How to Make Lentil Soup: Oma's Linsensuppe 

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

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Make this easy linsensuppe, LENTIL SOUP, that tastes just like Oma's. So hearty, healthy, and YUMMY!

Here's how to make Lentil Soup, aka Linsensuppe, just like your Oma used to make it. And when I make it, it's always when I've had a bone-in smoked ham. And, it's just before all the ham has been picked off the bone.

Well, actually, it's one of the reasons I buy that ham in the first place. To make this lentil soup recipe. The ham dinner that happens before this soup is just incidental!

A Bit Of This and a bit of that ...

• If you don't have a ham bone, use water and chicken bouillon cubes 
• We like our soup with a bit of a kick. So, I replace some of the salt with Montreal Steak Spice. I also add Vegeta seasoning. 
• Want some other flavors? The following are nice in this: cumin, coriander, turmeric, thyme, or oregano. Finish off with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar (that's German). 
• Add a bunch of chopped fresh spinach or kale about 10 minutes before soup is done for an extra punch of vitamins (it may not be traditional, but it's great for added nutrition.)
• Add some extra smoked sausage or wieners for some hearty flavor!

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How to serve Lentil Soup ...

I LOVE adding extra vinegar to my bowl of lentil soup. At home, my Mutti often didn't add the vinegar to the pot of soup, but put a little pitcher of vinegar on the table so everyone could add just as much as they liked. I'd add a whole tablespoonful to my bowl.

I recall my Vati's Mutti adding honey to hers. That was something that always intrigued me. However, I just couldn't bring myself to try it. 

Lentil Soup with spätzle

Linsensuppe mit Spätzle is a hearty meal from the Swabian region of Germany, particularly popular in the state of Baden-Württemberg. This dish typically has homemade egg noodles, spätzle, served with the lentil soup either on the side or spooned on top of the soup. This is often served with sausages on the side.

Go to Spätzle recipe >

Oma says,

Looking for other bean soup recipes?

How about a red lentil soup? I've got a one that's so quick to make. 

Red lentils will cook in about 1/2 hour and taste much more delicate than the green or brown. 

And I also have one that I make in my slow cooker that I often use when I need to make a vegan one (although adding smoked sausage makes it absolutely amazing). Give it a try as well. Check out my slow cooker lentil soup recipe.

Ready to make this lentil soup?

Print Recipe

How to Make Lentil Soup: Oma's Linsensuppe

Here's how to make Lentil Soup, aka Linsensuppe, just like your Oma used to make it. And when I make it, it's always when I've made a bone-in smoked ham. And, it's just before all the ham has been picked off the bone.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 65 minutes

Total Time 75 minutes

Servings:

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

• ½ pound diced bacon
• 2 cups diced onions
• 2 cups diced or thickly sliced carrots 
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 pound green or brown lentils
• 1 meaty ham bone 
• 8 cups water or chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 -  4 cups cubed potatoes
• vinegar to taste (about 2 tablespoons)

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, sauté bacon until almost crispy. Add onions, carrots, and celery and continue sautéing for about 5 minutes.
2. Wash lentils and pick over and remove any little stones, etc., if necessary.
3. Add lentils, ham bone, water (broth), bay leaves, salt, and pepper to soup pot, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
4. Bring to simmer, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Add cubed potatoes and continue simmering for about 15 - 30 minutes until vegetables and lentils are tender, adding more water if the soup is too thick. Remove ham bone. Pick off any meat from the bone and return to the soup.
6. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
   
7. Add vinegar to taste.

Hints:

• Serve the lentil soup with Spätzle on the side, as they do in the Schwabian region of Germany

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.