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.
Such light soups with meatballs are a typical German “Sonntagsessen” – a Sunday meal meant to feed the whole family without complicated side dishes.
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.
Why this version works
- Sautéing the vegetables before adding the stock deepens their flavor without using stock cubes.
- Thoroughly kneading the meat mixture gives you springy, firm meatballs that don’t fall apart in the broth.
- Adding the potatoes before the meatballs means they soften just right and don’t overcook while the meat finishes.
- Keeping the broth at a gentle simmer (just “pipping”) makes the soup stay clear and delicately flavored.
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.
Watch out for
- Don’t let the soup come to a rolling boil after adding the meatballs, or they can crack and the broth will turn cloudy.
- Meatballs that are too large need longer cooking and may stay raw in the center even if the outside feels soft.
- Don’t cut the potatoes too small – tiny cubes break apart easily and thicken the soup.
- Avoid salting heavily at the start, because as the broth reduces the soup can end up too salty.
Substitutions
- You can replace the mixed pork–beef ground meat with poultry; the meatballs will be more delicate.
- You can swap vegetable stock for chicken stock if you want a more “brothy”, chicken-soup-like flavor.
- You can partially replace the parsley with finely chopped chives for a milder aroma.
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.
This is one of those soups that feels like a hug in a bowl. It’s especially good on cooler days, and the small meatballs always make it a hit with kids at the table.
