Norwegian sweet soup, often called søtsuppe, is a gently spiced fruit soup made with dried fruit, water, and a little sugar, commonly finished with small pearl tapioca. It can be served warm or chilled as a dessert or a sweet part of a meal, and Norwegian household versions vary in their choice of fruit, thickness, and spice.
This version balances prunes, dried apples, apricots, and raisins with cinnamon and lemon. The fruit softens as it simmers, while tapioca gives the broth a light, silky body without turning it into a heavy pudding.
Ingredients
- 8 cups (1.9 L) water
- 1 cup (170 g) pitted prunes, halved if large
- 1 cup (70 g) dried apple rings or pieces, cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ cup (80 g) dried apricots, quartered
- ½ cup (75 g) raisins
- ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar, or less to taste
- ¼ cup (40 g) small pearl tapioca, not instant tapioca
- 1 cinnamon stick, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long
- 2 strips lemon zest, each about 2 inches (5 cm), with as little white pith as possible
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit and flavorings. Measure the water and tapioca. Check the dried fruit for stems or pits, halve any especially large prunes, and cut the apples and apricots into pieces that will fit comfortably on a spoon. Use a vegetable peeler to take two wide strips of zest from a washed lemon, avoiding the bitter white layer. This preparation takes about 15 minutes, depending on how much fruit needs cutting.
- Simmer the fruit. Put the water, prunes, apples, apricots, raisins, sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon zest, and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat so the mixture bubbles gently, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, especially near the bottom of the pot. The fruit should be tender but still recognizable, not completely dissolved.
- Add the tapioca. Stir in the small pearl tapioca and keep the soup at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently so the pearls do not settle and stick. The tapioca should look mostly translucent, with perhaps a small pale center remaining; it will continue to soften as the soup stands. If the mixture starts bubbling vigorously, lower the heat. A hard boil can break up the fruit and make the liquid reduce too quickly.
- Finish and adjust. Remove the pan from the heat and lift out the cinnamon stick and lemon zest. Stir in the lemon juice and, if using, the vanilla. Taste a spoonful after it cools slightly: add another teaspoon of lemon juice if the fruit tastes very sweet, or a little sugar if you prefer a more dessert-like finish. The soup should be fruity and gently sweet, with enough broth to flow easily from a spoon.
- Choose how to serve it. Serve the soup warm, or let it cool before refrigerating it for a chilled version. It thickens as it cools because the tapioca continues to absorb liquid. If you want a looser consistency, stir in a little hot water before serving warm, or cold water before serving chilled, a tablespoon at a time.
Tips
- Use small pearl tapioca, not instant. Small pearls give the soup its characteristic softly thickened texture. Instant tapioca cooks much faster and can make the broth cloudy or overly thick; if that is all you have, follow its package directions and add it near the end rather than simmering it for the full 15 minutes.
- Let the fruit guide the sweetness. Dried fruit varies considerably in sweetness and tartness. Start with the listed sugar, then adjust after the lemon juice goes in. If your prunes and raisins are especially sweet, you may want less; tart dried apples may call for a little more.
- Keep the simmer gentle and stir often. Tapioca pearls sink as they cook, so scrape the base of the pan while stirring. A low simmer helps them cook through without scorching the fruit or making the prunes fall apart. If the soup seems thick before the pearls are clear, add a splash of water rather than raising the heat.
- Cut fruit to a similar spoonable size. Dried apple rings can remain chewy if left whole, while large apricot halves can dominate a serving. Cutting the larger pieces before cooking makes the finished soup easier to eat and helps the fruit soften at a more even pace.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Norwegian sweet soup in small bowls as a light dessert, an afternoon treat, or a sweet course alongside a simple meal. It is pleasant warm when the fruit is soft and the cinnamon aroma is pronounced; chilled, it becomes thicker and more refreshing. Offer small portions at first because the dried fruit makes the soup satisfying even though the broth itself is light.
For a creamy contrast, add a spoonful of lightly whipped cream, plain yogurt, or sour cream to each bowl just before serving. A splash of milk or cream can also be stirred into an individual portion, though adding dairy to the whole pot may shorten its storage life. A plain butter cookie or a slice of mild bread makes a good accompaniment without competing with the fruit. If serving the soup as part of a larger meal, keep the garnish simple so the dried-fruit flavor stays in focus.
When serving it warm, reheat only the amount you expect to eat if possible, since repeated heating makes the fruit softer and the tapioca thicker. For a cold presentation, stir the chilled soup before ladling it, as the pearls and fruit can settle while it rests.
Variations
Change the fruit blend. Dried pears, sour cherries, or chopped dried figs can replace some of the apples, apricots, or raisins. Keep the total amount of dried fruit close to the recipe’s 3 cups so the liquid-to-fruit balance stays similar. Cherries make the soup sharper and more colorful; figs and pears tend to make it sweeter and fuller-bodied. If using very large or dense pieces, cut them small so they soften on schedule.
Make it without tapioca. Tapioca is a traditional-style thickener in many versions, but it is not essential to the fruit flavor. Leave it out for a thinner, brothier soup, or use 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch mixed smoothly with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water. Stir the slurry into the simmering soup during the final minute and cook until the liquid thickens. Cornstarch gives a glossier, more uniform texture and is not a one-for-one replacement for tapioca pearls.
Adjust the spice and citrus. Add two or three whole cloves with the cinnamon stick for a warmer spice note, then remove them before serving. A small strip of orange zest can replace one strip of lemon zest for a sweeter aroma. Keep the lemon juice if using orange zest: its acidity helps balance the dried fruit. Avoid adding ground cinnamon in large amounts, as it can make the broth dusty and mask the fruit.
Make a dairy-free bowl. The soup itself contains no dairy. Serve it as written, or garnish with a plant-based yogurt or cream alternative. Choose an unsweetened garnish if the fruit is already quite sweet, and add it to individual bowls rather than the pot so the remaining soup keeps its clean fruit flavor.
Storage and Reheating
Cool the soup promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. Store it in a covered, food-safe container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The tapioca will continue to absorb liquid, so the soup may become noticeably thicker overnight; this is normal. Stir in water when you reheat it or just before serving, adding a little at a time until it reaches the consistency you like.
To reheat, warm a portion in a saucepan over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until steaming throughout. For food safety, USDA FSIS guidance is to reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer. Avoid a vigorous boil, which can break down the fruit and encourage the pearls to stick. You can also microwave a covered portion in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until evenly hot and checking that it reaches 165°F (74°C).
The soup can be frozen in a sealed freezer-safe container for up to 2 months, although the fruit may soften and the tapioca may change texture after thawing. Leave a little room in the container for expansion. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, stir well, and reheat as directed. If the thawed soup is too thick, loosen it with water. Do not store it at room temperature or attempt to preserve it by canning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Norwegian sweet soup made of?
It is a sweet fruit soup commonly made with dried fruit, water, and warming spices. Some versions include tapioca or another thickener, while others are more broth-like. The exact fruit mix and seasoning vary between households and recipes, so prunes, apples, raisins, and apricots are a practical combination rather than a fixed rule.
Is Norwegian sweet soup served hot or cold?
It can be served either way. Warm soup has a more fragrant cinnamon aroma and a looser consistency; chilled soup thickens as the tapioca settles and absorbs liquid. If serving it cold, stir it before portioning and add a little water if it has become thicker than you want.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Make the soup up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator, within the general 3-to-4-day leftover window. It will thicken as it sits, so plan to stir in a splash of water when serving. You can serve it chilled straight from the refrigerator or reheat it gently to 165°F (74°C).
Why is my soup too thick?
Tapioca keeps taking up liquid after cooking, particularly while the soup cools. Stir in water a tablespoon or two at a time until the broth loosens. Next time, you can use slightly less tapioca or add a little extra water at the end. Avoid trying to thin it by boiling hard, which may make the fruit mushy.
Can I use fresh fruit instead of dried fruit?
Dried fruit is important to the concentrated flavor and chewy texture of this version. Fresh fruit releases more water and softens differently, so replacing all the dried fruit with fresh fruit would change the recipe substantially. For a small variation, replace up to ½ cup (about 75 g) of the dried fruit with firm fresh apple pieces and simmer until tender, checking the sweetness before serving.
Do I need to soak the dried fruit or tapioca first?
No soaking is required for this recipe. The fruit softens during the 20-minute simmer, and small pearl tapioca cooks in the final 15 minutes. If the package directions for your tapioca specifically call for soaking, follow those directions and account for the extra time; do not confuse small pearls with instant tapioca, which cooks on a different schedule.
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