Norwegian Sweet Soup (Sot Suppe)
A classic Norwegian recipe that consists of dried fruits, spices and tapioca, cooked into a thick, sweet soup (sot supper) that can be served warm or cold.
Hello there and welcome to Cheap Recipe Blog! I’m Haley and I love exploring my Norwegian roots through cooking & by making traditional Norwegian recipes like these:
- Rommegrot (cream pudding)
- Rommegrot bars
- Lefse (no special equipment needed!)
- Krumkake
- Goro cookies
- Norwegian pepperkaker cookies
- Klub (potato dumplings)
- Swedish meatballs
- Lutefisk
- Open-faced sandwiches
- Flatbrod (flatbread/crackers)
- Almond kringler
- Kringla cookies
- Almond cake
- Sandbakkelse (sugar cookies)
- Fried rosettes
- Norwegian meatballs (kjøttkaker)
- Norwegian rice pudding (risgrot)
- Danish pancakes (aebleskiver)
- How to make Norwegian egg coffee
- A Scandinavian snack board
I received really great feedback, mostly from people who have some connection to Norway or people who have Norwegian ancestry. It’s so much fun to hear about the different recipe variations on everything from potato dumplings (klub) to rommegrot.
Today, I’m continuing on with another family favorite: Sweet soup.
What Is Sweet Soup?
Sweet soup is a traditional Norwegian recipe consisting of dried fruits, warm spices, and tapioca. It’s cooked into a thick and sweet dessert with an almost jam-like consistency.
Grandma Harriet’s Sweet Soup
Growing up, we would eat traditional Norwegian foods on special occasions. This sweet soup is one of those foods. It’s something my grandma Harriet used to make with pride: a sweet combination of dried fruits, tapioca, and spices.
This is the first time I made sweet soup (sot suppe, in Norwegian) myself. It was very easy.
And the best part? It tasted just like the kind my grandma used to make. That makes me very happy.
How To Eat Norwegian Sweet Soup
Since this recipe will be unfamiliar to many of you, I’m offering up a few ways to enjoy it:
- Sweet soup can be eaten warm or cold (I prefer cold)
- Serve with a drizzle of heavy cream on top
- Serve on top of cottage cheese
- Serve on top of unsweetened yogurt
- Serve with sliced cheese on the side (a sharp white cheddar or gjetost cheese would be nice)
This is a special occasion recipe, more than anything – at least that is how we always enjoyed it.
Make a batch for your family Christmas celebration, Easter or Syttende Mai (17th of May).
Norwegian Sweet Soup (Sot Suppe)
Use any combination of mix dried fruit (ingredient #5, below). I used a combination of dried apricots, apples, and prunes.
The starch in the tapioca helps to thicken this soup. I recommend large pearl tapioca, but a smaller tapioca would also work.
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 1/4 cup large pearl tapioca
- 1 cup chopped prunes
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 cup mixed dried fruit, chopped
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Soak tapioca in water overnight. In the morning, add fruit, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest.
- Cook over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan until tapioca is clear and the fruit is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Allow to cool. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
I was told that sweet soup was made for new mothers. It was fruit to help the mother from becoming constipated. Hey, I am just sharing what I was told. Mom made it for me after my first baby. Maybe I should started eating it a day or two before. LOL
I had no idea! Funny story 🙂
This is what my Mom told me too…. she would make sot suppe every so often…. yum!
That is what my Mom said, but the fruit helped her “blood” become better after childbirth from the added iron.
Have you tried cooking it in a crockpot?
I have not, but I bet it would work wonderfully. Thanks!
I cooked the pearl tapioca for an hour, and it still hadn’t turned clear. I added the rest of the ingredients and threw it in my slow cooker. After about two houra on high, the tapioca was clear and unburned. Double win!
We grew up calling it fruit soup. My grandma would make it and we loved it. I thought I’d look up the recipe today and am so happy to have found this recipe! I’m not sure but I think there were peaches in my grandmas recipe. I’m going to make it this weekend.
So fun to find this! I just made my family’s version for the first time myself after growing up eating my mom’s, after her growing up with her grandmother’s… it’s a long tradition. 🙂 Really enjoying the connection to my Norwegian roots.
Recipes can really do that! Thanks for your comment, Karen 🙂
I have grown up with what we call prune pudding, I unfortunately don’t have a recipe and my grandmother passed away.
I would love a recipe if you have one!
I will try sweet soup!!
I haven’t heard of prune pudding… sounds interesting! Hopefully his recipe will be similar.
I’ve been making søtsuppe for many years usually at Christmastime. One year I made such a big batch I canned it, which was a first for me, and how handy to just grab a jar off the fruit cellar shelf. The one thing that is necessary, is to soak the tapioca overnight. There is just no other way to soften it, so you have to plan a day in advance. For some years now I have made it in a double boiler, and I find that it is a better way than on the stovetop. If you cook on the stovetop and forget about it, it can scorch and stick. PS: Thanks for the tip about eating it over yogurt! Ha en god dag! 🙂
Thanks for the tips, Terry! You’re right about it scorching and sticking if you’re not careful.
I’ve ruined more than one kettle over the years on sot suppe! You’re absolutely right about watching it closely.
My mother and mother in law made this soup and have been looking for it as my spouse wants me to make him some. He is Norwaigian decedent.
My grandma called this “Chadding Soup”. I’m not sure how you would spell that in Norwegian but that’s how it sounded to me as an English child. She said that meant old woman soup and that it was called that because it helped with constipation.
Haha, that’s awesome! I think I’ve heard some variation of that. I guess she was right?!
gammel kjerring means old woman in a rather perjorative way. Kjerring sounds like “CHAIR ding” so you are on the right tract. Søtsuppe means sweet soup in Norwegian. It was a winter time favorite while growing up.
This was also served by my mother and grandmother. After the birth of my first child my mother made some sweet soup and said the very same thing. It was always served with heavy cream or as a treat with vanilla ice cream. Now I’m making it for my very old dad to remind him of his Norwegian Mom.
I lived in a Norwegian home as a teen, and the mom in the household made Norwegian fruit soup/pudding, but instead of tapioca, she used pearl barley. It was always delicious and can be served cold in summer or hot in winter. Add a dollop of sour cream or whipped cream, which ever you want.
Yum! The sour cream or whipped cream addition sounds delicious.
What is the process for canning the soup?
Sorry, I can’t help you with that. I’ve never canned sweet soup. Good luck!
Grew up eating this every Christmas <3 might make this year and surprise my sister. I believe moms recipe is in a cook book somewhere. Excited to see how the recipes match up. I remember she would let hers simmer with a cinnamon stick.
That would be a wonderful surprise! Good idea to add a cinnamon stick while simmering.
My mother added cinnamon sticks and also replaced some of the water with grapevine and a little bit of sweet Mogan David wine. It was soon yummy.
Is it possible to freeze sweet soup?
I think it’s possible, but I have never tried it! Let me know if you try it.
Yes it’s possible to freeze. Turns out very well. I love it with a splash of cream!
Just like my mother made every year. She would add port wine to the adults portions. This is Christmas and all the happy memories.
I have been enjoying sweet soup since I was a child when my dad would make it. He only used prunes, raisins and cinnamon sticks. I suppose in rural Minnesota that was all he could find. My wife and I have been making it every winter for the 44 years we have been married but have really doctored my dads recipe. What we are having a hard time finding is “good” large pearl tapioca. What we get never leaves any “fish eyes”. It all just disolves away. I miss the fish eyes.
Same here!!! I miss my Grandmas fish eyes in her prune pudding!!
How many people would this serve?
This serves 8 to 10 people depending on the serving size.
I made your sweet soup and it was wonderful. It’s is almost identical to my late MIL’s recipe which I could not lay my hands on at the time, so I found this and used it as my guide.
I used raisins, dark and golden, prunes and dried cranberries, which sort of fell apart but left a wonderful hint of red color and a slight tanginess to the soup. I also used the cinnamon stick instead of the powder. I started with 1/2 cup sugar, and upped it to your measurement (due to the cranberries), as well.
I linked this recipe in an email to another favored blogger, Deb Perlman, of Smitten Kitchen. I was looking for a compote recipe there to compare sweet soup to a compote for fruit addition ideas. I didn’t find one and thought she might like to take a look at this. I hope you don’t mind that I linked this.
Instead of tapioca can I use cornstarch and how would I do that! I’m planning tomuse only apricots
Do you have a recipe for “raspberry pot pie”?
My grandmother, whose family came from Sweden used to make it when I was a kid. We all loved it
I’ve searched for years without success to find anyone who’s familiar with it
I’m 80 years old, and I’d surely love to have some today.
Thank you.
Hi Jim – Sorry to say I’ve never heard of it, nor has my mother. It sounds delicious, however! I hope you can find this recipe! Thanks for your comment.
Jim, have you asked Andreas Viestad? If he isn’t familiar with the dish, I bet he’ll know who to ask.
andreasviestad.com
Little late to reply but raspberry pot pie shows on goggle. Basically a pie crust with a raspberry filling. I imagine they crushed and strained some raspberries then thickened and added the whole berry’s. Put in pie shell top with a top crust butter and sugar. Bake and serve.
Soaking my lg tapioca pearls overnight. Going to use my dried fruit: kiwi and ginger. Had to blend them w a little water. Love the taste. Wondering if a little rhubarb might be fun. Miss my ND produce here in TX
My grandma made fruit soup like this and rhubarb soup, which had orange slices in it. You can find similar recipes online.
Interesting. I’ve never heard of rhubarb soup!
My mother would make this soup throughout the winter months and still a favorite of mine. We also heard it was made for new mothers, which I would eat as my first meal after the birth of my children. As a side note my mom would add blackberry preserves or red current preserves to the soup, it added a wonderful taste to it. She always made her own croutons, diced bread and cooked in butter and brown sugar. It would be crispy sweet on the outside and soft inside, a delicious compliment to the soup.
The croutons sound delicious! I want to try that!
My mother used to cook various Norwegian foods at Christmas time.
Sweet Soup was one of those which she made. I recently made Sweet Soup
and very delicious and hubby likes it to.
I put in dried currents. Very good. Can’t find dried lingonberries. My mother added frozen peaches as a treat. The other name is winter soup. Freshening up dried fruit in the absence of fresh fruit in a dark Norwegian or Wisconsin winter. Probably does prevent constipation. My mother is a big believer in prunes.
Do you have to make any adjustments in amount or soaking time for small pearl tapioca?
Hi Lou – I haven’t tried small tapioca, but I would give it about 3 or 4 hours. Thanks!
Granny (Shiner) Seely always made sotsuppe, and I’m thrilled to find the recipe! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks Haley! This looks like an awesome recipe. I have never heard of this before and I really appreciate you opening my eyes to this new dish. Your serving suggestions for this soup are also super helpful.
My mom always made this in a crockpot. We kids called it “frog egg” soup because of the tapioca. Instead of all water and dried fruit, my mom would use canned plums, and canned apricots with their juice and reduce the amount of water. She used raisins and prunes as well. My mom learned how to make it from her grandmother and has passed it down to us kids (I am 64 and my sister is 61). She was told that it was for new mothers as well. It could be served hot or cold, as a main meal or as a dessert. It was very versatile.
Never had it before but it’s delicious. Very very reminiscent of a chutney to me. Love it and will make tonnes more.
My dad made the tapioca separate. Then he’d stew the fruit letting it get thickened. He’d ladle it on top of the tapioca. I wonder if it was his reinvention of this treat.
I lived in a Norwegian home as a youngster, and the mother within the family made Norwegian fruit soup/pudding, but in preference to tapioca, she used pearl barley. It changed into constantly delicious and may be served cold in summer time or hot in iciness. Add a dollop of sour cream or whipped cream, which ever you need.
I am 65, this is the first time ever I have seen a recipe in print that was anything like the fruit soup my thoroughly Norwegian mom made! It’s a lot like yours, plus sweet dumplings added for the last 15 minutes of cooking. I have made some changes for myself — I put the cinnamon sticks and dried fruit in the pot, cover generously with apple cider, bring it to a simmer, then turn off the heat, put on the lid, and let it steep overnight. Next day, I slice a couple of oranges and a lemon into thin slices (skin on, seeds out), poke a few whole cloves into some of the orange slices, add those along with more apple cider or water or orange juice (usually all three). Generally, because of my schedule, I simmer this for a couple of hours, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and leave it overnight again. After that, the recipe looks a lot like yours. Thank you for this! I will try to find that dumpling recipe and post it here later today
It sounds wonderful, Annie! Thanks for sharing your methods.
I think the only difference in the way my family makes it from your recipe is that they omitted the sugar and used juice instead of water. Grape juice, I think.
Nice work.
I can’t find pearl tapioca anywhere this year – – blame it on the pandemic shortages. I do have some Minute Tapioca here at home. Would that work? How much of that would I need?
Hi Susie! Yes, minute tapioca will work. I would use the same amount. Cooking time may be less.
Can any other ingredient be substituted for the tapioca? Like perhaps pearl barley or chai seeds or maybe couscous? I just don’t have any tapioca and have no idea where to get it. By the way thank you so much for all the wonderful recipes. I’m sure you can tell by my name that I’m Swedish living in Canada. Happy Holidays!!
Thanks AnnBritt – love your name!
I think any of those options would work to replace the tapioca. The chia seed one sounds very interesting – might have to try that myself!
Granny (Shiner) Seely always made sotsuppe, and I’m thrilled to find the recipe! Thanks for sharing!!
I Love finding these original recipes! I’ve been looking for sotsuppe for years like Granny Seely made!!
Enjoyed all the comments. The first time I had this and romagrat a a town celebration I tasted the romagrat without the cinnamon and sugar so add them and stirred in some fruit soup and just Loved both! Guess that’s what happens when an Irishman eats Norwegian food. Ps I like brown sugar or blackberry jam on my lefsa.🤔
I’m so excited to find g to his recipe, i childhood memory of the pot on the stove, was always used as a dessert.
My husband made this every Xmas and we loved it. We added frozen raspberries which added another nice flavor.
My grandparents were 1st generation born Norwegian & Danish, but we never had Sot Suppe. The first time I ever heard of it was on a visit with my grandfather’s youngest brother and Danish wife.
Waste nothing …
What I recall is that she didn’t like the outer layers of fruit from apples, peaches, etc. but she kept all the peelings, added overripe fruit, and such by putting them in a small bucket kept in the fridge. She would cook this for the juice, strain and then proceed with her version of the recipe.
I’m lazy and just take frozen peaches and either microwave or stew in a bit of water or juice on the stove, add various fruits on hand such as apple slices/chunks, blueberries, other berries, prunes … whatever I’m in the mood for … when the peaches are softened to my liking, I spoon it into a bowl add a sweetener (sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, whatever) and enjoy.
I love that frugality! I imagine back then the fruit skin wasn’t laden with pesticides and preservatives like it is now.
Love it!! Thank you for posting! We do something similar, but instead of water and sugar, we do grape juice. It gives flavor and the needed liquid, but no added sugar needed.
Nice – I haven’t tried it with grape juice but I bet it adds great flavor!
I was amazed to come across this recipe which said that it is possible to make a soup which is sweet. Packed with dates, nuts and so on, I really fell hard for this one.
My Grandmother always made this in the winter time,around Christmas. I loved it, my sister, not so much. Granny always claimed it “kept us regular “. LOL 😂
I read the comments about it burning easily so I cooked it in the microwave until the fruit was soft. I compared my mom’s recipe and added 1 c. chopped peeled apples, extra sugar, extra cinnamon and about 1/2 tsp. ground cloves. I used medium size tapioca, softening it in the cool water (from the recipe) overnight or for about 8 hrs before cooking.
My great grandmother’s recipe my mom always made and now I’m making calls for instant Minute Maid rice instead of tapioca I’ve never had it with tapioca. The recipe is very similar a little more sugar, cinnamon and cloves, some orange juice and lemon juice. It’s delicious.
My family on my Dad’s side always made this for Christmas. It’s so delicious. My step Mom took over making it and she would put frozen raspberries in hers. I think I just might have to dig out my recipe and make it! Yummy
I made Søtsuppe from Christnas dried fruits that were too tough to eat. I did not use tapioca or sugar, and t was delicious. As I recall, when we had it at our Norwegian Tante’s, she didn’t use tapioca either. The only ingredient I wished I could have added, is raspberries. They add a zing.
Though I do not have Norwegian heritage (Danish and Swedish instead), sodt suppe was a regular part of our winter food. It was not just for special occasions. We often ate it for breakfast with toast, or a side to oatmeal. Mom also talked about how it was good for new mothers. As a kid, I didn’t care about that, I just loved it for what it was. When I was small, I forgot what to call sago, so I called it soggy, thus it was also lovingly called “soggy soup” in our family for quite a few years. Still brings a smile.
It is much harder to find sago, or large pearl tapioca. I have used minute tapioca, but I much prefer the large pearls. More fun to eat. I have made it with the base of prunes, raisins and tapioca, with variations of other added dried fruits and juices. You just cannot go wrong!
Awesome, Diane – it sounds like you also have a sweet spot – no pun intended – for sweet soup. I agree, it’s hard to find large pearl tapioca but that is also my favorite.
This recipe for Sot Suppe is delicious! Thank you! And so good for us! 😄
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it.
I grew up eating Sviska or Fruit Soup at Christmas thanks to my Norwegian aunt. Now thanks to Google translate I know it means Prune Soup! My mother made it using canned fruit she put up (cherries and raspberries) plus raisins and prunes. She always served it elegantly in her Crystal stemware with whipped cream – it was so pretty.
I am making it for a party and using cherries , apricots, prunes and may add some frozen blueberries and raspberries.
Am thinking it would be good with some good red wine or port added. Seems like a very versatile dish which will be good many ways.
Adding port sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing.