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Lean pickle with pearl barley and pickles

Meatless Rassolnik with Pearl Barley and Brined Cucumbers

Tasty, hearty, very light, and meat-free! Meatless rassolnik with pearl barley and brined cucumbers is downright addictive. The soup comes out thick, very filling, and incredibly good for you. Serve it for a family lunch during a fast — or any time.

Pearl

Recipe author

Lean pickle with pearl barley and pickles

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pearl barley

100

Potatoes (2-3)

Onion

Carrots

Tomatoes

Brined cucumbers

Garlic

Vegetable oil

Salt

Bay leaf

Ground black pepper

Dried spices

Water

1300

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 9 % 1 g

Fats 27 % 3 g

Carbohydrates 64 % 7 g

56 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make rassolnik with pearl barley and brined cucumbers without meat? Gather all the ingredients listed. You can use pickled (vinegar-brined) cucumbers if you prefer, but I usually make this meatless soup with salt-brined ones. The amounts given gave me a thick soup. If you like thinner soups, use less barley and potato, or add more water.
Step 2:

Rinse the pearl barley several times until the water runs clear. You can then soak it, or go straight on to cooking (in which case it'll need to simmer a bit longer than the recipe says). Cover the barley with cold water and let it soak for 30–40 minutes.
Step 3:

Meanwhile, prep the other ingredients. Peel the onion, carrot, and garlic. Rinse them along with the tomato in cold water and pat dry. You can peel the tomato if you like, though I usually don't. Cut the carrot into small cubes or strips, and mince the onion and garlic as finely as possible. Chop the tomato however you prefer (wedges, cubes, etc.).
Step 4:

Heat a little vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Add the onion and carrot and start sautéing.
Step 5:

After 1–2 minutes, add the tomato and garlic to the pan. Stirring, cook for another 3–5 minutes.
Step 6:

Put the barley in a pot, cover with a little water, and cook until half done. This takes 20–25 minutes. Drain off any remaining water.
Step 7:

Cut the brined cucumbers into small cubes.
Step 8:

Add the barley and the cubed (or batonnet-cut) potatoes to the pot.
Step 9:

Pour in the measured water and set it on the stove. Once it boils, lower the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, leaving the lid slightly ajar so steam can escape.
Step 10:

Add the sauté, the bay leaf, and the cucumbers to the pot. If you like, pour in a little of the cucumber brine. Stir everything and cook for another 10–20 minutes (until the cucumbers are soft). Taste for salt, adjust if needed, and add a pinch of your favorite spices. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it rest for a while.
Step 11:

The rassolnik is ready. Offer everyone some finely chopped fresh herbs and ground black pepper for their bowl.

You can use vegetable broth instead of water for this meatless rassolnik. The soup is delicious with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!
Note: whether or not the recipe gives an amount of water, it's best to go by your own preference (whether you like a thick or thinner soup), as well as the size of your pot and the ingredients you're using. Keep in mind that the author has their own idea of how much potato, grain, and so on belongs in the soup, which may not match yours. In practice, if you're making it for the first time, don't cook a whole pot at once. Make a tasting batch for one or two people: scale all the ingredients down to 1–2 servings, and figure on anywhere from one cup of water per serving (for a very thick soup) up to 1.5–2 cups (for a thinner one), remembering that some liquid will cook off. After tasting a small batch, you can fine-tune both the liquid and the ingredient ratios to your taste. Before long, like most experienced cooks, you'll be adding water and ingredients by eye.
An easy way to peel tomatoes: wash them, score a shallow cross in the skin with a sharp knife, and drop them into boiling water for 1–2 minutes. Lift them out, cool slightly, and slip off the skins.
You can swap the fresh tomato in this recipe for ketchup, canned tomatoes in their own juice, or tomato paste — adjust the amount to taste.