Servings: 6
Calories: 256kcal
Equipment
- Food Processor (or blender, and a sharp knife may also be used)
- 1.5 inch cookie scoop (or you may use your hands or a spoons)
- Large Pot
Ingredients
For The Liver Dumplings
- 1 lbs liver (Cut into small pieces. Beef, chicken, or a mixture)
- 3 cups stale day-old sourdough bread (Or 2 cups breadcrumbs — both of these are rough estimates and can be adjusted. Go with the look and feel of the mixture.)
- 1 large onion (Yellow or white)
- ¼ cup milk (With extra as needed)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon butter (Salted or unsalted)
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For The Broth
- 3 quarts beef stock (Chicken stock also works. Homemade flavorful stock is preferred)
- 2 cups roughly chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- The night before: Chop your onions and parsley and cut your liver into small pieces. The liver should be free from any membranes or veins etc.Then, get a large bowl and your bread and cut or tear it into small pieces. Moisten the bread with milk until it is damp but not soaking and leave it alone for 1-2 hours to fully absorb and soften, especially if using the crust. Be cautious, you can always add more if needed. The milk should be fully absorbed and not pooling. Knead the bread until it is crumbly and falling apart, like a dry paste. Drain any excess milk.If using bread crumbs instead of bread, instructions are the same, but the breadcrumbs will not need to sit.
- In the food processor, pulse your onion and parsley until it is minced finely. Then add the whole egg, liver pieces, butter, some salt and pepper, and the marjoram. Pulse until smooth.
- Finally, add the bread or breadcrumbs, all excess milk squeezed out. Pulse until combined.
- The mixture should be loose but not runny. Put this mixture (covered) in the refrigerator overnight (8 hours and up to 24 hours).
- The next day, check the texture — is it firm? Or runny?
- If firm with no liquid pooling? Like a homemade pate? You did it correctly. This step will come will practice and feel. And even if the mixture is too loose or too firm, the taste will be great. See the video for reference to what the texture should be like.If it is very runny — add more bread crumbs, about 1 tablespoon at a time until ideal texture is achieved.
- When ready to prepare your dumplings, get your broth ready and simmering on the stove. Add your raw carrots and celery, your bay leaf, simmer for 5 minutes before moving onto the next step.
- Using a 1.5 inch cookie scoop, or two spoons (see video), or even your hands, quickly form your dumplings and drop them into the simmering broth, one by one.
- Dumplings will be ready in about 20 minutes and they will float to the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
- Depending on size of dumplings, 3-5 per bowl is a typical serving size.
Notes
Hint: Allowing the liver dumpling mixture to rest in the refrigerator overnight is best, but you can make this soup immediately too if you really want. Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to avoid getting your hands dirty.
Add whatever other vegetables you like to the broth, just take note of their cooking time in relation to the cooking time of the liver dumplings.
Substitutions & Variations
Once you make this soup, I'm convinced it will become a favorite as it's just such an easy and tasty recipe for liver. Here are some additional ways to change the flavor profile of the broth or meat you may want to try out to keep it interesting.
- Spicy | add some red red pepper flakes into the liver mixture.
- Sauerkraut or cabbage | Add raw green or red cabbage into the broth at the same time as the other vegetables. Or add sauerkraut into bowls and pour soup over top.
- Egg-free | you can omit the egg. The liver dumplings will be looser but it works.
- Gluten-free & grain-free | I have never personally tried this, but you can use gluten-free bread crumbs to make the liver dumplings. I do not know how to make it grain-free or if something like almond meal would work. If you try this please consider letting me now in the comments to help other people!
- Vegetables | Add potatoes and/or whatever vegetables you enjoy in soup. The broth is versatile and you do not have to follow the traditional recipe each time. Use what you like and have on hand.
- Barley | Pearl or hulled barley is an excellent addition. Just make sure to account for the cooking time of the dumplings and time the barley accordingly.
Nutrition
Serving: 6g | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 214mg | Sodium: 1331mg | Potassium: 1375mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 20225IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!