15 Best Foods of Netherlands

Netherland’s cuisine is a little mix of everything. Their variety is wide and caters to people with different choices. Though Dutch cuisine is recognized for its long traditions and is largely influenced by the French, cuisines from other countries such as North Africa, China, Indonesia, Turkey, Arabia, and India have also left their impression. Dutch food is based mainly on meat, bread, and potatoes.  One of the best parts about Dutch dishes is that they are quite wholesome and sizable. Also, Dutch cuisine strikes a remarkable balance between sweet and savory, thus providing ample varieties to try out. Dutch food always has a unique touch, encouraging one to consume it and experiment further. The Dutch are also known to prefer home-cooked food, especially on special occasions. 

Here is a list of 15 traditional yet tasty and flavourful Dutch dishes that one must try:

1. Huzarensalade(Russian Salad)

Huzarensalade is also known as Dutch Potato salad. It is usually prepared by combining potatoes, tart apples, gherkins, gherkin juice, carrots, shallots, ham, cooked veal or beef, mayonnaise, peas, and seasonings. It is served as a salad with barbecued meat and is a common salad item for buffets for Christmas or New Year’s Eve. 

2. Saucijzenbroodjes (Sausage Rolls)

Saucijzenbroodjes or Dutch sausage rolls are famous savory snacks with a flaky, buttery puff pastry. They are often served at parties and are a perfect snack for picnics. Many people prefer to consume Saucijzenbroodjes for lunch as a light meal or even as an appetizer. This Dutch snack is commonly found at fast food outlets, street food stalls, bakeries, and train stations. It has thus become a go-to snack for many Dutch people in the Netherlands as it is tasty and easily available.

3. Vla (Dutch Custard)

Vla is an authentic Dutch dessert that is usually made up of eggs, sugar, and fresh milk. Vla is available in many different flavors, though vanilla is known to be the most popular. Other flavors that can be experimented with include apple, banana, caramel, chocolate, raspberry, and orange. The texture of this dessert is smooth and rich in its flavor. It can be eaten as a snack or a dessert. Vla can be purchased from supermarkets. 

4. Erwtensoep (Pea Soup)

Erwtensoep or Snert is cooked using split peas, celery, leeks, carrots, and pork. It consists of a thick texture and is usually made in advance and then reheated the following day. Due to the thick consistency of this soup, it often resembles porridge. This thick soup is customarily eaten during the winter season along with slices of rookworst (smoked sausage) and rye bread with ‘katenspek’, which is a type of Dutch bacon that is initially cooked and then smoked. People also refer to Erwtensoep as Dutch Split Pea Soup. It is known to be a Dutch staple. 

5. Broodje Kroket (A Type of Dutch Sandwich)

Broodje Kroket is a well-known Dutch sandwich consisting of deep-fried kroket stuffed inside a soft bread roll or a bun. Some of the key ingredients of the kroket are onion, parsley, thyme, black pepper, pork, flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. The sandwich is usually covered with tangy mustard or mayonnaise. This tasty snack is often consumed as a midnight snack. If this snack is part of the dinner meal, then it is eaten with fries and another snack. If the same snack is eaten for lunch, then it is generally offered with slices of bread. 

6. Arretje Nof (Dutch Chocolate Cake)

Arretje Nof is a traditional Dutch chocolate cake that is a commonly consumed dessert in the Netherlands. It is fascinating to know that although this cake needs no baking, it must be kept in the fridge for a few hours. It is a popular dessert served during Christmas.

7. Hachee (Dutch Stew)

Hachee is an authentic Dutch stew that is cooked using a mixture of ingredients such as diced meat, fish, or any other poultry coupled with vegetables. It is a traditional Dutch food item. This dish is so popular in the Netherlands that one can even purchase the ready-made version of it from grocery stores. 

8. Kibbeling (Fish Snack)

Kibbeling is a Dutch snack that is chunks of fish battered externally and is usually served with mayonnaise mixed with garlic sauce or tartar sauce; however, there are other common sauces too, which one can eat kibbling with, like remoulade sauce, ravigote sauce, and whiskey sauce. In the Netherlands, Kibbeling is mostly eaten as a snack but can also be cooked for dinner. If it is solely eaten for dinner, then it is recommended to couple it with French fries, a fresh salad, and a sauce of choice. It is a famous street food item that everybody in the Netherlands likes. 

9. Vlaai (Sweet Pie)

Vlaai is a pastry which consists of dough and stuffing. Vlaai offers several varieties of fruit fillings, such as cherry, apricot, strawberry, and plum. It can even comprise a chocolate or rice pudding filling. This dessert is often prepared and eaten on special occasions and for important life events such as birthdays, weddings, or funerals. When Vlaai is eaten due to the cause of a funeral, it is traditionally prepared with black plum. 

10. Gehaktballen (Dutch Version of Meatballs)

Gehaktballen is Dutch-style meatballs that are distinguished by their large size. This dish is usually consumed during the winter as it is a classic food item representing Dutch comfort food. These meatballs are usually prepared with an amalgamation of ground beef and pork and other ingredients such as salt, pepper, nutmeg, onions, and mustard. They are lightly simmered in their own juices until completely cooked. This recipe can be combined with anything from stamppot and bread to various seasonings such as mustard, ketchup, and peanut sauce.

11. Wentelteefjes (Dutch-style French Toast)

Wentelteefjes is a Dutch specialty that is generally prepared for breakfast. It comprises bread slices coated with a mixture of eggs, milk, and cinnamon and then baked in butter on both sides until it becomes crispy. Then, the bread slices are sprinkled with sugar or topped with honey or fruits. This Dutch food item is quite similar to French toast and is quite easy to prepare simultaneously. 

12. Appelflap (Dutch Sweet Pie Pastry)

Appelflap is a typically sweet Dutch pastry which includes a puff pastry dough that consists of apples, raisins, sugar and cinnamon. The dessert is authentically drizzled with sugar granules on the top. It is available throughout the country in several bakeries or places where tea and coffee are served. This crispy pastry is also eaten for breakfast. This sweet pie is definitely a treat for people with a sweet tooth.

13. Hutspot (A Non-sweet Pudding)

Hutspot is a dish that contains boiled and mashed potatoes, carrots, and onions. The hutspot is known to be coarse in its texture. But many Dutch people serve it with Klapstuk, a slice of beef found in the rib section. Apart from Klapstuk, this mash can be accompanied by smoked bacon or pork sausage. In the Netherlands, there is a tradition wherein Winterpeen, meaning winter carrots, is used in this mash, which gives it a distinct flavor that ordinary carrots cannot provide. As it is easy to cook and due to its tasteful flavor, it makes it a favorite of many in the Netherlands. 

14. Bitterballen (Dutch Meat-based Snack)

Bitterballen are Dutch deep-fried, coated with bread crumbs, and meat-filled balls. The stuffing usually contains beef, flour, beef broth, and different seasonings, hence making it a substantial snack. However, the stuffing inside can differ and be made of chicken, veal, or mushrooms.  This snack is generally found to be served at brown cafes, a prominent kind of bar in the Netherlands. Bitterballen is usually combined with mustard, French fries, or Dutch bitters. 

15. Stroopwafel(Dutch Waffle Cookie)

Stroopwafel is a thin, round waffle cookie made of two layers of sweet baked dough with a caramel filling in between. Some ingredients that go into making this cookie are flour, yeast, milk, brown sugar, and eggs. It is a popular Dutch sweet and delicious treat not just in the Netherlands but worldwide. This waffle cookie is available at markets and online stores and is even a street food item. When in the Netherlands, try this mouth-watering and rich waffle cookie.

Food is known to be a significant component of Dutch culture. Dutch food is freshly and healthily prepared yet tasty, attracting many people to try it out. Dutch cuisine has preserved its authenticity in terms of its traditional dishes. Still, it has also introduced changes over time by enhancing not just the flavor of its cuisine but also giving it a global and unconventional touch.