Lenten Soup Recipe: Cheese Dumplings in Vegetable Soup

Ladies from the Diocese of Arlington in Virginia share their vegetable-based soup recipes for your Lenten enjoyment.

(photo: Steve Buissinne/Pixabay/CC0)

“Käseknödelsuppe mit Gemüse” — Adapted from “Vegetarisch Kochen wie noch nie” by Eva Rittinger

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 slices bread
  • 1 onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and ground nutmeg to taste
  • 2 tablespoons or more wheat flour
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 stalks celery, cleaned and thinly sliced
  • 1 leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • Pinch dried marjoram
  • 1 bunch fresh chives, washed and chopped for garnish

Directions:

Warm the milk in a saucepan. Cut the slices of bread into small cubes and put them into a medium size bowl. Pour enough milk over the bread to cover it, and let it soak for 10 minutes. Fill a medium-size saucepan with plenty of water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring it to a boil.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion in a skillet with the butter until transparent. Transfer the onion to the bowl. Add the egg, cheese, salt, and nutmeg to the onion and bread and mix well into a smooth but firm dough.

Form 4 balls from the dough, roll them in flour, and drop them into the rapidly boiling water. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. 

In another saucepan, add 1 cup water and cook or steam the vegetables over low heat for about 15 minutes, or until al dente. Add the broth to the vegetables, and season to taste with salt, nutmeg, and marjoram. Transfer the dumplings to the soup, garnish with chives, and serve.