweets, try adding on berries or jams.
If you want something savoury, then you can top your bliny with salmon, butter, smetana, mushrooms, and even caviar.
15. Priyanik / Прияник
Priyaniki are spiced baked goods that you can find throughout a lot of Eastern Europe. What’s nice about priyaniki is that they are sweet without being sugary since the flavour comes mostly from honey.
16. Medovik / Медовик
If you know some Russian, then you might see the word med (honey) in the word medovik and that’s with good reason.
This is a spongy cake made from layers of filling, cream, and of course honey. Often it’s topped with nuts or even berries and is very tasty if you have a sweet-tooth.
A word of warning though. If you plan to try your hand at making medovik, you should know that it has a reputation for taking a long time.
I once asked a friend to help me make a medovik and was told politely cho, nyet vrememi (huh? I haven’t got the time (for that).
Traditional Russian Dishes FAQ
What is Russia's traditional food?
Russian cuisine features hearty and flavourful dishes often made with potatoes, bread, meat, and dairy.
Traditional foods include borscht (beet soup), pelmeni (dumplings), blini (thin pancakes), and beef stroganoff.
Many dishes have roots in peasant cooking, focusing on ingredients that can withstand Russia’s cold climate.
What is Russia's most popular dish?
One of Russia’s most famous dishes is pelmeni, small dumplings filled with meat and served with sour cream or butter.
Borscht, a beet-based soup, is also widely enjoyed. Other favourites include shchi (cabbage soup) and plov (a rice and meat dish similar to pilaf).
What does a typical Russian eat in a day?
A typical Russian diet includes hearty, home-cooked meals. Breakfast often consists of kasha (porridge) or eggs with bread.
Lunch, the main meal, features soup (like borscht), meat, potatoes, and vegetables.
Dinner is usually lighter, with salads, sandwiches, or simple warm dishes. Tea and rye bread are common throughout the day.
What is the most popular Russian street food?
Popular Russian street food includes chebureki (deep-fried meat pastries), pirozhki (stuffed buns with meat, cabbage, or potatoes), and blini (thin pancakes with sweet or savoury fillings). Shawarma is also a common fast-food choice in Russian cities.
Closing Thoughts On Traditional Russian Dishes
It would be impossible to make an exhaustive list of traditional Russian dishes, so consider this an appetizer (pun very much intended!).
That being said, I hope that this article gives you some insight on Russian cuisine. If any of this has piqued your interest, consider trying some recipes for yourself, though maybe don’t start with medovik.
And if any of this has made you curious about the Russian language, my course, Russian Uncovered, will teach you it through stories, not rules. Get your free 7-day trial of Russian Uncovered.
Olly Richards
Creator of the StoryLearning® Method
Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.
Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.
When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.
