German Elderberry and Semolina Dumpling Soup

German elderberry soup turns deep purple elderberry juice, soft apples, sweet pears, and fluffy semolina dumplings into a cozy bowl that tastes like old-fashioned German home cooking.

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This warm fruit soup is simple, affordable, and made from real ingredients. It has a bright berry flavor, gentle cinnamon warmth, and tender dumplings that soak up the sweet tart broth.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Deep fruit flavor: Elderberry juice gives the soup a rich, jammy taste with a naturally bold color.
• Soft and fluffy texture: Semolina dumplings turn light and tender when they gently simmer.
• Budget friendly comfort: Apples, pears, milk, semolina, and one egg stretch the soup into a filling dish for four.
• Easy from scratch cooking: You only need basic pots, simple stirring, and a short simmer.

Fabian’s Budget and Health Tip: Use unsweetened bottled elderberry juice when fresh berries cost too much or are out of season. Sweeten the soup at the end so you use only what it needs. Apples and pears add natural sweetness, fiber, and body without extra cost.

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Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the Elderberry Fruit Soup

• 4 cups unsweetened elderberry juice (960 ml)
• Or 1 1/2 pounds fresh elderberries, stems removed, cooked and strained (680 g)
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced (about 300 g)
• 2 medium pears, peeled, cored, and diced (about 300 g)
• 1/4 cup sugar (50 g) or 3 tablespoons honey (63 g), plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (30 ml)
• 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2 g)
• 1 small pinch fine salt (1 g)

For the Semolina Dumplings

• 1/2 cup whole milk (120 ml)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28 g)
• 1 small pinch fine salt (1 g)
• 1/2 cup fine semolina (85 g)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten (about 50 g)

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Start the Elderberry Soup Base

Add the elderberry juice, diced apples, diced pears, sugar or honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt to a medium pot. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. The fruit should bob softly in the dark purple juice, and the cinnamon should smell warm but not sharp.

Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the apples and pears turn tender but still hold their shape. Taste the broth. Add a little more sugar or honey if the elderberry tastes too tart.

2. Use Fresh Elderberries if Needed

If you use fresh elderberries instead of juice, remove as many stems as possible. Add the berries to a pot with 5 cups water (1.2 l). Simmer for 20 minutes, until the berries burst and the liquid turns very dark.

Strain through a fine sieve and press gently. Use 4 cups of the strained liquid (960 ml) for the soup. Do not eat raw elderberries, leaves, or stems, since they can upset the stomach.

3. Cook the Semolina Mixture

In a small saucepan, combine the milk, butter, and salt. Warm it over medium heat until the butter melts and small bubbles form around the edge. Stir in the semolina in a steady stream.

Keep stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture will thicken fast and pull away from the pan in a soft mound. It should smell buttery and lightly toasted, not browned.

4. Add the Egg

Remove the semolina mixture from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. It should feel warm, not steaming hot. Stir in the beaten egg until the dough looks smooth and slightly glossy.

If the dough feels too loose to scoop, let it rest for another 3 minutes. Semolina firms as it sits.

5. Shape and Simmer the Dumplings

Bring a separate pot of lightly salted water to a gentle simmer. Use two teaspoons to shape small oval dumplings. Slide each dumpling into the water.

Keep the water at a soft simmer. Do not let it boil hard. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dumplings float, puff slightly, and feel springy when touched with the spoon.

6. Serve the Soup Warm

Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon and place them into bowls. Ladle the warm elderberry fruit soup over the top. Add a few pieces of apple and pear to each bowl so every serving has fruit, broth, and fluffy dumplings.

Serve warm, not boiling hot. The flavor opens up as it cools for a minute, and the dumplings soak in the sweet tart elderberry broth.

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Expert Troubleshooting and FAQs

Can I use bottled elderberry juice?

Yes. Bottled unsweetened elderberry juice is the easiest choice for this German elderberry soup. If your juice is already sweetened, start with less sugar or honey and adjust after simmering.

Why did my semolina dumplings fall apart?

The dough may have been too hot when you added the egg, too loose, or cooked in water that boiled too hard. Let the dough cool slightly, rest until scoopable, and keep the water at a gentle simmer.

Can I cook the dumplings directly in the fruit soup?

You can, but the soup may turn a little cloudy. Cooking the dumplings in water first keeps the elderberry broth clear and bright. If you cook them in the soup, keep the heat low and stir very gently.

Can I make this soup ahead?

Yes. Make the elderberry fruit soup up to 3 days ahead and store it in the fridge. Reheat it gently on the stove. The dumplings taste best fresh, but you can cook them a few hours ahead and warm them in the soup.

How sweet should elderberry soup taste?

It should taste sweet tart, like berry compote with lemon and cinnamon. Elderberry can be strong and earthy, so taste after the apples and pears soften. Add sweetener little by little until the fruit flavor feels round.

Estimated Nutritional Facts

Per serving, based on 4 servings and sugar as the sweetener:

• Calories: about 310
• Protein: about 7 g
• Carbs: about 58 g
• Fats: about 7 g