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German Potato Soup

bowl of German potato soup with wooden spoon
Photo Credit
Sam Jones/Quinn Brein
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Category
Soups, Stews, Chowders
Course
Main Dish
Occasions
New Year's Day
Credit
Donna Louderback, Arkansas City, Kansas
Sources
Recipes with a History

With vegetables, noodles, and bacon, this German potato soup is a wonderfully simple and hearty meal on a cool night!

Ingredients
3 slices bacon, diced
3 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups egg noodles, or make your own rivels (recipe below)
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter

Instructions

In a skillet, cook bacon until browned and crispy. Remove from skillet and place on paper towels to drain. 
In a soup pot, combine potatoes, onions, celery, salt, and pepper. Cover with water and cook for 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Bring soup to a boil and add noodles, stirring constantly to separate them. Add milk and butter, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until noodles are done. Top with reserved bacon before serving.
 

Rivels (optional)

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Rivels are little homemade egg noodles. They are good in beef and chicken stew, as well as in vegetable soups.

  1. Pour flour on a flat surface, such as a cutting board.
  2. Make a well in the center, then pour in egg and salt.
  3. Using your hands and a knife, work these three ingredients together into a noodle-type pastry. Knead once or twice, then chop it into small pieces.

About The Author
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

Under the guiding hand of its first editor, Robert B. Thomas, the premiere issue of The Old Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president.Today, the Almanac...
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Comments

<span>Roger V Pilkenton</span> Sun, 10/27/2024 - 19:11
When does the bacon get back into the recipe?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 10/28/2024 - 12:48

Hi Roger, thanks for the catch! Add them right at the end, sprinkle them on top of the soup! We've made the correction.

 <span>Roger V Pilkenton</span> Sun, 10/27/2024 - 19:06
Under instructions, #2, what are dd potatoes?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 10/28/2024 - 12:49

Hi Roger, looks like a problem with your screen perhaps? "Add" potatoes (not dd potatoes) is step #2.

 <span>Nancy</span> Fri, 02/04/2022 - 09:41
my mother raised 5 kids on potatoes soup made like this. 1lb mild sausage,onion diced cooked till done (NOT BROWN) diced potatoes added just enough water to cook, don't drain add milk to fill pan . i use Idaho instant buds if I decide to thicken, Don't be afraid to add heavy cream ,half&half make it your own
<span>Emma</span> Fri, 09/17/2021 - 11:06
We made potato soup a lot here and one of our favorites. I have never added rivels to it but it will be one I will try. I use the same basic recipe but I load mine with cheese and sour cream. Add some onion and garlic also.I have been making rivels since I was a child when my grandparents taught me. Sounds like a great add. Thanks for sharing.
<span>Linda</span> Tue, 01/12/2021 - 09:40
My question is. I wonder if you could use heavy cream instead of the evaporated milk&water or regular whole milk? Or would that just be to much? I love the creaminess of soups and sauces made with heavy cream. I look forward to trying this recipe. I love soups. Thanks
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 01/13/2021 - 16:02

Hi, Linda. Yes, you could substitute heavy cream in place of the milk and butter. Though 2 cups is quite a bit. So perhaps 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup whole or 2% milk.

 <span>Crystal</span> Sun, 09/27/2020 - 11:32
My grandma taught me how to make rivels 45+ years ago. She made the dough the same, but used a box grater to make them. This is a different potato soup recipe, from the Lancaster County Pa recipe I am used to.
<span>Darlene</span> Thu, 10/19/2023 - 22:36
I lived nearly 20 yrs in the Lancaster, PA area (Mountville) and can attest to the fact that several recipes that the Amish make are absolutely different than anywhere else. For example their Chicken Pot Pie is more likened to Chicken and Dumplings in other parts of the country. Don't get me wrong, I bellied up to my share of "All you can eat" buffets and enjoyed every delicious mouthful.