German · Main course · 1 h 5 min

Swabian Lentils with Saitenwürstchen (lentil stew with sausages and Spätzle)

Name: Swabian Lentils with Saitenwürstchen (lentil stew with sausages and Spätzle)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 2 onions, finely diced; 1 stick leek, in rings; 2 carrots, sliced; 100 g celeriac, diced; 1 potato, medium (peeled and grated, thickens the lentils); 2 tbsp oil; 250 g lentils (preferably Alb lentils); 200 g smoked belly pork (in one piece or diced, such as juniper-smoked belly); 800 ml vegetable stock; 3 tbsp red wine vinegar (to taste); 2 pinches nutmeg; salt (sparingly, the smoked belly pork adds salt); pepper; 8 Saitenwürstchen or Wienerle (small frankfurters); 500 g Spätzle (fresh from the chiller cabinet or homemade)

Creamy lentils with smoked belly pork and root vegetables, seasoned with vinegar, served with Spätzle and hot sausages.

As of: 11 October 2026

Swabian Lentils with Saitenwürstchen (lentil stew with sausages and Spätzle)

Preparation

Dice the onions, cut the leek into rings, slice the carrots and dice the celeriac. Peel and finely grate the potato.
Sweat the onions in the oil, then add the leek, carrots and celeriac, but not the potato yet. Fry the smoked belly pork along with them.
Add the lentils and pour in the stock. Lentils that have not been soaked take longer than soaked ones; cook according to the packet instructions, usually about 30 to 40 minutes, until tender.
After about 8 minutes of cooking, stir in the grated potato. When the lentils are cooked, season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and the vinegar.
Heat the sausages separately in hot water and prepare the Spätzle according to the packet instructions.
Serve the lentils with the sausages and Spätzle; if the smoked belly pork was cooked in one piece, slice it and add to the plate.

Drink with it

Red wine · excellent match
Trollinger or light Lemberger, lightly chilled
Fresh fruit and soft tannins suit sausage and Spätzle, and the acidity of the wine stands alongside the vinegar.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Pale lager · excellent match
Export or Helles, well chilled
Carbonation and mild malt sweetness clear the fat from the smoked belly pork and sausages and cushion the vinegar.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?
Dark beer · good match
Dark lager
Malty, roasted notes support the earthy lentils and the smokiness of the belly pork.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue
Smoky whisky · good match
Islay single malt with a splash of water, in small sips
The smoked belly pork and sausages mirror the peat, and the acidity of the vinegar keeps the whisky fresh.
Why Does Whisky Taste Smoky? Peat, Simply Explained

With the same drinks

This pairs well too.

German · Main course · 1 h 5 min

Swabian Lentils with Saitenwürstchen (lentil stew with sausages and Spätzle)

Creamy lentils with smoked belly pork and root vegetables, seasoned with vinegar, served with Spätzle and hot sausages.

As of: 11 October 2026

Preparation

Dice the onions, cut the leek into rings, slice the carrots and dice the celeriac. Peel and finely grate the potato.
Sweat the onions in the oil, then add the leek, carrots and celeriac, but not the potato yet. Fry the smoked belly pork along with them.
Add the lentils and pour in the stock. Lentils that have not been soaked take longer than soaked ones; cook according to the packet instructions, usually about 30 to 40 minutes, until tender.
After about 8 minutes of cooking, stir in the grated potato. When the lentils are cooked, season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and the vinegar.
Heat the sausages separately in hot water and prepare the Spätzle according to the packet instructions.
Serve the lentils with the sausages and Spätzle; if the smoked belly pork was cooked in one piece, slice it and add to the plate.

Drink with it

Red wine · excellent match
Trollinger or light Lemberger, lightly chilled
Fresh fruit and soft tannins suit sausage and Spätzle, and the acidity of the wine stands alongside the vinegar.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Pale lager · excellent match
Export or Helles, well chilled
Carbonation and mild malt sweetness clear the fat from the smoked belly pork and sausages and cushion the vinegar.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?
Dark beer · good match
Dark lager
Malty, roasted notes support the earthy lentils and the smokiness of the belly pork.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue
Smoky whisky · good match
Islay single malt with a splash of water, in small sips
The smoked belly pork and sausages mirror the peat, and the acidity of the vinegar keeps the whisky fresh.
Why Does Whisky Taste Smoky? Peat, Simply Explained

With the same drinks

Swabian Lentils with Saitenwürstchen (lentil stew with sausages and Spätzle)

Preparation

Drink with it

Trollinger or light Lemberger, lightly chilled

Export or Helles, well chilled

Dark lager

Islay single malt with a splash of water, in small sips

This pairs well too.

Bulgogi (Korean Marinated Beef)

Carne Asada (Grilled Beef Steak with Lime)

Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs) with cream sauce and lingonberries

Lahmacun (Turkish minced meat flatbreads)

Swabian Lentils with Saitenwürstchen (lentil stew with sausages and Spätzle)

Preparation

Drink with it

Trollinger or light Lemberger, lightly chilled

Export or Helles, well chilled

Dark lager

Islay single malt with a splash of water, in small sips

This pairs well too.

Bulgogi (Korean Marinated Beef)

Carne Asada (Grilled Beef Steak with Lime)

Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs) with cream sauce and lingonberries

Lahmacun (Turkish minced meat flatbreads)