Kulebyaka (Russian Salmon and Rice Pie)
Local name: Кулебяка
In short: A golden Russian pie of flaky pastry filled with salmon, rice, mushrooms, egg and dill, baked as a festive centerpiece. It takes about 1 h 30 min in total and makes 10 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 30 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Kulebyaka is the grand Russian fish pie, an elongated loaf of pastry stuffed with layers of salmon, rice, mushrooms, hard-boiled egg and dill. It appears on holiday tables, where it is cut into thick slices to show the colorful layers. Traditional versions use a yeast dough; this one uses ready-made puff pastry for a flaky crust with far less effort. A layer of rice and egg soaks up the fish juices, so the base stays crisp.
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook for 8 minutes until golden and dry. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and a little pepper, then cool completely and stir in 2 tablespoons of the dill.
- Season the salmon slices with the remaining salt, the rest of the pepper and the lemon juice. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Lightly flour a sheet of baking paper and roll one pastry sheet on it into a rectangle about 25 x 38 cm (10 x 15 inches). Leave a 3 cm (1 inch) border and layer down the center: half the rice, the mushrooms, the salmon, the eggs, the remaining dill and the rest of the rice.
- Brush the border with egg. Roll the second sheet slightly larger on a lightly floured surface and lay it over the filling, pressing the edges to seal. Trim neatly and crimp with a fork.
- Cut 3 small steam vents in the top. Brush the whole pie with egg, decorate with pastry trimmings if you like, and chill for 15 minutes on a baking tray.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden and the salmon reaches 63°C (145°F) at the center. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too fast.
- Rest for 15 minutes, then cut into thick slices. Serve with melted butter or a sour cream and dill sauce.
Tips
- Cool the mushroom and rice layers fully before filling. Warm filling steams the pastry and gives a soft, pale base.
- Cod or other firm white fish can replace the salmon. For a yeast-dough version, use the dough from the pirozhki recipe and bake for 45 minutes.
Questions and answers
Can I make kulebyaka ahead of time?
Assemble it up to 8 hours ahead and keep it chilled, then bake just before serving. Leftover slices reheat well at 180°C (350°F) for about 12 minutes.
Is kulebyaka the same as salmon en croute?
They are close, but kulebyaka is a fuller pie with rice, mushrooms and egg alongside the fish. It is traditionally made with yeast dough rather than puff pastry.
Can I freeze kulebyaka?
Wrap the baked and cooled pie in foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until hot all the way through.
How long does it take to make Kulebyaka (Russian Salmon and Rice Pie)?
About 1 h 30 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kulebyaka (Russian Salmon and Rice Pie)?
About 520 kcal per serving, with 19 g of protein, 35 g of carbohydrates and 33 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Fat | 33 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 520 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
