16 of Moscow’s time-tested recipes

From pancakes made of traditional Russian cottage cheese to fish in fur coats – discover the Russian capital’s historic delicacies one bite at a time.

Pirozhki

These large, doughy buns are a sweet and savoury comfort food treat. Brushed with egg for a golden glaze, they can be stuffed with meat, vegetables, or fish, fruit, jam, or even cottage cheese – sometimes finished off with a decorative twist to keep the filling securely tucked inside.

Local tip: A filling snack, you’ll find these sold from stalls near metro stations, churches and parks.

Kisel

Made from the juice of red berries and sometimes combined with wine or fresh fruit, this dish can be served as a drink or thickened with corn or potato starch to form a dessert. From the Slavic word for ‘sour’, its taste can take some getting used to. Served up both hot and cold, it often tops semolina pudding, pancakes or ice cream.

Selyodka pod Shuboy

Named ‘Herring in a Fur Coat’, this colourfully layered salad takes a helping of diced-up salty fish and dresses it in grated potatoes, carrots and beetroot, chopped onion and lashings of thick, creamy mayonnaise. It’s often bright purple thanks to the beetroot’s juices, making it an attractive centrepiece and delicious starter dish.

Borsch

This versatile soup comes with a huge variety of recipes for both meat-lovers and vegetarians alike. Beetroot – its main ingredient – makes for an earthy flavour and an instantly recognisable reddish-purple colour, while its consistency ranges from a chunky soup to a light broth or smoothie-like drink. Served hot or cold, other ingredients include sautéed vegetables like cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes and tomatoes, and optional fish or meat.

Mors

Slurped down as far back as the 16th century, this ruby-red fruit drink is made by combining the fermented juice of cranberries, lingonberries – and sometimes raspberries, blueberries or strawberries – with sweet sugar syrup and water. Often shaken up into cocktails, it may be slightly alcoholic, and makes the perfect partner for vodka.

Beef Stroganoff

Tender sautéed beef and chunky slices of mushroom soak in a rich sour cream and brandy sauce over a generous tangle of pasta or mound of hearty mashed potato. First popularised in Tsarist Russia, there have been many attempts at imitation and it now steams invitingly on plates all over the world.

Syrniki

These chunky pancakes are made with creamy quark – a naturally low fat soft cheese – eggs, flour, sugar, and vanilla essence. Sugar can also be swapped out for honey for a lighter, more natural sweetener – and an even healthier breakfast treat. Crisp on the outside, warm and soft in the centre, you’ll find them garnished with a dollop of thick sour cream, jam, honey, apple sauce or fruit preserve.

Local tip: If you’re looking for something cheesy, look elsewhere. Despite being made with quark, these are definitely a dessert.

Kefir

This nutrient-rich drink is made with cow, goat or sheep’s milk fermented with cultured kefir grains. With a slightly sour, yoghurt-like taste, it’s often included in soups and sourdough bread recipes and makes a great low fat, high protein ingredient. Perfect for people trying to lose weight – it also has numerous health benefits for the bones and digestive system.

Kholodets

Flavoursome pork or beef broth is boiled and left to simmer for several hours to make this tasty meat jelly, with peppercorns, garlic, salt and laurel leaves added right at the end for an additional infusion of seasoning. Served up cold with a spoonful of strong horseradish or hot mustard, it’s best chased with a shot of vodka.

Okroshka

This refreshing cold soup combines a fermented rye drink called kvass with raw cucumber, radish, spring onion, potatoes, eggs and meat. Tasting like a salad in a bowl, it’s dished up in summer with a spoonful of sour cream and often an ice cube or two.

Kvas

A healthy source of energy – this traditional Slavic and Baltic drink is packed full of vitamin B. Black or rye bread is fermented to create a beer-like beverage with an alcohol content so low it’s classed as non-alcoholic. Often flavoured with strawberries, other fruits, or even mint, it’s famous for offering the ultimate refreshment on a hot summer’s day.

Olivier Salad

This dish always makes it to the table at any celebration. A vibrant bowlful of diced vegetables including carrots, pickles, green peas, onions and potatoes, jumbled up with eggs, chicken, ham or sausage, tart apple and a slathering of mustard-tainted mayonnaise. Following a recipe passed down through the generations, every household has its own unique version.

Ukha

This dish is packed with delicious flaky fish like salmon, trout, cod or sturgeon, complete with a hearty helping of root vegetables. A rich broth is made ahead of time, seasoned with a sprinkling of black pepper, saffron, nutmeg and fennel seeds. The dish itself is simmered for just 10-20 minutes, preserving the natural flavours of the ingredients, while the fish stays perfectly tender.

Solyanka

This recipe comes in three classic versions: meat, fish and mushroom for a perfect vegetarian variant. A thick, salty soup with a rich flavour and tangy tomato base. Pickled cucumbers are cooked in their own brine before being combined with cabbage, salted mushrooms, stewed tomatoes, sour cream and a seasoning of dill.

Bliny

Laid out flat, these crêpe-like delights are covered in all kinds of fillings before being bundled up into fat rectangular parcels. Sweet ingredients include fruit, jam and honey, while savoury options span meat, cheese, sour cream, mushrooms and more.

Local tip: These pancakes date back to pre-Christian times, when their round shape and golden colour were considered symbolic of the sun.

Pelmeni

Plump dumplings of thin, dough wrapped around a minced meat, fish or mushroom filling that’s spiced with black pepper, garlic and diced onion. Originally an inventive way to preserve meat, they’re now a filling convenience-food option, served up by the dozen and topped with delicious melted butter, sour cream, soy sauce, mustard, horseradish or even vinegar.