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German Potato Soup

German potato soup with a thick, golden broth made by partially mashing russet potatoes for a rustic texture. Simmered vegetables, bacon or speck, and bratwurst finish the pot, then cream and cider vinegar brighten the flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: German
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Russet potatoes
  • 2 lb Russet potatoes
Carrots
  • 2 carrots
Celery
  • 2 celery
Onion
  • 1 onion
Bacon or speck
  • 4 oz bacon or speck
Frankfurters or bratwurst
  • 2 frankfurters or bratwurst links
Beef or chicken broth
  • 4 cup beef or chicken broth
Heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
Caraway seeds
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
Marjoram
  • 1 tsp marjoram
Bay leaf
  • 1 bay leaf
Salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt and pepper Use to taste; add alongside black pepper at the end.
Fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the bacon and vegetables
  1. Cook the diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes, then remove and set aside.
  2. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in the bacon fat and butter over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring until glossy and lightly softened.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the broth, potatoes, caraway seeds, marjoram, and bay leaf to the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
  2. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes and vegetables are very tender.
  3. Remove the bay leaf and mash a third of the potatoes in the pot to thicken the broth.
Finish with cream and sausage
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and cider vinegar, then add the sliced sausages and simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Return the bacon to the pot, season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, mash only a third of the potatoes so you still get tender chunks. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop (avoid a hard boil so the cream stays smooth). Freezing is not recommended because dairy can separate after thawing. For a dairy-free swap, replace heavy cream with an equal amount of unsweetened evaporated oat milk and simmer briefly.