German Vegetable Soup with Meatballs (Gemüsesuppe mit Klößchen) Recipe
This soup is the German version of a light broth with little meatballs – a delicate vegetable stock with small minced-meat dumplings and colorful vegetables. It’s often served as a first course at the weekend when the whole family sits down together. Gentle but filling, it’s ideal for both children and adults.
This soup combines the comfort of a clear vegetable broth with the satisfaction of tender meatballs, making it both light and filling. It’s easy to prepare in one pot and uses simple, everyday ingredients that many families already have at home.
Chef's tips
Form the meatballs small and even in size so they cook quickly and at the same rate. Make sure the soup is only gently simmering when you add them – a rolling boil can break them apart. If your stock is salty, reduce the added salt and adjust at the very end after tasting.
How to serve
Serve as a starter before a main course, or as a light meal on its own with fresh bread. For children, you can add small pasta shapes to the soup to make it even more appealing.
Ingredients
- minced meat - 300 g
- carrot - 3 piece
- parsley root - 1 piece
- celeriac - 0.25 piece
- leek - 0.5 piece
- potatoes - 3 piece
- vegetable stock - 1.5 l
- breadcrumbs - 2 tablespoon
- egg - 1 piece
- parsley leaves chopped - 2 tablespoon
- rapeseed oil - 1 tablespoon
- salt - 1.5 teaspoon
- black pepper ground - 0.5 teaspoon
Preparation
- Peel the carrot, parsley root, celeriac, and potatoes. Cut the carrot and parsley root into half-moons, and the celeriac and potatoes into cubes. Clean the leek thoroughly, rinse well, and slice into thin half-moons.
- Heat the oil in a large pot, add the carrot, parsley root, celeriac, and leek. Fry for 5–7 minutes over medium heat, stirring, until the vegetables soften slightly and become fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, add 1 teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs: put the minced meat, breadcrumbs, egg, 0.5 teaspoon of salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley into a bowl. Knead by hand into a smooth mixture.
- With wet hands, form small meatballs from the mixture, about the size of a walnut, moistening your hands with water so the meat doesn’t stick.
- Add the diced potatoes to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Then gently place the meatballs into the gently simmering soup. Cook over low heat for 10–12 minutes, until the meatballs float to the surface and are cooked through in the center.
- Finally, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Add the remaining chopped parsley and stir.
- Serve the hot soup with several meatballs in each portion; you can sprinkle with extra parsley on top.
Storage
Store cooled soup in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat gently over low heat so the meatballs don’t break apart. If the soup thickens, top up with a little water or stock. Frozen portions (preferably without potatoes) can be kept for up to 2–3 months and thawed overnight in the fridge before reheating.
