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Swabian lentils with spätzle and sausages

Swabian lentils with spätzle and sausages is a German simmered dish for 4 people, ready in 60 minutes, medium difficulty, for about €3.20 per person. The trick is two simple moves, salt the lentils only at the end of cooking and add the vinegar right before serving to wake up the dish without toughening the lentils.

Tonight we're heading to Swabia with lentils simmered in vinegar, homemade spätzle, and good smoked sausages, a dish that warms up the whole family.

Swabian lentils with spätzle and sausages
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
730 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

The lentils simmer for a long while with bacon, carrots, and leeks, then get a hit of vinegar and mustard at the end that cuts through their soft, hearty texture. Alongside, homemade spätzle bring a soft inside and a slightly crisp edge once pan fried in butter. The smoked sausages, poached right in the lentils, flavor the whole pot without needing much else.

This is a fall or winter weeknight dish, the kind that takes a bit of time in the kitchen but really fills the plates. It works well for a family Sunday meal or a simple dinner between adults, less suited to kids because of the vinegar and mustard. You just need a Dutch oven and a colander with large holes, no special equipment to pull off good spätzle.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Green lentilsoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Flouroften in the pantry 250 g
  • Sparkling water 10 cl
  • Oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Smoked sausages 4
  • Smoked bacon bits 100 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 2
  • Leek 1
  • Onion 1

Dairy

  • Eggs 3
  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Gluten, Eggs, Mustard, Celery

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the bacon bits in a Dutch oven with the oil, then add the onion, carrot, and leek cut into small dice.

    Let the bacon render its fat before adding the vegetables, it seasons them.

  2. Add the lentils, bay leaves, and water to cover, then let simmer covered. 30 min

    Only salt at the end, salt toughens the skin of the lentils.

  3. Meanwhile, mix the flour, eggs, sparkling water, salt, and nutmeg until you get a smooth batter with bubbles.

    Beat the batter vigorously with a wooden spoon, that is what makes the spätzle light.

  4. Poach the sausages in the lentils, then pour the batter through a large holed colander over a big pot of salted boiling water, and scoop out the spätzle as soon as they float up. 8 min

    No spätzle press? A slotted spoon or a large holed grater works just as well.

  5. Pan fry the spätzle in butter, stir the vinegar and mustard into the lentils, adjust the seasoning, and serve with the sausages. 5 min

    Brown the spätzle over high heat for a few minutes, that crisp touch changes everything.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the vegetables into small, even dice so they cook at the same pace as the lentils without turning mushy.
  • Check the lentils at the ten minute mark and then regularly after that, they should never turn to mush.
  • Mix the spätzle batter while the lentils simmer, it needs a few minutes of rest before you pour it into the boiling water.

The variations

  • Swap the smoked sausages for Strasbourg sausages or knacks if that is what you have on hand.
  • For a meatless version, skip the bacon and sausages, use a splash of olive oil, and lean on smoked paprika in the lentils for that smoky note.
  • To save time, swap homemade spätzle for store bought ones and just pan fry them in butter.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with sharp vinaigrette
  • Toasted country bread
  • Cold sparkling water

Storage

The lentils keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and freeze well once cooled. The spätzle also keep for 2 days chilled, reheat them in a pan with a little butter so they get their texture back. Warm the lentils gently in a pot, adding a splash of water if they have thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you use red lentils instead of green lentils?

No, red lentils cook too fast and turn mushy. Green lentils hold their shape after 30 minutes of simmering, which matters a lot for this dish.

Can you make the spätzle batter ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it up to 2 hours ahead and keep it chilled under a towel. Stir it well before pouring it into the boiling water, since it tends to settle as it rests.

Can spätzle be frozen?

Yes, once poached and cooled, freeze them flat on a tray then transfer to a bag. Thaw them, then pan fry directly in butter.

Why add sparkling water to the spätzle batter?

The bubbles in sparkling water lighten the batter and give the spätzle a softer bite once cooked. It is a simple trick that really changes the final texture.

How long does it take to make Swabian lentils with spätzle and sausages?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in Swabian lentils with spätzle and sausages?

About 730 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does Swabian lentils with spätzle and sausages cost?

About €3.20 per serving, or €12.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs, mustard, celery. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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