Danish Soup with Dumplings and Meatballs, Step by Step

Danish soup with dumplings and meatballs is a comforting clear-broth soup, often made with small flour dumplings called melboller and meatballs called kødboller. This version adds carrots, celery, and leek for a gently savory bowl; Danish households have their own variations, including different vegetables, broths, and dumpling styles.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (14 g), for the dumpling dough
1/2 cup whole milk (120 ml), for the dumpling dough
1 cup all-purpose flour (125 g), for the dumpling dough
1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g), for the dumpling dough
1 pound ground pork (450 g), for the meatballs; ground pork and veal can also be used
1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs (35 g)
1/4 cup whole milk (60 ml), for the meatballs
1 large egg (about 50 g), for binding the meatballs
1/2 small yellow onion, finely grated (about 50 g)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g), for the meatballs
1/8 teaspoon ground white or black pepper (about 0.3 g)
1 tablespoon neutral oil or butter (15 ml or 14 g), for the soup pot
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 200 g)
2 celery ribs, diced (about 80 g)
1 small leek, white and pale green parts only, rinsed and sliced (about 150 g)
10 cups low-sodium chicken broth (2.4 L)
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (about 0.5 g)
1 cup frozen peas (150 g)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (about 15 g), plus a little more for serving
Fine salt and pepper, as needed to season the broth
1 teaspoon lemon juice (5 ml), optional, to brighten the finished soup

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Dice the carrots and celery, slice the leek, and rinse the leek well because grit can hide between its layers. Finely grate the onion for the meatballs. Set the vegetables aside separately from the meat mixture so they are ready to add to the pot.
Mix and shape the meatballs. In a medium bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk together and leave them for a minute to soften. Add the ground pork, egg, grated onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Mix gently with a fork or clean hands just until evenly combined; overmixing can make the meatballs firm. With damp hands or two teaspoons, form about 30 small meatballs, roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) across. Keep them chilled while you make the dumplings if your kitchen is warm.
Make the dumpling dough. Put the butter and 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk in a small saucepan and warm until the butter melts and the milk just begins to steam; do not let it boil hard. Take the pan off the heat, add the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt all at once, and stir firmly until the mixture forms a smooth, thick dough that pulls away from the pan. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then use two teaspoons to shape small, walnut-sized dumplings. The dough is sticky, so dip the spoons in cool water between portions.
Start the broth and vegetables. Heat the oil or butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and leek and cook for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice so they soften without browning. Pour in the chicken broth, add the bay leaf and thyme, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cover partly and simmer for 12 minutes, until the vegetables are nearly tender.
Poach the meatballs. Lower the heat so the broth bubbles gently, then add the meatballs a few at a time. Stir carefully once to keep them from sticking to the bottom, but avoid vigorous stirring that could break them. Simmer for about 12 minutes, until cooked through. For food safety, USDA FSIS sets 160°F (71°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for ground meat; check the center of a meatball with a food thermometer, and continue simmering if needed.
Cook the dumplings. Add the dumplings to the gently simmering soup, spacing them around the pot. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, uncovered, until they are puffed and tender all the way through. They may float before they are done, so cut one open to check the center rather than relying on floating alone. Stir in the peas and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until hot and bright green.
Season and serve. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley and optional lemon juice, then taste the broth before adding salt because broth brands vary in saltiness. Add pepper to taste and ladle the soup into warm bowls, making sure each serving gets vegetables, meatballs, dumplings, and plenty of broth.

Tips

Keep the simmer gentle. A rolling boil can break up the meatballs and make the dumplings bump into one another. Once the broth is simmering, reduce the heat until small bubbles rise steadily but the surface is not churning.
Make evenly sized meatballs. Small, similar-sized portions cook at about the same rate. If you make them larger than 1 inch (2.5 cm), allow extra time and check the center temperature rather than assuming the listed simmer is enough.
Adjust the dumpling texture carefully. Flour absorbs moisture differently depending on how it is measured. If the dough is too loose to shape, stir in flour 1 teaspoon (about 3 g) at a time; if it feels very stiff, mix in milk 1 teaspoon (5 ml) at a time. Avoid adding a large amount at once, which can make the dumplings dense.
Choose broth with care. Low-sodium broth gives you room to season at the end. If you have only regular broth, start without extra salt and taste after the meatballs and vegetables have cooked. Homemade or beef broth also works, though it makes a deeper, less delicate-tasting soup.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup hot as a substantial first course or as a light main meal. A slice of dense rye bread, crusty bread, or a buttered roll is useful for soaking up the broth; a simple green salad with a tart vinaigrette adds a crisp contrast. Offer chopped parsley and black pepper at the table so people can season their own bowls. If the soup is part of a larger meal, keep the portions modest and follow it with a roast, a vegetable side, or a simple fruit dessert rather than another broth-heavy dish.

For a welcoming family-style meal, bring the pot to the table after removing the bay leaf and serve with a ladle. The dumplings and meatballs can settle as the pot stands, so give the soup one careful stir before serving each round. If it thickens while waiting, loosen it with a splash of hot broth or water; avoid adding cold liquid at the table, which cools the bowls quickly.

Variations

Use a pork-and-veal mixture: Replace some or all of the ground pork with ground veal. The flavor becomes a little milder and the texture can be more delicate, but keep the same safe-temperature check for ground meat. If veal is hard to find, all pork is a practical choice and makes a pleasantly savory meatball.

Change the vegetables: Parsnip, turnip, or a little celeriac can replace some of the carrot or celery. Cut the pieces to a similar size so they soften evenly. Green beans or a handful of shredded cabbage can be added with the peas, though they will give the soup a more vegetable-forward character than the simple version here.

Use a different broth: Chicken broth gives the light, familiar base used in this recipe. Beef broth produces a darker and more robust soup, while vegetable broth makes it suitable for diners avoiding meat only if you also replace the pork meatballs with a suitable vegetarian alternative. That substitution changes the dish substantially; choose a firm vegetarian meatball that can hold its shape during gentle simmering.

Make the dumplings without dairy: Unsalted plant-based butter and an unsweetened plant milk can replace the dairy butter and milk in the dough. Use a plain, neutral-tasting milk rather than a sweetened or strongly flavored one. The dumplings may be slightly less rich, and different plant milks can absorb flour differently, so adjust the dough gradually as described in the tips.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking. For the best dumpling texture, store the dumplings and meatballs in some broth in one airtight container and the remaining broth and vegetables in another; this slows the dumplings from absorbing too much liquid. Refrigerated leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days. If they have already been mixed together, they are still fine to store, but expect the dumplings to soften and the soup to thicken.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently and adding a little broth or water if needed. Heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking the soup and a meatball with a food thermometer. Avoid a hard boil, which can toughen the meatballs and break up tender dumplings. You can freeze the soup for about 2 to 3 months for best quality, though the dumplings may become softer after thawing. Thaw it in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C); do not leave it at room temperature to thaw.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Danish dumplings called? The small flour dumplings are commonly called melboller, literally flour dumplings. Meatballs are called kødboller. Recipes vary in how they make the dumpling dough, and some versions use eggs or different proportions of butter, milk, and flour. This recipe uses an egg-free dough that is cooked on the stovetop before being shaped.

Can I make the meatballs or dumplings ahead? You can shape the meatballs up to a day ahead, cover them, and refrigerate them until cooking. The dumpling dough is easiest to shape while freshly made, but you can prepare and shape the dumplings a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Add them directly from the refrigerator to the gently simmering soup and allow a little extra cooking time if needed.

Why did my broth turn cloudy? A vigorous boil, excess stirring, or broken meatballs can release small particles into the broth. Keep the heat low enough for a gentle simmer and move the meatballs carefully. Cloudiness does not necessarily mean the soup is spoiled; it mainly affects appearance. For a clearer result, skim any foam from the surface and avoid stirring once the dumplings are in the pot.

Can I use store-bought dumplings? If you can find plain flour dumplings intended for soup, you can use them, following their package directions for cooking time. Some Danish-style dumplings sold frozen may need to be heated separately before being added to the broth. Check the package and avoid boiling them longer than directed, since dumplings can become soft or fall apart if overcooked.

Can I make this soup with chicken broth from a carton? Yes. Carton broth is convenient and works well here; choose a low-sodium version if possible so you can control the final seasoning. If the broth tastes mild, add salt gradually after cooking and finish with parsley or a little lemon juice. Bouillon can also be used when prepared according to its directions, but it is often saltier, so taste before adding more salt.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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