German Onion Soup with Beer, Bratwurst & Pretzel Roll Croutons

The result was something unique and totally delicious! German Sausage Onion Soup is a hearty favorite made with bratwurst, beer, lots of caramelized onions, and topped with crispy pretzel roll croutons. 

**Please Note – The printable recipe card with detailed instructions and complete ingredient measurements for making German Onion Soup is available near the end of this post. 

The ingredient list;

• bratwurst
• onions
• beer
• pretzel rolls
• butter
• olive oil
• flour
• beef stock
• brown sugar
• bay leaves
• nutmeg
• Swiss Cheese

Today’s recipe post for German soup featuring German sausage is a recipe re-do from one I shared back in 2013.

Since I wanted to update the post, I also decided to update the photos, and the croutons from rye to pretzel roll. The result is every bit as tasty as what I shared back in 2013 and one I know your entire family will enjoy! It always gets two thumbs up from anyone who’s tried it.

Here’s what I wrote about German Onion Soup back in 2013, warts and all;

German Onion Soup couldn’t be easier to make. Let me show you how;

• In a large stockpot, heat olive oil and butter.
• Meanwhile cut 2-3 pretzel rolls into 1″ cubes.
• Add the cubes to the pot, stir well and cook until well browned. 

• Once the croutons are well browned, remove them from the pan and set aside.
• Add the bratwurst to the pan over brown well over medium/high heat.
• Once brown, remove the sausage and set aside.
   

• Add more olive oil to the pan along with 4-5 chopped, sweet onions.
• Cook the onions in the pan over medium heat with salt and pepper, stirring frequently, until cooked down and caramelized (about 15 minutes).
• Once the onions are caramelized, add 3 tablespoons of flour and stir well to combine.
• Cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

• Add 12 ounces of beer to the cooked and caramelized onions and flour, along with 4 cups beef stock, 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 3 bay leaves.

• Grate fresh nutmeg into the pot and return the browned sausage to the soup.
• Stir well and simmer for at least 20 minutes before serving and removing the bay leaves.
• To serve, top each portion of soup with pretzel roll croutons and a sprinkling of Swiss cheese. Enjoy!
   

Below is the printable recipe card for today’s German beer soup with sausage. 

If you’ve enjoyed this recipe and look forward to making it (or have already made it), I’d appreciate if you’d take a moment to give it some feedback by way of stars near the comment section at the end of this post. Thank you so much!

5 from 2 votes

Print

German Onion Soup with Beer, Bratwurst & Pretzel Roll Croutons

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

German Onion Soup with plenty of caramelized onions, beer, bratwurst and pretzel roll croutons will soon become a family favorite!

Course: Soup - Main Course

Cuisine: German, German Cuisine

Keyword: German Onion Soup, Onion Soup

Servings: 10 cups

Calories: 307 kcal

Renee - Kudos Kitchen: Renée - Kudos Kitchen

Ingredients

• 3 pretzel rolls cut into 1" cubes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound bratwurst casings removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4-5 large sweet onions chopped into bite-sized chunks
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 12 ounces beer
• 4 cups beef stock or broth
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2-3 large bay leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4-5 ounces Swiss cheese shredded

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. In a large stockpot, melt 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
2. Add the pretzel cubes and cook, stirring frequently until golden and crunchy. *Note - watch the croutons closely as they burn quickly.
3. Remove the browned croutons and set aside.
4. Add the prepared bratwurst to the pan and increase the heat to medium/high. Brown the sausage, stirring occasionally until browned well on all sides.
5. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.
6. Add the remaining olive oil and butter to the stockpot along with the chopped onions.
7. Stir well and add the salt and pepper.
8. Continue cooking and stirring the onions occasionally until the onions are golden in color and reduced in volume (approximately 12-15 minutes).
9. Add the flour to the caramelized onion and cook, stirring well for 1-2 minutes.
10. Slowly add the beer and beef stock to the pot.
11. Stir in the brown sugar, bay leaves, and grated nutmeg.
12. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the browned bratwurst back to the pot.
13. Stir well and simmer for at least 15 minutes, longer if you have the time.
14. Remove the bay leaves.
15. Serve the German Onion Soup topped with the pretzel croutons and the shredded Swiss cheese.

Recipe Notes

Tools and equipment:

serrated knife (for cutting pretzel rolls), chef's knife (for cutting onions), cutting board, large stockpot, wooden spoon, microplane (for grating nutmeg), measuring spoons

Nutrition Facts

German Onion Soup with Beer, Bratwurst & Pretzel Roll Croutons

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 307 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 26g 40%

Saturated Fat 10g 50%

Cholesterol 56mg 19%

Sodium 1106mg 46%

Potassium 344mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 5g 2%

Sugars 1g

Protein 11g 22%

Vitamin A 4.7%

Calcium 11.1%

Iron 4.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed today’s recipe for German beer soup with sausage as much as I’ve enjoyed bringing it to you!

Should have any questions regarding this or anything else you see on my site, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly, or leave me a comment in the comment section below. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back to you with a reply just as soon as I possibly can!

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Kudos Kitchen by Renée ~ Where food, art, and fun collide each and every day!

Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!