German Lentil Soup - Authentic Recipe • Proven and Easy to Make (2024)

Posted on January 11, 2024 by admin

18 Comments

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German Lentil Soup - Authentic Recipe • Proven and Easy to Make (1)

The German lentil soup is a classic among all German soups. We tried out several options: Using lentils from a can and dried ones. We came to the conclusion: Dried lentils are the best. You can reduce the cooking time when soaking them the evening before in water, and let them sit over night. Just just need to boil them the other day in the same water.

In Germany these recipes such as Lentil Soup or Split Pea Soup are called “Eintopf” which means literally “One pot”. The fact that all ingredients are cooking in one pot at the same time, makes cooking easy. Just stir frequently and, if you use sausages, add the sausages five minutes before the soup is ready. It is also easy to make a vegetarian dish by not using the bacon and sausages. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients German Lentil Soup

(serves 4)
2 cups dry green or brown lentils
1-2 medium sized potatoes
1 medium sized onion
1-2 carrots
2 thin slices of German Speck (Bacon or smoked ham)
1/4 celery root
2 celery stalks
1-2 tsp sunflower or safflower oil
Purified or spring water as needed
2 tsp mustard, preferably German
Thyme and/or marjoram to taste
2bay leaves
Salt, fresh ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
2-4 tbsp White Wine Vinegar (or to taste)
4 Wiener or Frankfurter Sausages

German Lentil Soup - Authentic Recipe • Proven and Easy to Make (2)

Cooking Instructions German Lentil Soup

– Wash dried lentils, then soak them in water the day before. They should be covered with water. Let sit covered over night.
– Peel potatoes and cut them into small cubes.
– Cut celery root, stalks and carrot in small pieces.
– Chop onion, cut ham in small cubes.
– In a medium to big sized pot heat oil, add onions and saute for 1 minute.
– Use lentils with the soaking water, add to onions. Fill up with water if you don’t have enough (lentils soak up the water, so you need to add some, lentils should always be covered with water).
– Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and bay leaves. Add some more water if needed.

German Lentil Soup - Authentic Recipe • Proven and Easy to Make (3)

– Bring to a boil, let simmer (covered with a lid) on low heat for about 1 hour until lentils are very soft. Do the test, if they are not soft, let them cook longer.
– While the soup is cooking, add mustard, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
– Stir frequently so it won’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add some water if the soup gets too thick.

– 10 minutes before the soup is ready add the sausages to warm them in the soup. Of course you could boil them separately but the typical way is to cook them in the soup.
– If you want cut the sausages into pieces, and add them to the soup until they are cooked.
– Add parsley before serving.Serve the lentil soup with fresh farmers bread and butter. In Southern Germany the soup is combined with the Southern pasta specialty “Spaetzle”. In this case you would cook the Spaetzle separately and serve them with the soup.

– Recipe for Lentil Stew and Spaetzle –

TIPS

  • For a vegetarian version: Instead of using ham and sausages just cook lentils with the vegetable.
  • Add some tomato paste.
  • Instead of oil use lard.
  • Add vinegar before serving or use it as needed at the table. Helps to better digest the lentils.
  • If you don’t soak the lentils the day before the cooking time will be on low heat (simmering) up to 3 hours.

Good Source for German Style Sausages & Meats


German Lentil Soup - Authentic Recipe • Proven and Easy to Make (6)

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Category: German Recipes, German Soups, German Vegetarian Recipes, Lentil soup Tags: german lentil eintopf, German Lentil Soup, Lentil soup, linseneintopf

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18 Comments on “German Lentil Soup – Authentic Recipe

  1. Grüßte aus England!

    I notice in your recipe you state to use laurel leaves. Surely you mean BAY LEAVES? Some species of laurel are somewhat poisonous . . When I make it this weekend I will use bay leaves 🙂

    Stephan Kassner UK

  2. Oh, I see, this is a mistake. of course I mean bay leaves. Don’t use laurel leaves! But now you know for sure I am German. Let me know how the lentil soup was. Guten Appetit!

  3. Bitte sehr viel!
    I am happy to help.
    Your recipe is going in my book.
    I could not wiat till the weekend, tried it today (freitag)
    unglaublich!!!
    Stephan K.

  4. the bay leaves are in the recipe now! thanks for helping.

  5. Kein problem.

  6. I was born in Kassel Germany we put small meat balls in ours try it. Really good.

    Santra

  7. I know Kassel! Oh, I am sure it will taste good. I have to try this one. Have you subscribed to the blog? Many christmas recipes will come and I think they will be visible only for subscribers. I am making some changes like the new design and maybe an obline community site where members can talk about german food and exchange ideas.
    thanks for your message! Danke.
    gabriele

  8. I lived in Bitburg for five years. My most favorite was the chicken and the salads. Could you tell me where I can find recipes for German roasted chicken and german homemade salad dressings. The salads I had consisted of some bib lettuce, shredded cucumber and carrots and house dressing. It was amazing. Also what makes your peas and carrots so delightful?

  9. Linda, I guess it’s the butter and a hint of nutmeg which makes the peas and carrots so good. Dressing: you must be a bit more specific about that. it is oil and vinegar?

  10. Iam always make Lentilsoup , now from you i learned diffrent ways to make like bayleaves and meatballs and all the diffrent seasening u can put . tx ! Oh i live in the States but iam from small town called Pickliessem..

  11. bay leaves are always used for German soups. Meatballs, do you mean the german burger or Fikadelle? Try it, it is soo good!

  12. I’m trying this soup today! Unfortunately I’ve never seen any Celery root in my part of the U.S.
    Hope I can get by with only the stalks….

  13. I know, the celery root is not in every supermarket. Don’t know what they do with the roots? Use some stalks and it should be fine.

  14. Making it right now, but doesn’t say in the recipe when to add the bacon. Please fix, thanks : )

  15. add the bacon at the beginning with the onions.

  16. what is the water quantity??? “Fill up with water” is very vague

  17. the lentils have to be covered about 1 inch. when the cook they get thick, so you can add more water as needed.

  18. mom used ham bone in the beans as they cooked everything else sounds the same except on the end she always made a browned flour ruew that she would stir in before serving. I still make it that way to this day. Thank you for the memories.

German Lentil Soup - Authentic Recipe • Proven and Easy to Make (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular soup in Germany? ›

Some of the most popular soups in Germany include:
  • Kartoffelsuppe (potato soup): A hearty and creamy soup made with potatoes, onions, leeks, and sometimes bacon.
  • Erbsensuppe (pea soup): A thick and hearty soup made with split peas, potatoes, and ham or bacon.
  • Gulaschsuppe (goulash soup): A me.
Feb 23, 2023

Why is my lentil soup tasteless? ›

To avoid a bland lentil soup, use a flavorful broth—whether that's homemade or store-bought chicken or vegetable broth. The other key is building flavor. To do so, use aromatics like onions and garlic, include fresh or dried herbs, and season well with salt and pepper.

Do I need to rinse lentils before making soup? ›

Lentils do not require it but can be soaked in order to reduce cooking time by about half. Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, pick over to remove debris or shrivelled lentils, then drain.

What is the difference between dal and lentil soup? ›

“Dal” has a double meaning: It is both the word for lentils and beans and the term for a thick purée or soup made from lentils. Lentil dal is essentially just a lentil soup. However, to say dal is simple also cuts its significance of flavor, of history, and importance at the South Asian table.

What is the number 1 food in Germany? ›

Sauerbraten. Germans love their meat dishes, and Sauerbraten (meaning 'sour' or 'pickled' roast) is one of the country's national dishes. You can make a pot roast by using many different types of meat, which you marinate in wine, vinegar, spices, herbs, and then season for up to ten days.

What is the No 1 soup in the world? ›

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

Why do I feel bloated after lentil soup? ›

Another reason that lentils are known for causing gas and bloating is because they are high in what's called raffinose. Raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO) are known to cause stomach discomfort and bloating because the human body lacks the enzyme required to break them down within the digestive tract.

Why does lentil soup make me tired? ›

Everyone's heard of tryptophan – an amino acid most commonly associated with post-Thanksgiving-turkey naps. But tryptophan is actually found in many protein-rich foods including lentils, and complex carbohydrates work with your metabolism to allow the tryptophan to work most effectively to help you sleep.

Why does lentil soup upset my stomach? ›

Lentils, like other legumes, contain a protein called lectin that binds to our digestive tract and can result in severe reactions, such as diarrhea and vomiting, when eaten raw or undercooked lentils . Undercooked lentils are difficult to digest. Lentils are rich in dietary fiber.

Can you overcook lentils in soup? ›

This time, it turned out mushy and there wasn't a whole lentil to be found. Damn it! I figured out later that it spent about 2.5 hours too long in the slow cooker (a little miscalculation on my part). If you're like me and have overcooked Lentil Soup then you're in luck because I'm going to show you how to revive it.

What color lentils are best for soup? ›

I recommend using green or French green lentils because they hold their shape in the soup, adding satisfying texture. Brown lentils are also a fine option.

Why did my lentil soup turn brown? ›

As the veggies hit the boiling water, volatile acids are released into the water and are carried away in the steam. When the pot is covered, the steam and the acids it contains are forced back into the water. Once there, the acids react with the chlorophyll in the vegetables, turning them an unsightly shade of brown.

Is it okay to eat lentil soup everyday? ›

Eating half a cup of cooked lentils gives you lots of essential nutrients and their high fiber content makes you feel full. However, the fiber in lentils can be hard for your body to break down. Eating too many lentils can cause gas, bloating, and cramping.

How do you make Jamie Oliver lentil soup? ›

Sauté the garlic, chilli and coriander stalks for a minute, until lightly golden. Add the red lentils to the pan. Stir to coat, then pour in the hot stock and coconut milk. Turn up the heat, gently bring it to the boil, then let it come to a simmer.

Is it healthy to eat lentil soup every day? ›

Lentils have plenty of folate, iron and vitamin B1, which also support your heart health. Lentils may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease, by lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure. One study found that eating lentils led to greater reductions in blood pressure than eating chickpeas, peas or beans.

What is the national soup of Germany? ›

German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe)

What soup do Germans eat? ›

The use of legumes and lentils is significant and used in several German soups, such as split pea soup. Common soups in German restaurants include oxtail, beef or chicken broth with noodles, dumplings, or rice, goulash, split pea, cream of asparagus, turtle soup (Echte Schildkrötensuppe) and cream of lobster.

What are the top 3 foods in Germany? ›

These are considered to be national dishes. Of all these regional and national dishes, Germany is most famous for Currywurst, sausages, pretzels and Black Forest Gateau, but as you can see, there is plenty more to German cuisine than just these.

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