World Flavors Cookbook

Netherlands Recipes

Dutch cuisine is a hearty and soulful tradition built on the bounties of its fertile land and the North Sea. From the iconic stroopwafels and artisanal cheeses to comforting stews like stamppot and the world-famous snack culture of bitterballen and frieten, it celebrates simplicity, quality ingredients, and a long maritime history.

Recipes from Netherlands

• Stroopwafels

  The iconic Dutch waffle cookie consisting of two thin wafers with a sticky caramel syrup filling.

• Bitterballen (Fried Meat Balls)

  Crispy, deep-fried balls of beef ragout, the ultimate Dutch pub snack.

• Friet met Mayo (Dutch Fries with Mayo)

  Thick-cut Dutch fries, double-fried for maximum crunch and served with a generous dollop of creamy mayonnaise.

• Kroket (Beef Croquette)

  A cylindrical deep-fried snack filled with a rich beef ragout, often served in a soft bun.

• Stamppot Boerenkool

  A traditional winter dish of mashed potatoes and kale, served with a smoked sausage.

• Erwtensoep (Snert)

  A thick, hearty pea soup packed with vegetables and meat, so thick a spoon should stand up in it.

• Pannenkoeken (Dutch Pancakes)

  Large, thin pancakes often topped with savory or sweet ingredients like bacon, cheese, or apple.

• Haring (Raw Herring)

  Sous-matured raw herring served with diced onions and pickles.

• Poffertjes (Mini Pancakes)

  Tiny, fluffy buckwheat pancakes served with a generous amount of powdered sugar and butter.

• Kibbeling (Fried Fish)

  Bite-sized pieces of white fish, battered and deep-fried, typically served with garlic or tartar sauce.

• Oliebollen (Dutch Donuts)

  Deep-fried balls of dough, often containing raisins or currants, dusted with powdered sugar.

• Appeltaart (Dutch Apple Cake)

  A tall, deep-dish apple pie with a thick crust and a lattice top, filled with cinnamon-spiced apples and raisins.

• Gouda Cheese Platter

  A selection of various aged Gouda cheeses, from young and mild to extra old and crumbly.

• Hutspot

  A historic mash of potatoes, carrots, and onions, served with slow-cooked brisket.

• Hachee (Beef and Onion Stew)

  A rich, dark stew made with equal parts beef and onions, flavored with bay leaves and cloves.

• Gehaktbal (Dutch Meatball)

  A large, juicy, and perfectly browned meatball, a staple of Dutch home cooking.

• Ontbijtkoek (Spiced Breakfast Cake)

  A dense, spiced rye cake, traditionally sliced and spread with a thick layer of butter.

• Speculaas Cookies

  Thin, crunchy, and highly spiced shortcrust biscuits, often shaped with traditional wooden molds.

• Tompouce (Pink Custard Pastry)

  A rectangular pastry consisting of two layers of puff pastry with a thick layer of vanilla custard in between, topped with pink icing.

• Bossche Bol

  A giant cream puff filled with whipped cream and completely coated in dark chocolate.

• Kaasstengels (Cheese Straws)

  Crispy, buttery puff pastry sticks coated in aged Gouda cheese.

• Bamischijf (Fried Noodle Snack)

  A deep-fried disc filled with savory Indonesian-style bami (fried noodles).

• Patatje Oorlog (War Fries)

  Dutch fries served with a "war" of toppings: mayonnaise, satay sauce, and diced raw onions.

• Wentelteefjes (Dutch French Toast)

  Old bread soaked in a mixture of milk, egg, and cinnamon, then fried until golden.

• Gevulde Speculaas

  A thick, soft spice cake filled with a rich layer of almond paste.

• Kerststol (Christmas Bread)

  A rich fruit bread filled with raisins, currants, and an almond paste center, traditionally served at Christmas breakfast.

• Beschuit met Muisjes

  Round rusks topped with butter and aniseed balls (pink or blue), served to celebrate the birth of a child.

• Mosselen (Dutch Mussels)

  Fresh North Sea mussels steamed with white wine and vegetables, served in large pots.

• Kaassoufflé

  A thin, deep-fried breaded rectangle of dough with a molten cheese filling.

• Slavink

  A small meatloaf roll wrapped in a layer of bacon, then fried until crispy.

• Suikerbrood (Sugar Bread)

  A sweet yeast bread from Friesland, heavily loaded with chunks of pearl sugar and cinnamon.

• Advocaat Cake

  A moist sponge cake flavored with the thick Dutch egg liqueur.

• Old Amsterdam Kaasstengels

  Extra-cheesy straws using the famous intensely flavored aged Gouda.

• Advocaat met Slagroom

  The traditional way to enjoy Advocaat: served in a small glass with a massive dollop of stiff whipped cream.

• Anijsmelk (Anise Milk)

  A soothing, warm milk drink flavored with aniseed, traditionally drunk before bed or after ice skating.

• Stamppot Boerenkool (Kale Mash)

  A classic Dutch winter dish: mashed potatoes and kale, served with a smoked rookworst sausage.

• Erwtensoep (Split Pea Soup)

  A thick, hearty split pea soup so dense that a spoon should be able to stand upright in it.

• Hutspot

  A mash of potatoes, carrots, and onions, traditionally served with braised beef (klapstuk).

• Bitterballen

  Deep-fried, breaded gravy balls, the ultimate Dutch snack to accompany a beer.

• Poffertjes (Mini Pancakes)

  Small, fluffy buckwheat pancakes served with a large knob of butter and a mountain of powdered sugar.

• Kibbeling

  Chunks of white fish, battered and deep-fried, served with a creamy garlic or tartar sauce.

• Haring met Uitjes (Herring with Onions)

  Raw, salt-cured 'Hollandse Nieuwe' herring, served with chopped onions and sometimes pickles.

• Stroopwafel

  Two thin waffle layers with a sticky caramel-like syrup (stroop) in the middle.

• Kapsalon

  The ultimate modern Dutch fast food: fries topped with shawarma meat, melted Gouda, and a layer of salad.

• Bami Schijf

  A deep-fried breaded disc filled with Indonesian-style stir-fried noodles (Bami Goreng).

• Gevulde Speculaas (Stuffed Spice Cake)

  Spiced speculaas cookie dough stuffed with a thick layer of sweet almond paste.

• Wentelteefjes (Dutch French Toast)

  Slices of bread soaked in a cinnamon-egg mixture and fried until golden, usually eaten for breakfast.

• Dutch Appeltaart

  A tall, deep-dish apple pie with a cake-like crust and a lattice top, filled with cinnamon-spiced apples and raisins.

• Saucijzenbroodje (Sausage Roll)

  A savory puff pastry roll filled with seasoned minced meat, a staple snack at Dutch bakeries.

• Zeeuwse Bolus

  A sticky, spiral-shaped cinnamon roll from the province of Zeeland, coated in dark brown sugar.

• Tompouce

  The Dutch version of a mille-feuille: two layers of puff pastry filled with thick vanilla custard and topped with pink icing.

• Snert

  The specific name for Erwtensoep when it has been allowed to rest for a day, becoming even thicker.

• Lekkerbekje

  Whole fillets of white fish, usually whiting or cod, battered and fried similar to fish and chips.

• Advocaat

  A rich, custard-like Dutch liqueur made from eggs, sugar, and brandy.

• Oliebollen

  Deep-fried balls of dough, often with raisins, eaten on New Year's Eve.

• Kruidnoten

  Tiny, crunchy ginger-nut cookies thrown by Sinterklaas's helpers.

• Hachee

  A slow-cooked beef and onion stew with a rich, acidic sauce made with cloves and bay leaves.

• Rookworst

  Traditional Dutch smoked sausage with a distinct snap and juicy interior.

• Spekkoek (Lapis Legit)

  An Indonesian-Dutch layer cake with dozens of thin, spiced layers.

• Pepernoten (Old Fashioned)

  Irregular, chewy chunks of anise-flavored dough, distinct from the round kruidnoten.

• Kaassoufflé

  A breaded, deep-fried wrap with a filling of molten cheese, a classic Dutch snack bar favorite.

• Frikandel Speciaal

  A deep-fried skinless sausage, sliced open and filled with curry ketchup, mayonnaise, and raw onions.

• Loempia (Dutch Spring Roll)

  A large, thick-skinned spring roll filled with bean sprouts, ham, and egg, influenced by Indonesian-Chinese cuisine.

• Saté met Pindasaus

  Grilled meat skewers (chicken or pork) served with a rich, creamy peanut sauce and prawn crackers (kroepoek).

• Nasi Goreng

  Indonesian-style fried rice that has become a national staple in the Netherlands.

• Biefstuk met Jus

  Dutch-style steak fried in a large amount of butter to create a rich brown gravy (jus) for dipping white bread.

• Slavink

  A small log of minced meat wrapped in a thin slice of bacon, a classic Dutch butcher specialty.

• Hollandse Garnalencocktail

  A classic appetizer featuring tiny, sweet grey North Sea shrimps with a creamy whiskey-cocktail sauce.

• Asperges op z'n Hollands

  White asparagus served with hard-boiled eggs, ham, and a rich melted butter sauce.

• Goudse Kaassoep (Gouda Cheese Soup)

  A creamy, velvety soup made with aged Gouda cheese and often flavored with local beer.

• Suikerbrood (Sugar Bread)

  A sticky, sweet bread from Friesland containing large chunks of cinnamon sugar.

• Krentenbollen (Currant Buns)

  Soft, slightly sweet yeast rolls packed with currants and raisins, a staple lunchbox item.

• Duivekater

  A decorative, sweet white bread from the Zaan region, traditionally eaten at Christmas and Easter.

• Hangop

  A traditional Dutch dessert made by straining yogurt or buttermilk through a cloth until it reaches a thick, creamy consistency.

• Stoofperen (Stewed Pears)

  Small Gieser Wildeman pears slow-cooked in red wine and spices until deep red and tender.

• Boterkoek (Butter Cake)

  A flat, dense, and extremely rich cake made primarily of butter, flour, and sugar.

• Kruidkoek (Spice Cake)

  A dark, moist ginger and spice cake, often served in thin slices with a layer of butter.

• Nonnenvotten

  A knotted, deep-fried pastry from Limburg, coated in cinnamon sugar, typical of the Carnival season.

• Jan in de Zak

  A traditional boiled pudding containing flour, milk, raisins, and syrup, cooked in a cotton bag.

• Arretjescake

  A no-bake chocolate cake made with cocoa, biscuits, and coconut fat.

• Uitsmijter

  A classic Dutch lunch: two slices of bread topped with ham, cheese, and three fried eggs.

• Tosti Ham-Kaas

  The Dutch version of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, always served with curry ketchup.

• Speculaasbrokken

  Thick, hard chunks of speculaas spice cookie, broken into irregular pieces.

• Balkenbrij

  A traditional Dutch meatloaf made with stock, offal, buckwheat flour, and specialized 'rommelkruid' spices.