Home » Soups & Stews » German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe)

German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe)

ByKimberly Killebrew Hours
Comments 111 Comments
4.96 from 120 votes
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

This German potato soup recipe is loaded with healthy veggies, savory bacon, and is absolutely JAM-PACKED with FLAVOR! And that flavor is ever better the next day so be sure to double recipe for leftovers!

german potato soup recipe authentic traditional bacon leek celeriac best swabian brothy

One of my all-time favorite brothy soups is a classic German potato soup.  I grew up in Stuttgart, Germany cooking with my Bavarian mother on a regular basis.  She would give me age-appropriate tasks from the time I was three or four years old and once I was a teenager I started exploring recipes on my own and preparing meals without supervision.  I remember two of the very first dishes I made by myself was a Winter vegetable cobbler and a brothy German potato soup.

I can still remember the aroma that filled our family kitchen from the bacon, caramelized onions and leek as the soup simmered, announcing the promise of a delicious meal ahead.  I received glowing reviews from my Oma and Opa when my mom suggested I make that same soup for them at our next visit.  They loved it and my confidence was bolstered. From there I continued falling deeper and deeper in love with cooking.

german potato soup recipe authentic traditional bacon leek celeriac best swabian brothy

Key Ingredients for German Potato Soup

This soup features several key ingredients that combine to make a characteristic German-flavored soup.

Celeriac (aka, celery root) is an essential component of many German soups.  It’s part of the standard medley of soup vegetables known as “Suppengrün” (translated as “soup greens”) that consists of carrots, celeriac, leek and parsley, the ingredients that, along with bacon, really give soups that “German” flavor.

You’ll find Suppengrün called for in many German soup recipes and to omit any of them does the flavor of the soup a major injustice.  If you haven’t cooked much with leek or celeriac, once you taste them in this soup you’ll understand – they’re delicious!

celeriac and leek

Aside from the Suppengrün, bacon plays a major role.  Enjoying a bowl of this classic German potato soup without bacon is almost unthinkable!  (We love our bacon.)  In combination with the vegetables it is the perfect marriage of flavors.

Lastly, quality chicken broth is a must.  Ever since I first tasted Aneto’s 100% all-natural chicken broth a few years ago, it has remained my favorite and top recommended brand of broth.  Why?  Because Aneto is the ONLY broth manufacturer that makes broth the way we do at home:  The freshest ingredients slow-simmered for hours in a large pot (only theirs is gigantic).  No fillers, no artificial or “natural” flavors, no “condensed” this or that, no powders – just pure, whole vegetables and real chicken made into a wonderful broth you can feel good about eating.

After tasting it I was already sold, but after the opportunity my husband and I had of touring Aneto’s factory in Barcelona, Spain, I was convinced beyond doubt.

READ ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE AT ANETO’S FACTORY IN SPAIN.  YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT!

Now on to making that delicious German soup!

There are many regional versions of potato soup in Germany, each region adding their own unique touch.  But the two general types of potato soup are either brothy or creamy.  This version is a classic brothy potato soup and I’m confident you’re going to LOVE it!

german potato soup recipe authentic traditional bacon leek celeriac best swabian brothy

German Potato Soup Recipe

Let’s get started!

Fry the bacon, then add the onions and cook until golden, 6-8 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add the vegetables.

frying bacon and onions

Add the chicken broth and the herbs.

cooking veggies adding broth

Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 30-40 minutes.

Add the parsley and simmer for another minute.

german potato soup recipe authentic traditional bacon leek celeriac best swabian brothy

Add salt and pepper to taste.

german potato soup recipe authentic traditional bacon leek celeriac best swabian brothy

Serve and enjoy!

This is a great make-ahead soup as the flavor is even better the next day!

german potato soup recipe authentic traditional bacon leek celeriac best swabian brothy

For more delicious German soups be sure to try our:

German Potato Soup

By Kimberly Killebrew
This delicious, authentic German Potato Soup is packed full of veggies and TONS of flavor - It will satisfy both body and soul!
4.96 from 120 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine German
Servings 6
Calories 327 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 ounces bacon ,diced
  • 1 large onion ,chopped
  • 1 clove garlic ,minced
  • 2 pounds waxy potatoes ,chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 large leek ,sliced and thoroughly washed
  • 3 carrots ,diced
  • 1 1/2 cups diced celeriac (aka, celery root)
  • 2 tomatoes ,diced
  • 6 cups quality chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Fry the bacon then add the onion and cook until golden, 6-8 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add all remaining ingredients except for the parsley.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 30-40 minutes.
  • Add the parsley and simmer for another minute.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Note: This is a great make-ahead soup as the flavor is even better the next day!

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 10gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5g
Keyword German Potato Soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet October 12, 2017

   

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

Read more about me...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




4.96 from 120 votes (95 ratings without comment)

111 Comments

  1. I am German from Mannheim now living in Florida. This is my second time making this wonderful soup and I enjoyed it as much this time as the first. The flavors all come together so beautifully and it is a true taste of home.

    Reply

  2. Hi there! Or Hallo! Wie gehts.
    Although this soup looks delicious I have to disagree that this is traditional Kartoffelsuppe.
    I’m very well aware that each region has its own way of making things, but the soup of Germany is Kartoffelsuppe. Which by the way is creamy by using an immersion blender and heavy cream. This is a broth based soup which is a plain ole vegetable soup.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Sabrina, to say that all German potato soups are blended and creamy is just plain nonsense. “I”m very well aware that each region has its own way of making things but the soup of Germany is….” You started off correctly but then ended up making no sense. You acknowledged that each region has its own ways of making things and in that you are correct. As in the case of Kartoffelsuppe. There are COUNTLESS Kartoffelsuppe variations – some creamy and some broth-based.

      Reply

    1. Hi Dawn, it wasn’t a “German” winter cobbler but yes, I still remember that dish after all these years! :) I think it was either out of a Fannie Farmer or Better Homes & Gardens cookbook my mom had given me, but essentially it was a mixture of winter vegetables baked into a thick saucy stew in a deep casserole dish and it was baked with biscuits/dumplings on top of it.

      Reply

  4. Kimberly, I just came across your Kartoffelsuppe recipe which is outstanding and it reminded me of the time when I was 4 and 5 years old in the mid-1940’s in Munich and my mother made the soup (frequently) for us (me and my sister) and I loved it.The only difference was that it did not contain any bacon or tomato and instead of chicken stock it was water. Yours is off course so much better and refined, but I loved my mother’s version then, thinking it was the best in the world.
    Thank you for the memory.

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Kyle! There are a few ways you could approach it but basically you would omit the bacon and at the end of Step 1 (after the soup is done cooking) you would transfer it to a blender and puree it, then return it to the pot and add the parsley. At that point you could stir in some heavy cream if you want it even creamier and if you like you can serve it sprinkled with some cooked crumbled bacon.

      Reply

  6. Hi Kimberley;

    This German Potatoe Soup is the very best. We love it.
    Thank you for this recipe.

    TR-Toronto/On./Canada

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Judy! :) I am extremely picky when it comes to German cookbooks and have not been overly impressed with the selection out there made available to the English speaking market. All of the German cookbooks that I love are written by Germans in German and only available in German. There is one exception and that is a cookbook written by former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s wife, Hannelore Kohl. It was originally published in German but has been translated into English. I have both versions and there are some differences but the English version is still very good and one that I can recommend for solid recipes of traditional German dishes from various regions around Germany. Here’s is the link to the book on Amazon and I’ve also seen it available at Thriftbooks: https://www.amazon.com/Culinary-Voyage-Through-Germany/dp/0789203219?&linkCode=ll1&tag=thedargou09-20&linkId=37fac97fd2d09f841c72cd2d8101795f&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

      Reply