Olivier salad is a Russian salad with variable ingredients, but it is typically made with chopped vegetables, meat, and mayonnaise. The key ingredients include diced potatoes, vegetables, eggs, chicken, or ham. This salad is one of the most important appetizers at the New Year's salad buffets in Russia, as well as in some of the other countries of the former USSR.

The original was invented in the 1860s by Lucien Olivier, a chef in the popular Moscow restaurant called L'Hermitage. Olivier guarded the recipe until he died, but it is believed that the recipe was stolen by an employee who watched the chef at work, so the salad is still made today. 

Pelmeni is one of Russia's national dishes, a small dumpling with a delicately thin dough, filled with anything from ground meat or fish to mushrooms. The fillings can be mild or very spicy, depending on the amount of seasonings such as various fresh herbs, black pepper, and onions.

Pelmeni dumplings are served in almost every Russian restaurant, as well as in numerous Russian homes where each family has their own recipe for the dish.

When it first appeared in the mid-19th-century Russia, beef Stroganoff was a dish made out of lightly floured beef cubes that have been sautéed and cooked in a simple sauce made from stock and mustard with only a small amount of sour cream.

The origin of the dish is unclear, but it is most likely linked to a French chef—or a French-trained chef—working for the Stroganoff family. Although Russian in origin, the dish is strongly influenced by the French style of cooking—this is most obviously seen in the way the beef is cut, in either cubes or strips.

The first known recipe appeared in Elena Molokhovets’s A Gift to Young Housewives, published in 1871. 

These traditional Russian pancakes are prepared with flour, eggs, milk, yeast, and a pinch of salt. What distinguishes them from other pancakes is the addition of yeast, since similar equivalents mostly do not add any leavening agents. The batter is poured over a hot pan, shaped into a circle, and fried for a couple of minutes on both sides.

The tradition of preparing this traditional Russian dish originates from ancient times: it was a ceremonial dish, served during the pagan holiday called Maslenitsa – a week-long festivity praising the end of winter and the celebration of spring. 

Ukha is a rustic Russian soup consisting of a broth filled with herbs, seasonings, root vegetables, and fish such as salmon, cod, perch, and trout. A bit of vodka is often added into the pot while the soup is simmering. Although it originated as a simple broth, it evolved into an elaborate dish during the 16th and 17th centuries, when it was served in Russian courts.

Apparently, the soup is so good that it was even a favorite of Ivan the Terrible.

Pirozhki is one of the most popular Russian dishes, often sold as street food, although it can also be made at home. The pocket-sized, oval-shaped pirozhki are yeast dough buns stuffed with a variety of ingredients such as fresh fruits, jams, and cottage cheese for the sweet varieties, or meat, eggs, vegetables, fish, and rice for the savory versions.

They can be either baked or fried. The name pirozhki can be literally translated to little pies. Pirozhki are commonly consumed as a snack, and today, they are prepared in numerous versions throughout the world.

Solyanka is a traditional soup made with meat, fish, or mushrooms, and vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, olives, and cabbage. The soup is usually served with lemon wedges on the side, but it is also flavored with lemon juice during the cooking process.

If meat is used, it is typically beef, pork, or chicken. Solyanka is also well-known as a hangover cure and it is traditionally served with sour cream.

The fundamental dish of Russian cuisine is known as kasha, a porridge that has represented an essential Russian meal for centuries. Russian kasha refers to various dishes which are created with cereals, most commonly rice, wheat, or millet, and pseudocereals like buckwheat and quinoa.

The dish is usually boiled in water and milk, and ranges from sweet to savory in flavor. It can be modified by numerous additions such as fresh or dried fruit, preserves, cheese, butter, vegetables, nuts, or honey. In the past, the porridge was traditionally prepared in cast iron pots and slowly baked in the oven during the night. 

Medovik is a popular Russian layered honey cake consisting of honey-infused, almost biscuit-like sponges that are coated with thin layers of cream. Although there are numerous variations of the cake, the custard is usually prepared with whipped cream or various combinations of condensed milk and butter.

It is believed that the cake first appeared in the 1820s and was initially created for the wife of Alexander I of Russia. The addition of condensed milk probably originates from the Soviet era, while modern variations may include berries or even chocolate.