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    Home » Main Courses

    Authentic German Lentil Soup (Linsensuppe)

    Published: Jan 11, 2022 · Modified: Feb 22, 2024 by Marita Sinden · 15 Comments

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    German Lentil Soup in a Sauce pan and in a bowl

    This German lentil soup is like a warm hug. A hearty stew - a la Oma - made with lentils, leeks, carrots and potatoes that brings warmth in even the coldest and darkest winter days. The ultimate winter-warmer comfort food.

    German Lentil Soup with potatoes in a blue bowl. A spoon is in the bowl

    This basic soup is perfect for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. For vegetarians and vegans, the bacon and sausages can just be omitted. I have left them in the soup, as my children are almost carnivores!

    Nowadays, there are plenty of variations of the classic lentil soup. Many countries have their own version. This is the basic recipe for traditional German lentil soup, just as Oma made it.

    About German Lentil Soup Recipe

    The traditional German Linsensuppe is a hearty dish made with bacon, potatoes, leeks and carrots. It is more commonly made in winter, than in summer.

    What is Lentil Soup in German?

    The German name for Lentil soup is "Linsensuppe". "Linsen" is the word for lentils. You pronounce it as an English speaker as "LYNN-ZEN-SUP-E"

    Another term to describe dish this is "Linseneintop". "Eintopf" means "One-Pot" and is used to describe heart stews such as German Pea Soup (Erbseneintopf) and the Green Bean Soup (Grüne Bohnen Eintopf).

    A pot of lentil soup wih sausages. Around the pot is a bowl of soup, two slices of bread and some sausages

    Regional Lentil Soup Variations

    • Frankfurter Linsensuppe is a regional dish from Hessia where the lentil soup is flavoured with vinegar and served with apple sauce and frankfurter sausages.
    • Schwäbische Linsensuppe is a speciality from Swabia. Here the lentil soup is served with spätzle, which are small German dumplings.

    How to make German Lentil Soup

    Ingridents:

    • 150 g/ 5.2 oz bacon (can be obmitted for vegetarians)
    • 2 onions about 150 g/ 5.2 oz  (white or red, it does not matter)
    • 2 carrots
    • 3 potatoes about 400g/ 14 oz
    • 1 leek
    • 250 g /8.8 oz brown or green lentils
    • 2 ltr vegetable stock (affiliate link) /broth (alternativley you can also use meat broth)
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 4 tbsp white wine vinegar (this will add flavour to the soup)
    • 3 sausages (Frankfurter sausages or smoked sausages such as Mettwurst or Krakauer)

    German Lentil Soup Recipe Steps:

    1. Chop the bacon into little cubes, peel the onions and finely cube them.
    chopping to the vegetables for lentil soup
    1. Chop the leeks into rings, peel the potatoes and carrots and roughly cube them.
    frying bacon and onions in a sauce pan
    1. Heat the olive oil in a pot and fry the bacon and onions until the onions are translucent.
    adding the lentils to the broth
    1. In the meantime rinse the lentils under running water. Then add the lentils with the stock/broth to the pot. Leave the soup to cook for about 30 minutes.
    2. Add the vegetables and cook for a further 10 minutes. Adding vegetables at the end of the cooking process means that they will retain most of their vitamins.
    adding a spoon of vinegar to lentil soup
    1. Once the vegetables and lentils are cooked, season with salt, pepper and sugar. Add the vinegar spoon by spoon, as the right quantity depends on your preference.
    2. Turn off the stove, and add in the sausages to warm them up. Leave to warm for about 5 minutes. The soup should no longer be boiling.
    3. Serve hot with some bread on the side.

    Frequently asked questions

    Why do you add vinegar to lentil soup?

    For me, vinegar definitely belongs in lentil soup. It adds a little freshness to the dish, but also makes it easier to digest the lentils. Lentils without flavouring can often taste a little stale. The soup gets its iconic sweet and sour flavour when you combine the vinegar with a little sugar.

    How much vinegar and sugar to add depends on your personal taste.

    Help! I added too much vinegar to my soup!

    Do not worry. You can neutralise the Sauer taste by adding a little more sugar to the soup. Add the sugar carefully in little quantities until the flavour has balanced itself out again.

    Which sausages go best with this soup?

    I would always suggest German sausages, but if they are not available then other varieties will work just as well. Here are some suggestions:

    • Frankfurter Sausages or European Wiener Sausages
    • Smoked Sausages such as Mettwurst
    • Polish Sausages such as Krakauer or Kabanossi
    • Bockwurst
    • Ordinary Hot Dogs (US)

    For my UK readers, I will always suggest the Sausage Man for authentic German sausages.

    Recipe Variations

    For me, it is sufficient to flavour the soup with vinegar but for those who want to add additional flavours, there are endless possibilities.

    • add herbs: marjoram (affiliate link), sage (affiliate link) or thyme work well in lentil soup.
    • season with carraway seeds, they will also help you digest the soup.
    • add a teaspoon or mustard (affiliate link) instead of vinegar to add sharpness to the soup
    German Lentil Soup in a blue bowl on a wooden backdrop. In the background there is an orange pot

    How to serve

    This soup is served as a main course. If possible, offer a crusty roll or a slice of rye bread to soak up the leftover soup from the bowl.

    A nice dark lager is a perfect drink to accompany this dish, as it is not too heavy.

    Storage Instructions

    You can store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can warm it up on the stove or microwave. The soup may become thicker every time you warm it up, so you can simply add a little water to achieve the desired consistency.

    This soup is perfect for freezing. Simply divide into portions and seal in airtight containers. They are good for up to 6 months.

    More German Soup Recipes

    • White Asparagus Soup (Spargelsuppe)
    • German Potato Soup with Sausages (Kartoffelsuppe)
    • Authentic German Goulash Soup (Gulaschsuppe)
    • Swede and Carrot Soup (Steckrübeneintopf)
    • Spinach and Pea Soup with Mint (Vegan)
    • German Green Bean Soup

    Did you try this recipe?

    Please leave a rating or make comment below. I would love to hear from you. You can send me an e-mail or comment on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

    Why not share our Facebook Group - Homemade German Food & Recipes. Here we chat about German Food and share recipes.

    Recipe

    German Lentil Soup with potatoes in a blue bowl. A spoon is in the bowl

    Authentic German Lentil Soup (Linsensuppe)

    Marita
    Try this authentic German Lentil Soup with a sweet and sour flavour. A minimal recipe with potatoes, leeks, carrots. The soup is flavoured with vinegar.
    5 from 14 votes
    I look forward to your feedback. Just click the stars above.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine German
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 490 kcal

    Equipment

    • large pot

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 150 g bacon 5.2 oz
    • 2 onions about 150 g/ 5.2 oz
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 250 g lentils 8.8 oz . green or brown. (Please double check the cooking instructions on the packet as cooking times do vary according to the type of lentils)
    • 2 ltr vegetable stock (affiliate link) /broth 60 fl oz/ 8.5 cups
    • 1 leek whole stick about 200 gr / 7 oz
    • 3 potatoes about 400g/ 14 oz
    • 2 carrots sbouz 200 gr / 7 oz
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 4 tablespoon white wine vinegar
    • 3 sausages (Frankfurters or smoked sausages)

    To serve

    • rye bread or a crusty roll
    • sausages
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Chop the bacon into little cubes, peel the onions and finely cube them.
      150 g bacon, 2 onions
    • Heat the olive oil in a pot and fry the bacon and onions until the onions are translucent.
      1 tablespoon olive oil
    • In the meantime rinse the lentils under running water. Then add the lentils with the stock/broth into the pot. Leave the soup to cook for about 30 minutes on medium to low heat. (Please check the cooking instructions on your lentils as cooking time might vary according to the type of lentils you are using).
      250 g lentils, 2 ltr vegetable stock (affiliate link) /broth
    • Chop the leeks into rings, peel the potatoes and carrots and roughly cube them.
      1 leek, 3 potatoes, 2 carrots
    • Add the vegetables to the lentils and cook for a further 10 minutes on medium heat. Adding the vegetables at the end of the cooking time will mean that they retain most of their vitamins.
    • Once the vegetables and lentils are cooked, season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Add the vinegar spoon by spoon, as the right quantity depends on your preference. If you would like your soup to be more liquid, you can add more broth.
      1 teaspoon sugar, 4 tablespoon white wine vinegar
    • Turn off the stove, and add in the sausages to warm them up. Leave them for about 5 minutes. By this time the soup should no longer be boiling and the sausages warm.
      3 sausages (Frankfurters or smoked sausages)
    • Serve hot with some bread on the side.
      rye bread or a crusty roll

    Notes

    I would recommend you check out the step by step pictures in the main post. 

    How to serve

    This soup is served as a main course. If possible, serve with a crusty roll or slices of rye bread to soak up the leftover soup from the bowl.
    A nice dark lager is a perfect drink to accompany this dish, as it is not too heavy.

    Storage Instructions

    You can store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can warm it up on the stove or microwave. The soup will become thicker, every time you warm it up, so you can simply add a little water to achieve the desired consistency.
    This soup is perfect for freezing. Simply divide into portions and seal in airtight containers. They are good for up to 6 months.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 490kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 14gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 66mgPotassium: 995mgFiber: 17gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3663IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword german lentil soup, linsensuppe
    Did you make this recipe? I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Please leave a quick Comment and star rating. I appreciate your feedback.

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    Comments

      5 from 14 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Nelly says

      December 06, 2023 at 3:35 am

      Recipe is very vague. Ingredient portions are vague (size matters), and oven temp isn’t listed so the soup turned out texturally strange.

      Reply
      • Marita Sinden says

        February 22, 2024 at 1:37 pm

        HI Nelly, thanks for your comment. I have tried to put the weight of the ingredients down, and now have specified the cooking temperature. Thanks for pointing it out. Best Wishes Marita

        Reply
    2. Violet says

      November 21, 2023 at 9:36 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe although you didn’t say when to add the bacon and onions. Are they added when the vegetables are added? And is the sausage cooked before adding into the last 10 min of cooking? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Marita says

        November 22, 2023 at 10:06 am

        Hi Violet,
        it says it in the first two steps of the recipe. You start of by frying them.
        you add the sausages after you cook the soup. Leave them in the hot soup for approximately 5 minutes just to warm up. Hope this helps. Marita

        Reply
    3. Robert Moreton says

      January 14, 2022 at 11:58 am

      5 stars
      My daughter loves lentil soup, a few years ago we could get a canned version but no longer. This seems to be identical so I'll give it a go. Then if she wants it she can cook it herself!

      Reply
      • Marita says

        January 14, 2022 at 5:09 pm

        I hope your daughter will enjoy this recipe. Let me know

        Reply
    4. Jeannie says

      January 14, 2022 at 12:29 am

      5 stars
      I still have green lentils and will get vegan meatballs to use as well, perfect dinner recipe.

      Reply
      • Marita says

        January 14, 2022 at 5:08 pm

        Hi Jeannie, yes this is a great recipe that can easily turned vegetarian.

        Reply
    5. Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says

      January 13, 2022 at 5:53 pm

      5 stars
      Do you soak the lentils before cooking? Just asking because I do, and never tried not to, but I wonder if it's OK not to and save some time. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Marita says

        January 14, 2022 at 5:07 pm

        Hi Mihaela,
        it depends on which lentils you use. Best always check the packet instructions of your lentils to avoid dissapointment.

        Reply
    6. Giangi Townsend says

      January 13, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      5 stars
      Love lentils and frankfurters are my favorite and always get them when available. A great recipe that I will prepare for my family. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Marita says

        January 14, 2022 at 5:07 pm

        Thanks, Giangi I hope you will enjoy it.

        Reply
    7. Daniel Ng says

      January 13, 2022 at 2:45 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Marita. This German dish differs greatly from the cooking in Indonesia. I love this!

      Reply
      • Marita says

        January 14, 2022 at 5:06 pm

        Thanks Daniel, yes the different cultures are fascinating.

        Reply
    8. Jere Cassidy says

      January 13, 2022 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      I have just started cooking with lentils and reading through this post, this recipe is a must try. I love all the veggies you've added plus the sausage. This just looks like a big bowl of comfort food. PINNING!!!!

      Reply

    Hi, I'm Marita

    Food enthusiast & home cook. I returned to Germany after living in the UK for 20 years. Here at My Dinner, you will find traditional and authentic German recipes with cultural backgrounds.

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