Frankfurter Green Sauce with Eggs and New Potatoes

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Hessian spring flavors: bright, herby, and tangy with a creamy finish.
• Simple, satisfying supper—just eggs, potatoes, and an ultra-fresh seven-herb sauce.
• Quick to make with mostly pantry staples; the herbs do all the heavy lifting.
• Make-ahead friendly—sauce improves as it rests, and leftovers are fantastic.

Grocery List

• Produce: Flat-leaf parsley, chives, sorrel, garden cress, borage, chervil, salad burnet, 1 small shallot (or scallions), 1 lemon, 1.2 kg baby new potatoes.
• Dairy: Full-fat plain yogurt, sour cream, unsalted butter (optional).
• Pantry: Mild Dijon mustard, fine sea salt, white pepper (or black pepper), ice for egg bath.

Full Ingredients

Green Sauce (Frankfurter Grüne Soße)

• 200 g mixed herbs total, rinsed and well dried:
  • 40 g flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 30 g chives
  • 30 g sorrel leaves
  • 30 g garden cress
  • 20 g borage leaves (young, tender)
  • 25 g chervil
  • 25 g salad burnet leaves
• 300 g full-fat plain yogurt (about 1¼ cups)
• 250 g sour cream (about 1 cup)
• 1 small shallot, very finely minced (or 2 scallions, white and light green parts only)
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp mild Dijon or German mustard
• 1¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper (or freshly ground black pepper)
• Optional: pinch of sugar if your sorrel is very sharp

Eggs and Potatoes

• 1.2 kg baby new potatoes, scrubbed (leave skins on)
• 2 tsp fine sea salt for potato water
• 8 large eggs
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, to gloss the potatoes)

To Serve

• Extra chopped chives and a handful of cress for garnish
• Optional: a few borage flowers or herb tips
• Flaky salt and freshly ground pepper at the table

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep and dry the seven herbs

Rinse all herbs in cool water and spin completely dry; moisture will dilute the sauce and mute its color. Strip tough stems from parsley, sorrel, borage, chervil, and burnet, keeping mostly leaves and very tender stems. Snip chives into short lengths. Reserve a few pretty herb tips for garnish.

Step 2: Make the creamy base

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sour cream, minced shallot, lemon juice, mustard, 1¼ tsp salt, and white pepper until smooth. Taste; it should be pleasantly tangy and lightly seasoned.

Step 3: Finely chop herbs and fold in

Very finely chop the herb mix by hand for the most authentic texture, or pulse in a food processor with short bursts until finely chopped (avoid pureeing; you want tiny green flecks, not a smoothie). Fold the herbs into the dairy base. If the sauce seems very thick, loosen with 1–2 tbsp cold water. Chill 10–15 minutes while you cook the potatoes and eggs; the flavor will bloom and the color will deepen.

Step 4: Cook the potatoes until tender

Place new potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by 2 cm. Add 2 tsp salt. Bring to a rolling boil (100°C), then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 15–18 minutes, until a skewer slides in easily. Drain well. Toss with 1 tbsp butter and a pinch of salt if you like a glossy finish. Keep warm.

Step 5: Boil, cool, and peel the eggs

Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil (100°C). Lower in the eggs carefully. For jammy yolks, cook 9 minutes; for firm yolks, 11 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath and cool 5 minutes. Crack and peel under running water. Halve the eggs lengthwise.

Step 6: Season, plate, and serve

Stir and taste the sauce again; adjust with a pinch more salt, pepper, or a splash of lemon juice if needed. Arrange warm potatoes on plates, nestle in halved eggs, and spoon a generous amount of Grüne Soße over the eggs and alongside the potatoes. Garnish with extra chives, cress, and a few delicate herb tips or borage flowers. Serve immediately with flaky salt and pepper at the table.

Pro Tips

• Dry herbs thoroughly—waterlogged leaves dilute the sauce and dull the color.
• Hand-chopping yields the classic speckled look. If using a processor, pulse in short bursts and stop early.
• Sorrel varies in tartness; balance with a pinch of sugar or an extra spoon of yogurt if needed.
• For ultra-green color, chill the sauce at least 30 minutes before serving; the herbs infuse and the hue brightens.
• Cook eggs and potatoes simultaneously to keep total time under 45 minutes.

Variations

• With quark: Replace 150 g of the yogurt with 150 g quark for a thicker, even more traditional body.
• Herb flexibility: If you cannot source all seven, substitute with mild leafy herbs (e.g., a touch of dill or baby spinach) but keep sorrel and chives if possible for signature flavor.
• Light and dairy-free: Use a thick, unsweetened plant yogurt (e.g., coconut or almond) and a spoonful of vegan mayo for body; adjust lemon to taste.

Storage & Make-Ahead

The sauce keeps 1–2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container; color and freshness are best within 24 hours. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface to limit oxidation. Boil eggs up to 3 days ahead and keep unpeeled in the fridge; peel just before serving. Cooked potatoes are best fresh but can be par-cooked 1 day ahead; rewarm in simmering salted water and drain before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values: 580 kcal; 25 g fat; 58 g carbohydrates; 18 g protein; 6 g fiber; 960 mg sodium. Values will vary with exact dairy used and egg doneness.