Linsen mit Spätzle (German Lentil Stew with Homemade Egg Noodles)
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spätzle press / large-holed colander / icing piping bag
- Large pot for boiling spätzle
- Medium soup pot
- Wooden spoon
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
For the Spätzle:
- 2 cups 250 g all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup 60 ml water (more as needed)
For the Lentil Stew:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ cups 300 g brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups 1 liter vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 –2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt.
- Beat in the eggs, then slowly add water until you have a thick, sticky batter that pulls slightly away from the bowl but isn’t runny.
- Let rest for 10 minutes.
- In a medium soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and soy sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add lentils, bay leaves, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30–35 minutes, until lentils are tender and stew-like.
- Finish with apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Keep warm.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Working in batches, press dough through a spätzle maker or colander into the boiling water.
- Cook until noodles float to the surface (about 2–3 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.
- Ladle lentil stew into bowls, topping with a generous serving of spätzle.
- Garnish with parsley and enjoy warm.
Video
@herbyeater Okay…soo maybe I should have stuck with the rivers and lakes that I’m used to and just bought dried spätzle like normal, BUT I just love trying something new; and as a forever curious cook, it was a great reason to try. I’ve made this lentil stew so many times and there is a reason— it’s freaking delicious. Plus, high protein, high fiber, low points on WW (if you fancy that)… I mean it’s a match made in heaven to me. If you’re a meat eater feel free to add some sausage to this, too! My spätzle making skills are subpar and I was super stressed in figuring out how to get the noodles just right ( cough cough.. perfectionist over here 👀😅) . But ultimately while slow going the icing piping bag method did in fact give me exactly what I needed sooo a win is a win? Ugly action beats waiting for perfect action in my book. 🥰 #vegetarian #germanfood #mahlzeit #healthycomfortfood #oktoberfest
♬ Glück auf den Strassen - Max Giesinger