Leberknödelsuppe – German Liver Dumpling Soup

Leberknödelsuppe is a traditional German dish, particularly popular in Bavaria. It is a liver dumpling soup made of beef liver, bread, eggs, and parsley cooked in beef broth. In the Palatinate, Leberknödel are often served with Sauerkraut and mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

2 stale bread rolls
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 onion, finely chopped
400 g trimmed and finely ground beef liver
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped carrots
1 pinch dried marjoram
1⁄2 tsp of lemon zest
1 tsp salt
1 pinch fresh ground black pepper
about 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
750 ml beef broth

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, pour the milk over bread rolls and soak for 10 minutes.
2. Beat the eggs, then pour over the soaked rolls.
3. Add the onion, liver, parsley, marjoram, lemon zest, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs.
4. Mix together well and knead until it forms pliable dough. (You may need to add some plain bread crumbs).
5. Form walnut-sized dumplings.
6. If your mixture is too wet or loose, then add another bread roll.
7. Bring the broth and carrots to a simmer in a large pot. Heat should be about medium or just a little lower. Don’t put the dumplings into boiling water because it will make them fall apart. Add dumplings one by one and let simmer. Dumplings will fall to the bottom of the pot and then float. Simmer for another 30 minutes once dumplings float to top. Avoid stirring the pot, it will break up the dumplings.
8. Serve dumplings hot in bowl with broth.