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    Home » Main Course

    Fresh German Green Bean Soup (Grüne Bohnen Eintopf)

    Published: Jan 13, 2022 · Modified: Jan 13, 2022 by Marita · 4 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe

    This is a traditional German green bean soup, made from fresh beans, potatoes, carrots, bacon and smoked sausages. This is a recipe I like to make when I am short of time but want a comforting meal full of vitamins.

    a blue and white bowl with green bean soup with sausages

    This green bean and sausage soup tastes especially good in late summer or autumn when you can harvest fresh green beans from your garden. Although one of the advantages of this stew is that it also tastes good with canned or frozen beans.

    This soup uses frugal ingredients, is low in calories but nutritous. No wonder it has a long history in German cooking.

    Jump to:
    • What is German Green Bean Soup?
    • How to cook Green Bean Soup?
    • Recipe - Step by Step
    • Bohnenkraut - Seasoning for Green Beans
    • How to Serve
    • Storage Instructions
    • More German Soup Recipes
    • Recipe

    What is German Green Bean Soup?

    German green bean soup is a hearty stew where green beans are the star ingredient. The soup is flavoured with bacon and smoked sausages, which give the dish a slightly salty taste.

    In German this dish is called "Grüne Bohnen Suppe" or "Grüne Bohnen Eintopf". "Grüne" is the German word for "Green" and "Bohnen" the word for Bean. "Suppe" means soup in German but another term often used to describe this dish is "Eintopf" was translates as "One-Pot". It is used to describe hearty stews such as German Lentil Soup (Linseneintopf) or German Pea Soup (Erbseneintopf).

    A saucepan with green bean soup. Around you can see the ingredients such as the sausages, bacon, carrots, apples, beans and bread

    How to cook Green Bean Soup?

    Ingredients:

    • 100 g/ 3.5 oz smoked bacon 
    • 1 onion about 120 g / 4.2 oz
    • 350 g/12 oz carrots  (about 4 carrots)
    • 300 g/10 oz potatoes  (about 4 potatoes)
    • 1 ltr/33 fl oz or 4.2 cups beef or chicken broth/stock 
    • 2 smoked German sauasges for example Mettwurst (affiliate link) or you can substitute with Polish sausages such as Krakauer (affiliate link) or Kabanossi
    • 500 g/17.5 oz green beans
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tsp summer savory, if not available substitute with ¼ teaspoon sage (affiliate link) and ½ teaspoon thyme
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Recipe - Step by Step

    1. Peel the carrots and potatoes. Roughly cube the bacon, onion, carrots and potatoes. Wash the beans and chop of the ends on both sides. Slice into bite sized pieces. Slice the sausages.
    frying sausages, bacon and onions
    1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the bacon and onions until they start to brown.
    frying potatoes and carrots with sausages and bacon
    1. Briefly add in the carrots and potatoes and fry for 5 minutes.
    pouring stock into a pot
    1. Pour in the meat broth/stock and bring the soup to boil for around 10 minutes.
    green bean soup being cooked
    1. Add the green beans and cook for a further 15 minutes.
    2. Season with summer savoury (or substitute with thyme and sage (affiliate link)). Add salt and pepper to taste, but remember that there will be salt from the meat
    3. Serve with a slice of rye bread or a crusty roll.

    Bohnenkraut - Seasoning for Green Beans

    The most popular seasoning for Green beans in Germany is Bohnenkraut. Bohnenkraut is called summer savory in English. It is an annual herb with a spicy, pungent peppery flavour.

    An alternative for bohnenkraut is a sage (affiliate link) and thyme mixture. For this recipe, I tested replacing bohnenkraut with a mix of sage (affiliate link) and thyme, which in my opinion produced a similar taste. See the instructions for the ratio.

    In the UK and USA, they are not commonly available in the supermarkets but they are a fuss-free and easy herb to grow in your garden. (affiliate links)

    How to Serve

    Serve this soup with a side of rye bread or a crusty roll. This light summer stew goes well with a fruity white wine.

    White and Blue bowl of Green Bean soup. In the background a saucepan and a further bowl of soup. Around you can see the ingrdients such as green bean, carrots and potatoes

    Storage Instructions

    This soup will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Store in an airtight container. To reheat, simply bring the soup up to boil. Please be aware that the beans will get softer every time you reheat the soup.

    This soup is perfect for freezing. Store in portions and the soup will stay good for up to three months.

    More German Soup Recipes

    • German Potato Soup
    • White Asparagus Soup
    • Swede and Carrot Soup
    • German Goulash Soup
    • Spinach and Pea Soup with Mint
    • Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

    Recipe

    a blue and white bowl with green bean soup with sausages

    Fresh German Green Bean Soup - (Grüne Bohnen Eintopf)

    Marita
    A hearty German stew with green beans, potatoes, carrots, bacon and sausages
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine German
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 217 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 100 g smoked bacon 3.5 oz
    • 1 onion about 120 g / 4.2 oz
    • 350 g carrots 12 oz (about 4 carrots)
    • 300 g potatoes 10 oz (about 4 potatoes)
    • 1 ltr beef or chicken broth/Stock 33 fl oz or 4.2 cups
    • 2 smoked German sauasges for example Mettwurst or you can substitute with Polish sausages such as Krakauer or Kabanossi
    • 500 g green beans
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon summer savory if not available substitute with ¼ teaspoon sage and ½ teaspoon thyme.
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Roughly cube the bacon, onion, carrots and potatoes. Wash the beans and chop of the ends on both sides. Slice into bite site length.
    • Slice the sausages.
    • Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the bacon and onions until they start to brown.
    • Pour in the meat broth and add the potatoes and carrots. Bring to boil for around 10 minutes.
    • Add the green beans and cook for a further 15 minutes.
    • Season with summer savory or subsitute. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    • Serve with a rye bread or a crusty roll.

    Notes

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

    Storage Instructions

    This soup will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Store in an airtight container. To reheat, simply bring the soup up to boil. Please be aware that the beans will get softer every time you reheat the soup.
    This soup is perfect for freezing. Store in portions and the soup will stay good for up to three months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 10gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 300mgPotassium: 999mgFiber: 9gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 15546IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword Fesh Bean Soup, Green Bean Stew, Grüne Bohnen Eintopf, Grüne Bohnen Suppe
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Authentic German Lentil Soup (Linsensuppe)
    Easy Sausage Goulash (Würstchengulasch) »
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    Filed Under: Main Course, Meat, Soup

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Daniel Ng

      January 18, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      5 stars
      My stomach is growling, I need to eat this soon. I cannot understand the power and the meaning of food, until I understand how amazing dish is.

      Reply
    2. Giangi Townsend

      January 18, 2022 at 3:48 pm

      5 stars
      It is intriguing as I never had beans soup before, but looks and sounds hearty and just perfect for a cold winter night.

      Reply
    3. Jeannie

      January 18, 2022 at 11:16 am

      5 stars
      this is a warm and filling soup I can add vegan sausage or skip it and still enjoy this.

      Reply
    4. Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/

      January 18, 2022 at 10:12 am

      5 stars
      What a hearty soup! My partner would love it with Kabanossi; I'm sure he'll ask for it if I mention soup for tonight's dinner! Thanks for an easy recipe and the idea; I won't have to search for inspiration!

      Reply

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    Food enthusiast & home cook. I returned to Germany after living in the UK for 20 years. I love making German recipes and exploring the cultural history behind each dish.

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