German Lentil Soup

Name: German Lentil Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained; 3 cups chicken stock; 1 bay leaf; 1 cup chopped carrots; 1 cup chopped celery; 1 cup chopped onion; 1 cup cooked, cubed ham; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 5 drops hot pepper sauce; ¼ teaspoon caraway seed; ½ teaspoon celery salt; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Rating: 4.17 stars

120 Ratings
90 Reviews
7 Photos

This is a really good lentil soup recipe I created based on the favorite German Lentil Soup which has been served for years at Karl Ratzsch's in Milwaukee. Serves a small crowd, tastes great the next day, and freezes well. Garnish with croutons.

By CLAIRELLEN

Recipe Summary

prep:

10 mins

cook:

8 hrs

total:

8 hrs 10 mins

Servings:

Yield:

8 servings

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1

Place lentils in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker. Add chicken stock, bay leaf, carrots, celery, onion, and ham. Season with Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, nutmeg, hot pepper sauce, caraway seed, celery salt, parsley, and pepper.

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Step 2

Cover, and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Stovetop method

Place lentils in a stock pot with chicken stock, bay leaf, ham, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir in carrots, celery, and onion, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add additional water if necessary to keep the mixture soupy.

Partner Tip

Try using a Reynolds® slow cooker liner in your slow cooker for easier cleanup.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

220.5 calories; 16 g protein; 34.2 g carbohydrates; 9.9 mg cholesterol; 607.7 mg sodium. Full Nutrition

Reviews (90)

Most helpful positive review

LINDA MCLEAN

10/10/2006

I'm rating this a four due to the wonderful flavor however I'm giving it a three for the amount of liquid stated. I agree with others that three cups of broth is certainly not enough. I've been making lentil soup for many years and I know how quickly the lentils absorb the liquid. I made my own stock with a leftover carcass and had to keep added canned broth. I'm German so the recipe title is what attracted me to view it and I really loved the caraway seed addition as it gave the soup a really nice flavor. In lieu of the parsley I used kale and added more seasonings than stated. Very good recipe but please keep an eye on it. Thanks Claire! Read More

Helpful

(51)

Most helpful critical review

JARRIE

02/11/2011

This isn't a bad soup and we'll finish every drop BUT -- the instructions are wrong (I doubled the water and still got just a thick stew not a soup) the cooking time is off (lentils were done at around 4 hours) and the flavor is fairly forgettable. Increasing the water makes the flavor more and more forgettable with every ounce of corrective fluid added. If I make this again and I just might -- I will triple the fluid and triple the spices to go with it leaving the lentils & veg at the same amount. I can't help wondering if the original recipe meant three QUARTS of stock since it specifies a 5-6 quart slow cooker. I doubled the liquid and still had a little room left over in my 3 quart slow cooker...Thank you for sharing your recipe. Read More

Helpful

(8)

120 Ratings

5 star values: 56
4 star values: 39
3 star values: 17
2 star values: 5
1 star values: 3

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

LINDA MCLEAN

10/09/2006

Helpful

(51)

GTAMBOLLEO

12/27/2003

I thought it was a little bland so I used kielbasa instead of ham and added a cup of crushed tomatoes and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Now that's a great lentil soup! Read More

Helpful

(35)

Cindy D.

09/30/2006

The recipe can easily be a 5 star recipe by simply adding a couple more cans of chicken broth. The recipe doesnt call for enough stock as written. I cooked it on the stove and it took about an hour or so. I used 4 cans of broth which created a very thick soup- it could have easily taken another can. The flavor is great however and i do recommend it. One other thing i might also use low sodium broth as it is a little salty. Read More

Helpful

(22)

JENRL

08/05/2003

We enjoyed this soup although it does make a lot! If you have only a couple people cut the recipe in half and you will have plenty! I added about a cup of white wine and a couple chopped red potatoes to the stock pot while it simmered and it added a great touch! I used inexpensive deli ham and it worked just as well. Read More

Helpful

(16)

JARRIE

02/10/2011

Helpful

(8)

TARDSPASM

08/07/2003

Pretty good. I "veganized"it by ommiting the ham and using vegetarian "chicken" broth. I added a little more veggies broth and seasonings than called for. I think next time i might try "beef" broth and a little red wine. But overall it was pretty tasty. Read More

Helpful

(8)

Ruth N.

02/21/2004

I made this soup and then left the house for 4 hours. Luckily I wasn't gone longer since the lentils had absorbed all of the liquid in the recipe by that time! ( There is nothing wrong with my crock pot and I did have it on the low setting. I ended up adding 4 additional cups of broth and the finished product was very good. Read More

Helpful

(7)

Chrissy Weldon Barbusca

11/09/2006

Yes without a doubt you will have to add more liquid. Aside from that I am also thinking that next time I will leave out the caraway seeds (if you're not a big fan you just are not a big fan) and maybe add a bit more Worcestershire. I also like my lentils a bit saltier so I salted my own bowl but again that's a personal preference and I would rather under-salt so each person can add if they like. I'll keep this one and mark the caraway seeds as "optional". Read More

Helpful

(7)

MMM12

08/05/2003

My husband and I loved this recipe - added more ham than called for. Read More

Helpful

(6)

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Nutritional Information

German Lentil Soup

Servings Per Recipe: 8
Calories: 220.5

% Daily Value *

protein: 32 %

carbohydrates: 11 %

exchange other carbs:

dietary fiber: 64 %

sugars:

fat: 4 %

saturated fat: 4 %

cholesterol: 3 %

vitamin a iu: 56 %

niacin equivalents: 35 %

vitamin b6: 24 %

vitamin c: 11 %

folate: 61 %

calcium: 5 %

iron: 23 %

magnesium: 25 %

potassium: 18 %

sodium: 24 %

thiamin: 41 %

calories from fat:

percent of calories from carbs:

percent of calories from fat:

percent of calories from protein:

percent of calories from sat fat:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Reviews for: Photos of German Lentil Soup

1 of 90

All Reviews

LINDA MCLEAN

10/09/2006

Helpful

(51)

GTAMBOLLEO

12/27/2003

I thought it was a little bland so I used kielbasa instead of ham and added a cup of crushed tomatoes and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Now that's a great lentil soup!

Helpful

(35)

Cindy D.