Summary: A clear beef broth with thin strips of pancake floating in it. Light, savory and always welcome at the start of a meal. Ready in 45 minutes, serves 6.
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Categories: American Soups, American Austrian Cuisine
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Quick Overview
- Dish: Frittatensuppe
- Categories: American Soups, American Austrian Cuisine
- Cuisine: Austrian
- Main ingredient: Beef broth, 6.3 cups + pancake batter
- Guide: 12 Most Famous Austrian Dishes
- Total time: 45 minutes (15 minutes preparation + 30 minutes cooking)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Servings: 6 (portion weight: 10 oz)
- Key technique: Simmering, pan-frying
- Preparation types: Simmering, pan-frying
- Dietary info & allergens: Contains gluten, eggs, milk
- Suitable for: Sunday dinner, holiday meal, family dinner, meal starter
- Nutritional values (per portion): 185 kcal, Protein: 9 g, Fat: 8 g, Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Storage: 2 days in the fridge (broth and pancakes separately)
- Pairing: Grüner Veltliner, light lager, sparkling water
- In short: The Austrian soup par excellence — a clear broth with pancake strips, nothing more.
- Last update: September 29, 2026
WAGUU says: “Frittatensuppe is only as good as the broth. Use a properly made beef broth, not a stock cube. The pancake strips are there to carry the broth, not to be the main event.”
Key Facts
| Prep time: | 15 minutes |
| Cooking time: | 30 minutes |
| Temperature: | 195–205 °F (bare tremble, never boil) |
| Servings: | 6 |
At a Glance
Frittatensuppe is the Austrian soup that turns a simple broth into something special. A thin pancake is cooked flat, rolled up and cut into strips. The strips go into the bowl, the broth is poured over, and that is the whole dish. It is simple, elegant and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 servings • Portion weight: 10 oz
| Ingredient | Amount | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Beef broth | 6.3 cups | Homemade, clear, from Tafelspitz or similar |
| All-purpose flour | 1 cups | Fine, sifted |
| Eggs | 2 pcs | Large, free-range |
| Whole milk | 1.1 cups | Whole milk |
| Butter | 1 oz | Unsalted, for the pan |
| Fine sea salt | 0.35 oz | For the broth and batter |
| Nutmeg | 0.04 oz | Freshly grated |
| Fresh chives | 0.7 oz | Finely chopped |
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Simple and elegant: Six ingredients, thirty minutes, and a soup that looks like it came from a Viennese restaurant.
- Uses up broth: The perfect way to use the clear broth from a Tafelspitz or a roast.
- Kid-friendly: The pancake strips are soft and mild, and the broth is savory without being spicy.
Why it works: The pancake batter is thin, which gives a flat, flexible pancake that rolls without cracking and cuts into clean strips. The broth is kept at a bare tremble so it stays clear. If the broth boils, the proteins in it coagulate and cloud the liquid — and clear broth is the whole point of the dish.
Recipe Overview
Prep: 15 min | Cook: 30 min | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6 | Type: Soup | Origin: Austrian
Detailed Method
Total progress: 0 % done
Phase 1: Making the Pancake Batter – 5 min
Equipment: Mixing bowl, whisk
1. Put the flour into a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Add the eggs and half the milk and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining milk, a pinch of salt and a grating of nutmeg. Whisk until the batter is the consistency of half-and-half — it should coat the back of a spoon but still run off it.
VKB: The batter is smooth with no lumps. It coats the back of a spoon in a thin, even layer and runs off in a steady stream.
Before you continue:
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes before frying. This gives the flour time to absorb the liquid and makes the pancake less likely to tear.
Phase 2: Frying the Pancakes – 12 min
Equipment: Non-stick skillet (10 inch), spatula
2. Heat a small knob of butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour in a thin layer of batter — about ¼ cup — and tilt the pan so it covers the bottom evenly. Fry for 1–2 minutes until the edges lift and the top is set. Flip and fry for another 30 seconds. Slide onto a plate and repeat with the remaining batter. You should get 4 thin pancakes.
VKB: Each pancake is thin, pale golden and flexible. There are no dark brown patches and no thick edges.
Before you continue:
Keep the heat at medium. If the pan is too hot, the pancake browns before it sets. If it is too cold, the batter spreads too thin and tears when you flip it.
Phase 3: Cutting the Pancake Strips – 5 min
Equipment: Cutting board, sharp knife
3. Stack the pancakes and roll them up tightly into a cylinder. Cut the roll into ⅛-inch wide strips with a sharp knife. Unroll each strip gently with your fingers and set them aside on a plate.
VKB: The strips are even in width, about the thickness of a matchstick, and do not tear. They separate easily when unrolled.
Before you continue:
Use a sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion. Pressing down hard crushes the pancake roll and the strips stick together.
Phase 4: Heating the Broth – 10 min
Equipment: Medium saucepan, fine sieve
4. Strain the beef broth through a fine sieve into a medium saucepan. Bring it to a bare tremble over medium-low heat — 195–205 °F, with the surface moving but not bubbling. Season with salt to taste. Do not let it boil.
VKB: The broth is clear and golden. The surface is trembling gently, not bubbling. The broth smells of beef and aromatics, not of stock cube.
Before you continue:
Never let the broth boil. Boiling agitates the proteins and clouds the liquid. Keep it at a tremble and the broth stays clear.
Phase 5: Assembling the Soup – 2 min
Equipment: Warm soup bowls
5. Put a handful of pancake strips into each warm soup bowl. Ladle the hot broth over the strips so they float. The strips should be half-submerged and half-poking above the surface.
VKB: The strips float in the broth without sinking to the bottom. The broth is still clear and the strips are pale yellow against the golden liquid.
Before you continue:
Do not add the pancake strips to the pot of broth. If they sit in the hot broth for more than a minute or two they will turn to mush. Always assemble in the bowl.
Phase 6: Serving – 1 min
Equipment: Fresh chives, scissors
6. Snip the fresh chives over each bowl with scissors and serve immediately.
VKB: The chives are bright green against the golden broth. The soup is steaming and the strips are still firm.
Required Equipment
| Item | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-stick skillet | 10 inch | Carbon steel or cast iron skillet, well seasoned | Unseasoned pans stick and tear the pancakes |
| Fine sieve | 8 inch, fine mesh | Cheesecloth in a colander | A coarse sieve leaves sediment in the broth |
| Medium saucepan | 2 quart | Any deep pot | A large pot boils the broth too quickly |
Shopping List
Nutritional Profile
Values per portion (without side dish). Calculated from average nutritional values of ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 portion | Per 6 portions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 66 kcal | 185 kcal | 1110 kcal |
| Fat | 2.9 g | 8 g | 48 g |
| of which saturated | 1.4 g | 4 g | 24 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6.4 g | 18 g | 108 g |
| of which sugars | 0.7 g | 2 g | 12 g |
| Protein | 3.2 g | 9 g | 54 g |
| Salt | 0.6 g | 1.6 g | 9.6 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro Level
- Pro standard: Verified recipe with exact ratios and visual control points.
- Tip 1: Use a properly made beef broth, not a stock cube. The broth is the whole dish — if it is weak, the soup is weak.
- Tip 2: Let the pancake batter rest for 15 minutes before frying. This gives the flour time to absorb the liquid and makes the pancake less likely to tear.
- Tip 3: Roll the pancakes tightly before cutting. A loose roll gives uneven strips that stick together.
- Tip 4: Always assemble the soup in the bowl, never in the pot. If the strips sit in the hot broth for more than a minute or two they turn to mush.
Scientific Background
A clear broth is a study in controlled protein coagulation. Beef broth contains dissolved proteins. When the broth boils, those proteins agitate and clump together, and the liquid turns cloudy. When the broth is kept at 195–205 °F, the proteins stay dissolved and the broth stays clear. This is why a bare tremble is the correct temperature for any soup where clarity matters. The pancake strips are there for texture and starch — they soak up some of the broth and give the soup body without clouding it.
Fine Dining – Professional Techniques
- Plate composition: Serve in a warm shallow bowl. Place the strips in a neat pile in the center and ladle the broth around them, not over them.
- Texture contrasts: The soft strips against the thin, clear broth.
- Temperature contrast: Serve very hot, so the broth steams at the table.
- Aromatic additions: Snip fresh chives over the bowl just before serving.
Sensory Radar
- Appearance: Golden clear broth, pale yellow strips floating on top, bright green chives.
- Aroma: Beef, bay leaf, peppercorn.
- Taste: Clean, savory, deeply beefy without being heavy.
- Texture: Thin broth, soft strips that yield under a spoon.
Pairing
- BEER: Light lager, wheat beer, or a Vienna lager.
- WINE: Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, or a light Pinot Blanc.
- SOFT DRINK: Sparkling water with lemon.
Preparation Variations
- With marrow dumplings: Add small dumplings made from bread, marrow and egg to the broth alongside the pancake strips.
- With liver pâté: Some Viennese versions add a small scoop of liver pâté to each bowl.
Allergens and Dietary Information
Contains: Gluten, eggs, milk • Gluten: Yes (from flour) • Not suitable for: Celiac disease, lactose intolerance, vegan
Suitable For
Sunday dinner, holiday meal, family dinner, light starter
Substitution Catalogue
- Beef broth: Chicken broth (lighter) or vegetable broth (vegetarian version)
- Whole milk: Semi-skimmed milk, or oat milk (lighter)
- Butter: Clarified butter or vegetable oil
FAQ
Can I use stock cubes instead of homemade broth?
You can, but the soup will not be the same. Frittatensuppe is a broth-based dish, so the quality of the broth is everything. If you use a cube, choose a good quality one and taste the broth before serving.
Why is my broth cloudy?
It boiled instead of simmering. Keep it at a bare tremble — never a rolling boil — and skim the surface regularly.
Why do my pancake strips turn to mush?
They sat in the hot broth for too long. Always assemble the soup in the bowl, not in the pot, and serve it immediately.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes. Use a gluten-free flour blend in the pancake batter. The result will be slightly denser but still good.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Make a double batch of pancakes. Assemble in individual bowls just before serving. • 10+ people: Boil the broth ahead and store it in the fridge. Reheat gently and assemble in bowls to order.
Side Dishes and Serving
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: 2 days (broth and pancakes separately) • Freezer: Broth only, up to 3 months • Reheating: Reheat the broth to a bare tremble and assemble fresh in the bowl.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 30 Sep 2026
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Most Common Mistakes
- Boiling the broth – Boiling agitates the proteins and clouds the liquid. Keep it at a bare tremble.
- Adding strips to the pot – They turn to mush in minutes. Always assemble in the bowl.
- Pancake batter too thick – Thick batter gives thick pancakes that do not roll properly and break when cut.
- Not resting the batter – Fifteen minutes of rest lets the flour absorb the liquid and makes the pancake less likely to tear.