A popular German cheese and leek soup with ground pork, a thick and savory dish that everybody loves.
This German cheese and leek soup is one of my mother-in-law's signature dishes, just like the German Beef Soup with Marrow Dumplings or the Salad “Torte”, which is a dish I have eaten more often in her house than in my own.
It was one of the first dishes I have ever eaten upon arriving in Germany, and, ever since, I have eaten it more often than I could count, not only in my mother-in-law's house but in some of my neighbors' and friends' houses as well, most people I know make it on a regular basis.
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Recipe ingredients
This German cheese soup with pork and leeks is very easy to make; it needs only a few cheap ingredients. Still, due to the cheese and meat, it is so extremely filling that one relatively small pot goes a long way, which means you can feed quite a few people with it; most of them will be full after one bowl and will not take seconds.
But not because it's not good; it is absolutely delicious; no wonder it has been such a hit around here for more than 30 years now; my mother-in-law told me she got the recipe sometime in the 1980s.
Leeks:
- Leeks are super popular in Germany; you can buy them at any time of the year, and they are always huge and very cheap. If you like them, you should try this Simple Bacon Potato and Leek Soup or the Romanian Leek and Black Olive Stew: they are amazing.
How to clean leeks?
- Leeks are easy to work with; cleaning them is the only thing you must pay special attention to.
- They have many layers, and dirt finds its way deep inside the layers, at the transition between the white and the green part of the vegetable. Separate the layers and thoroughly wash the leek in between the layers.
- Put the tip of a small sharp knife about 1 cm/ 0.4 inches below the beginning of the green part, just before the transition of the two colors, where the leek begins to open.
- Slit from there to the end of the green part without cutting it all the way through.
- Carefully fan open the layers without taking the stalk apart. Rinse under running water until all the dirt is removed.
Cheese:
- You will need the spreadable, soft, melted cheese that comes in triangles. It is called Schmelzkäse in Germany, meaning melting cheese. I actually had to ask somebody living in America about this kind of cheese because I didn't know what it was called there.
- The answer was funny: laughing cow cheese (Amazon affiliate link). It probably comes from one brand selling this kind of cheese.
- Buy the original flavor or something like cheddar flavor.
Pork:
- My mother-in-law always cooks this recipe with the so-called “Mett,” which is ground pork spiced with salt, pepper, a bit of garlic, and a little caraway. Mett is usually sold to be eaten raw with buns and onions. Not my thing, I have to say.
- However, I like cooked Mett in this combination; it is basically just spiced ground pork. If you don't live in Germany, you will probably not be able to buy Mett, so use plain ground pork instead.
How to make leek cheese soup with pork?
- Clean the leeks very thoroughly, as instructed above. Chop. Chop the onion as well.
- Heat the oil in a large pot.
- Fry the meat until brown; add ground caraway, garlic, some salt, and pepper. If using Mett, you will not have to spice the meat.
- Add the chopped veggies and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add broth and bring to a simmer.
- Cook for about 20 minutes or until soft.
- Add the cheese broken into small pieces to the soup and stir very well until completely smooth with no lumps of cheese remaining.
- Let simmer for a couple of minutes. The dish is supposed to be very thick, but you could add a bit more broth if you find it too thick.
- Adjust the taste with salt and ground black pepper. Be generous with the pepper.
- Sprinkle with chopped chives.
How to serve the cheesy leek soup?
This ground pork leek dish is a meal in itself; you will not need much on the side except some bread. You can serve it with crusty white bread, sourdough bread, or dinner rolls.
The dish is a very popular choice for party food in Germany. I cannot even count the many times I was served this at one party or another, it's easy to make, very filling, cheap, and everybody loves it!
The following ingredients are enough for about 6 people, but the soup can be easily doubled or tripled. You just have to find a pot that is large enough...
The recipe can be made in advance and reheated.
More soups
Recipe
German Cheese and Leek Soup with Ground Pork
Ingredients
- 3 large leeks
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 350 g ground pork 12.5 oz, Note 1
- a pinch of ground caraway
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 liter vegetable broth 4 cups
- 300 g laughing cow cheese 10.5 oz, Note 2
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- small bunch of chives
Instructions
- Clean the leeks: Wash, top, and tail them, discarding the wilted dark green ends (about 1 inch/ 2 cm). Slice them lengthwise, starting at the transition between the white and the green part and moving the knife towards the top of the plant.
- Wash leeks: Fan open the layers without taking the leek apart and rinse under cold running water until all the dirt is removed.
- Chop leeks and onion. Set aside.3 large leeks, 1 onion
- Fry ground pork: Heat the oil and fry the ground pork until brown, add a pinch of ground caraway, the grated garlic clove, and some salt and pepper. If using Mett, you will not have to spice the meat.1 tablespoon oil, 350 g/ 12.5 oz ground pork
- Add the leeks and the onion and cook, stirring well a few times in between, for 3-4 minutes.
- Simmer soup: Add vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the leeks are soft.1 liter/ 4 cups vegetable broth
- Add cheese: Break the cheese triangles into smaller pieces and add them to the soup. Stir very well until the soup is completely smooth and there are no cheese clumps inside it anymore.Let simmer for a couple of minutes. The soup is supposed to be very thick, but you could add a bit more broth if you find too thick.300 g/ 10.5 oz laughing cow cheese
- Adjust the taste with salt and generously with freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve with bread.
Notes
- If cooking the soup in Germany, you can buy Mett.
- Sahneschmelzkäse in Germany.
Carol says
Thanks for this recipe. My friend gave me the recipe after eating this for a meal when I was staying with her in Germany. Been a while since I made it and had forgotten how do your recipe has refreshed my memory. A really d delicious soup.
Adina says
Hi Carol, thank you for the feedback. This must be one of the most popular German soups and it's so delicious!
Karen says
Hi, just wondering if you think this would freeze ok? Recipe looks good can't wait to try it. Thank you!
Adina says
Hi Karen. I can't say for sure as I've never done it. I think laughing cow cheese is not suitable for freezing.
Kim says
This was amazing. I’m American (and vegetarian) and used vegetarian “pork” sausage - blasphemy, I know - and it still turned out incredible. Great for a cold winter day!
Christiane Burford says
I'm German living in Australia and I love German food
Adina says
Hi Christiane. I hope you will find some recipes that you like. ??
Helene says
Just made this soup
So nice and filling
Had some homemade bread with it
Got other portions to go in freezer
Thank you
Adina says
Thank you for the feedback. :)I am glad you liked it.
meh says
What part of the country are you in that LEEKS are CHEAP?
Adina says
I live in Germany. Leeks cost next to nothing, especially when in season.
Jessie M says
Can you add carrots celery and potatoes or would that change the soup entirely?
Adina says
I would not add them, Jessie. This is a super traditional German soup, adding something wuould change it too much. The soup it is best served with bread.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I love all the soups you've been making! Soup is one of my most favorite things in the world. This cheesy leek soup is right up my alley, it looks fantastic!
Adina says
Thank you, Kimberly, I love soups too, there's is nothing that I cook more often than soup. 🙂
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
This looks delicious!! I'd love to try it out, but I'm wondering what might be an equivalent to Sahneschmelzkäse here in the US. We have Velveta, which is a yellow processed cheese, and I don't think that what I'm looking for in this particular recipe. I'll have to do some looking around 🙂
Shannon says
@Thao @ In Good Flavor,
Shannon says
Laughing cow cheese. I generally find it in the bakery section.
Adina says
?? Glad you found it!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
This looks amazing and this is the season for soups. There's nothing better than a warm soup on a cold day.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Wish my husband ate cheese and cooked veggies...I am going to keep this all to myself!