Schneckensuppe

Schneckensuppe (German Creamy Snail Soup)

A rich and creamy German soup with garlic, butter, and tender snails, finished with a generous grind of black pepper.

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz) canned snails (drained) or fresh snails (cleaned), canned snails are pre-cooked; fresh snails must be very fresh and cleaned
• •50 g (3½ tbsp) butter
• •4 cloves garlic, minced
• •1 small shallot, finely chopped, optional, adds depth
• •30 g (2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• •500 ml (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock, use good-quality stock
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) heavy cream, 35% fat content
• •1 to taste (to taste) salt
• •1 generous (generous) freshly ground black pepper, use a lot – it's a key flavor
• •2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Steps

1. 1 If using fresh snails: thoroughly clean them, then cook in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. If using canned snails, simply drain and rinse them.
2. 2 Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and shallot (if using), and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. 3 Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to make a light roux.
4. 4 Gradually whisk in the stock, then the heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
5. 5 Add the prepared snails and simmer gently for 10 minutes to heat through and allow the flavors to meld. Ensure the soup is bubbling gently, not boiling hard.
6. 6 Season generously with salt and a large amount of freshly ground black pepper – the pepper should be clearly present. Taste and adjust.
7. 7 Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with crusty bread if desired.