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Eintopf German soup with chickpeas and meat balls

German Eintopf with Chickpeas and Meatballs

A vibrant, hearty, and incredibly tasty German soup! This German eintopf with meatballs and chickpeas will fill you up and warm you through on cold fall and winter evenings. Its original name is "Kichererbsen-Tomaten-Eintopf mit Hackbällchen."

Pearl

Recipe author

Eintopf German soup with chickpeas and meat balls

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Chickpeas (canned)

200

Tomatoes

300

Broth

700

Bay leaf

Garlic

Fresh herbs

Ground meat (chicken, pork, beef, or a mix)

500

Onion (50 g)

Eggs

Breadcrumbs

Garlic (small)

Sweet paprika (ground sweet red pepper)

0.5

Allspice

0.5

Salt

Vegetable oil

Carrot (50 g)

Onion (50 g)

Bell pepper (50 g)

Tomato sauce (tomato purée)

Salt

Sugar (a pinch)

0.25

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 23 % 6 g

Fats 42 % 11 g

Carbohydrates 35 % 9 g

160 kcal

GI: 80 / 10 / 10

Cooking method

Cooking time: 30 min

Step 1:

Get everything ready. Wash the tomatoes, bell pepper, and herbs, and peel the onions, carrot, and garlic. Drain the canned chickpeas.
Step 2:

Grate the carrot on the coarse side of a grater, or cut it into thin strips. Slice the onion and pepper into half-moons.
Step 3:

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, add the chopped vegetables, and sauté, stirring constantly, until tender — about five minutes.
Step 4:

Add the tomato purée (or tomato sauce) and a pinch of sugar, stir everything well, lower the heat, and simmer for a couple of minutes.
Step 5:

Meanwhile, make the meatball mixture. Add the egg, pressed garlic, and finely chopped onion to the ground meat. Season with salt and pepper and add a spoonful of breadcrumbs — toss in your favorite seasonings too, if you like. Knead well until smooth. If the mixture is too loose, add a little more breadcrumbs; it should be firm enough to roll into small balls easily.
Step 6:

Cut the tomatoes into fairly large pieces. You can peel them first if you like: pour boiling water over them, let them sit about a minute, drain, and slip off the skins.
Step 7:

Roll the meat mixture into small balls. Heat a little vegetable oil in a skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides, about two to three minutes.
Step 8:

Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, and meatballs to the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Pour in the broth (any kind works — chicken, meat, or vegetable, or even just water). Use more or less broth depending on how thick you'd like the soup. Season with salt to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10–15 minutes.
Step 9:

Turn the heat back up to high. Finely chop the remaining garlic clove. Add the chopped herbs, garlic, and bay leaf to the pot. Once it boils, take it off the heat and let the soup rest, covered, for at least 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream if you like.

Eintopf is a thick German soup you can make from just about anything you have on hand, within reason. It can include all kinds of vegetables, peas, lentils, beans, sausages, meat, and smoked meats.
Enjoy!