German cheese soup: A hearty one‑pot wonder for meat-lovers and vegetarians alike

When considering dinner options, I often focus solely on the main course and forget how delicious and nutritious soups can be. That's because a two-course dinner can be too much for my family. It's different with a soup that fully replaces the second course. Just serve it with croutons, and everyone is satisfied.

If you want to prepare an equally filling dish without meat, try using tofu or tempeh. These soy-based options have a very delicate, universal flavor, so it's worth adding a few spices to enhance the taste. To make the plant-based substitute similar to ground meat, crumble the tofu or tempeh and fry it in vegetable oil. Add a tablespoon of soy sauce, half a teaspoon of sweet and smoked paprika, a pinch of nutmeg, and a bit of cumin. Mix the spices thoroughly with the tofu.

In many recipes for this soup, one of the ingredients is processed cheese. However, I recommend a healthier substitute using white mozzarella and crème fraîche.

Ingredients:

                                      
• 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 pound of ground meat
• 1 leek
• 4 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• Half a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 2 ounces of Parmesan
• 9 ounces of mozzarella cheese, 2/3 cup crème fraîche (30% sour cream)

Instructions:

                      
1. Sauté the meat in a pot with a small amount of oil.
2. In a pan with 2 tablespoons of heated oil, soften the finely chopped onion, garlic, and sliced leek. Fry covered for about 5-10 minutes.
3. Transfer the vegetables from the pan to the meat. Pour in the broth and cook covered for another 15 minutes.
4. Gradually add grated Parmesan and crumbled mozzarella while stirring the broth.
5. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, and nutmeg.
6. Pour half a cup of broth, let it cool, and mix it with the cream. Fill the cup with hot broth, pour everything back into the pot. Mix until smooth.