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+ servings
A bowl of German onion soup with onions and pretzel roll in the background along with a glass of beer.
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4.92 from 12 votes

German Onion Soup

German Onion Soup with plenty of caramelized onions, beer, bratwurst and pretzel roll croutons will soon become a family favorite!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Soup - Main Course
Cuisine: German
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 307kcal

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
  • teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 4-5 ounces Swiss cheese shredded

Instructions

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

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

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 1106mg | Sugar: 1g