Russia is home to a rich variety of recipes. This includes peasant meals, dishes influenced by Ottoman and Persian cuisine, and French-influenced dishes that originated during the tsarist period when the Russian nobility was heavily influenced by French culture.

Some popular Russian recipes include:

* Borshch – A vegetable soup made from beetroot. Optionally you can add cabbage, potatoes or meat.

* Okroshka: a cold soup made from kvass (a traditional Russian bread drink). Meat, fish or vegetables can be used in the preparation of the soup, and black pepper, mustard or pickled cucumber is used to season the dish.

* Shchi – cabbage soup. Carrots, meat, parsley and spices can be added. Apples, pickled water or sour cream (“smetana”) can also be used to flavor the dish.

* Soljanka – A thick spicy soup containing fish, meat or mushrooms. Pickled cucumbers are used in the dish, as well as usually cabbage, cream, dill and mushrooms.

* Blini – thin pancakes that can be covered with caviar or sour cream (“smetana”).

* Katlyeti – Fried meat pies made from beef or pork.

* Studen – Pork or beef in jelly. It can be eaten cold with garlic and sour cream (“smetana”), or as a garnish to other dishes.

* Beef Stoganoff – Beef stir-fried in a sauce with sour cream.

*Prince Orloff Veal – Braised veal cut into slices, with mushroom purée and onions between the slices. The dish is covered with bechamel sauce (white sauce) and cheese, and browned in an oven.

* Charlotte Russe – A dessert made by putting Bavarian cream (a liqueur-flavored custard) on top of biscuits (small light biscuits).