Kartoffelsuppe (German Potato Soup with Sausage)

About This Recipe

Kartoffelsuppe is a staple of German home cooking, potatoes simmered with leek, carrot and celery until soft, then partially pureed to give the soup a naturally thick, creamy body without needing much dairy. Sliced frankfurter or another mild sausage is added near the end, its gentle smokiness infusing the broth while staying tender rather than overcooked, a classic German pairing of potato and sausage. Finished with a touch of cream and fresh chives, this soup is warming, filling and unpretentious, exactly the kind of dish found simmering on stovetops across Germany during the colder months.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 5potatoes(peeled and diced)
• 1leek(sliced, white and light green parts)
• 2carrots(diced)
• 2celery stalks(diced)
• 3 tbspbutter
• 6 cupsvegetable or chicken stock
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 4frankfurter sausages(sliced)
• 1/2 cupheavy cream
• 2 tbspchopped chives(for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the vegetables

   Melt butter in a large pot and cook leek, carrot and celery until softened, about 8 minutes.

2. 2

   Add potato and stock

   Add diced potato, stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, then simmer 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

3. 3

   Partially puree

   Remove the bay leaves, then use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup, leaving some potato chunks intact for texture.

   Puree only partially, leaving some chunks — a fully smooth soup loses the rustic, hearty character that defines kartoffelsuppe.

4. 4

   Add sausage

   Stir in the sliced sausage and simmer 5 minutes until heated through.

5. 5

   Finish

   Stir in the cream and adjust seasoning.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives.

Variations

• •

  A vegetarian version omits the sausage and adds extra vegetables like celery root.

• •

  Some regions add a bit of marjoram, a classic German herb, for extra aromatic depth.

• •

  Adding a dollop of sour cream on top instead of stirring in heavy cream gives a tangier finish.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; the soup thickens as it sits, so thin with a splash of stock when reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions