That’s why I decided to compile a list of 15 of my favorite German soups. And for such a short list, there’s actually a wide variety here. It has everything from buttermilk and beer soup to German borscht and even matzo ball soup, which you may have seen as typical Jewish food on other lists. Some of the soups on this list are vegetarian- or vegan-friendly, and others are practically overflowing with hearty chunks of meat. The only thing that they all have in common is that they’re delicious. So if you’re in the mood for some new soup recipes to add to your recipe box, check out this list of German soup recipes.
1. German Potato Soup With Sausage
This tasty soup might have a thin broth, but it makes up for that with huge chunks of hearty meat and potatoes. It takes less than an hour to make and combines thick, juicy brats (or any German sausage), chunks of waxy potatoes, onions, and celery, cabbage, bay leaves, and more. It’s incredibly filling and the ideal option for cold winter nights, and it’s surprisingly flavorful and aromatic. You’ll enjoy smelling it almost as much as you’ll like eating it.
2. Buttermilchsuppe
Buttermilchsuppe, or buttermilk soup, is a traditional German soup that’s well-loved by many. It’s exceptionally creamy and combines the savoriness of onions, chives, and bacon with the tartness of lemon juice and buttermilk. It’s primarily soupy; there aren’t many chunks in it, so you can drink it or eat it with a spoon. Personally, I like to sop it up with thick, dark bread. However you do it, you’re sure to love it.
3. German Crepe Soup
This light, simple soup is tasty, filling, and requires fewer than ten ingredients to make. If you use vegetable broth instead of beef broth, it’s also naturally vegetarian-friendly. Basically, it’s just broth and seasonings with thin strips of crepes or pancakes added in for texture and substance. Despite how odd it sounds, it’s surprisingly good.
4. Beer Soup
With minimal effort, you can whip up this smooth and creamy beer soup in less than an hour. It has a rich, spiced beer and broth flavor. The brown sugar and crème fraiche add a touch of sweet decadence to the soup, and topping it with ham and cheese gougères makes it extra yummy. You can enjoy this particular German favorite hot or cold. It’s nice to have hot for dinner and cold the next day over bread for breakfast.
5. German Beer Cheese Soup
This recipe takes traditional beer soup and adds three cups of sharp cheddar cheese, as well as a few other extra things. It’s creamy, cheesy, and still retains some traditional beer flavor underneath. I prefer beer cheese soup to regular beer soup, but some like it the other way around. I say give them both a try and figure out which one you like best for yourself.
6. German Wedding Soup
German wedding soup, or hochzeitssuppe, takes quite a few ingredients – and a little bit of work to make. However, it’s so good that you won’t even mind clearing out your pantry for it. With fresh veggies, noodles, and thick, juicy meatballs made from sausage, ground beef, and breadcrumbs, it’s easy to see why someone would enjoy it. Traditionally served at weddings and anniversary parties, it also makes a comforting dinner when the weather gets cool.
7. Oma’s Matzo Ball Soup
Matzo ball soup is a staple of Jewish cultural cuisine, and it’s also quite popular among other residents in Germany. It’s a simple soup that takes less than an hour and fewer than ten ingredients to make. The broth is warm and flavorful, and the matzo balls are thick and doughy. Think of it like chicken broth with saltines, only the saltines are big balls floating on top of the soup.
8. Bavarian Bread Soup
This thick, creamy soup isn’t keto-friendly, but it is insanely delicious. It has a deep, rich flavor that features notes of onions, beef, garlic, nutmeg, and butter. In addition to making the soup more attractive, the bread, chives, and other ingredients you’ll use to decorate the top add crunch, texture, and flavor. You won’t have to serve crackers or bread with this one because it’s already in the recipe.
9. German Lentil Soup
If you enjoy soup that has lots of small, filling chunky ingredients, then you’ll go nuts for German lentil soup. Personally, I enjoy lentil soup of all kinds, but my partner claims German lentil soup is the best. Packed with lentils, bacon, onions, carrots, celeriac, leeks, potatoes, and more, it’s hard to beat. You’ll need about an hour to cook it (and 20 minutes to prepare it), but the soup is so filling, you’ll likely have plenty of leftovers to heat up the next day, giving you two meals for the “time” of one.
10. German Cabbage Soup
Knowing whether or not you’ll like German cabbage soup is easy: If you enjoy fried cabbage, you’ll love it. If you don’t, it’s probably not for you. There are other ingredients in the soup, of course, but the cabbage takes center stage, so if you’re a fan, you’ll want to bookmark this recipe.
11. German Borscht
German borscht somehow manages to be sweet, savory, and somewhat spicy all at the same time. It features ham hock in the mix, but it’s mostly a rich vegetable soup with plenty of spices. I like to top mine with sour cream and scallions, but you can also add whole milk, apple cider vinegar, or regular cream as a garnish. As long as you enjoy vegetable soup – and aren’t a vegetarian – then you’ll probably appreciate German borscht.
12. German Goulash Soup
German goulash soup takes about 2 hours to make and contains plenty of yummy ingredients: stewing beef, onions, potatoes, carrots, peppers, and garlic. However, this one is really all about the intricate spice mixture. Without it, this is really just beef and veggie soup. Instead, you’ll add sweet and hot Hungarian paprika powder, marjoram (or sage), parsley, bay leaves, sugar, and more. That gives the soup a whole new depth of flavor that’s unbelievably delicious and hard to match. Plus, it has a bit of spice to it, and that’s always yummy.
13. German Sauerkraut Soup
If you want a real taste of German cuisine, you’ll have to give German sauerkraut soup a try. If you don’t like sauerkraut, you might still enjoy it. Unlike the cabbage soup above – which tastes just like cabbage – German sauerkraut soup has a much more complex flavor. There’s bacon, onions, tomato paste, garlic, and so many herbs and spices that you barely taste the sauerkraut. There’s just a hint of its usual tanginess underneath everything else.
14. Oma’s Beef Noodle Soup
If you’d like to try a new German soup recipe but don’t want to venture too far outside your comfort zone, Oma’s beef noodle soup is a good option. It features over two pounds of roast beef, chunks of carrots, celery, and onions, egg noodles (or your favorite type of soup-ready pasta), and more. It’s hearty, healthy, and very tasty. And it’s not much different from any beef and vegetable soup you’d buy in a Campbell’s can, though it tastes much better.
15. German Onion Soup
With a generous helping of caramelized onions, German brats, beer, and scrumptious croutons made from pretzel rolls, German onion soup blows all other onion soups out of the water. Don’t get me wrong, if you’re already a fan of onion-based soups (French onion, four onion, kielbasa onion, etc.), then you’ll love this soup, too. To me, all onion soups have a similar flavor. However, the beer and pretzel roll croutons in this one put it a step above the rest for me. Click on a star to rate it!
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