This easy German pea soup recipe is a cost-effective and nutritous way to feed a group of people. The stew-like soup features added flavors of pork and bacon, which can also be left out to make this pea soup vegan.
Erbsensuppe
About this Recipe
This Is A Sponsored Post That Contains Affiliate Links
Today’s stew-like German pea soup recipe is a total classic (a German friend shared with me that it was also one of Hitler’s favorite soups… don’t quote me on that one). Erbsensuppe is a protein-rich, low-cost and super tasty soup to feed a crowd with. And what else do we want during this cold winter than a warming bowl of nutritious soup? My Oma Sieghilde made a version of this soup occasionally, and I have always loved it (and almost as much as her Erbsbrei – German mashed peas and potatoes).
Let’s chat about how nutritious this meal is though! A serving of this soup has a ton of protein. And even if you leave out the meat (making this soup vegan), the peas alone provide a substantial portion of plant-based protein (close to 30 grams a serving), making sure to fill your belly with warming goodness.
Make a batch of this amazing German pea soup while the cold sticks around. This is such a German classic soup recipe that you will want to bookmark this and make it over and over again for a quick, warming go-to.
Scroll on down for the recipe, now in printable version.
Erbsensuppe Essentials
Drink Pairing:
Verdauungs-
schnaps
tAfter a heavy German meal (let’s be real, that’s a lot of them!), a German tradition is taking an after dinner shot, the Verdauungsschnaps. Translating from German to ‘digestion brandy,’ the bitter components of the often fruit or herb forward brandy are supposed to help stimulate digestion in your gut. The Schladerer distillery in Staufen in Germany’s Black Forest creates a variety of fruit brandies or Brandtwein that would be perfect for you to practice this tradition with.
Since I am a total raspberry fan, I chose their delicious Himbeergeist brandy for today’s pairing, but any of their many fruit brandies would be a great pairing. Himbeergeist translates from German to ‘raspberry ghost’ since it’s a clear, distilled brandy. To find out where Schladerer Schnaps is available near you, visit this link.
Next Up:
Rüblikuchen
Rüblikuchen is actually a carrot cake of Swiss origin. It’s almost gluten free and not nearly as sweet as the American version, and so delicious! Make sure to subscribe to my blog now, so you’re not missing out when my new Rüblikuchen post goes live!
Erbsensuppe: German Pea Soup with Pork
Ingredients
- 500 g dried peas
- 750 g pork chops
- 250 g bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 onion medium diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 carrots large, cut into slices
- 2 celery stalks medium diced
- 1 leek discard green parts and roots, cut into 1/2 inch rings
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 potatoes large, medium diced
- pepper, salt to taste
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the pork and sear on all sides with the bacon until browned. Remove the meat and sautee the onion until starting to brown.
- Add back the meat and 2 quarts of water, the peas and the bay leaves and cook for 60 minutes on medium low heat stirring every 15 minutes or so.
- Prep the remaining vegetables and potatoes, sautee in 1 Tbsp of oil for a couple of minutes, and then add the meat and peas. Simmer for 15 more minutes and stir occasionally.
- Remove the pork chops and cut into bite-sized chunks. Return to the pot with a handful of chopped parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. You can also leave out the meat completely and serve this pea soup with Wiener sausages or no meat at all. It's great either way!
Nutrition
I received compensation from Niche Import Co. in exchange for writing this post. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions, thoughts and recipes are my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means that I may be compensated if you click certain links.
