Food of Netherlands

Dutch cooking is practical and comforting, shaped by dairy, potatoes, vegetables and North Sea fish. Cheese, bread with sweet or savory toppings and mashed-potato dishes are everyday staples, while pancakes, waffles and fried snacks are favorites. Markets and bakeries are part of daily life, and a warm drink with a biscuit is a daily ritual.

Stamppot
National dish

Stamppot

Mashed potatoes with kale or sauerkraut, served with smoked sausage.

How to make Stamppot

Staples

  • potatoes
  • cheese
  • herring
  • kale
  • butter
  • wheat flour
  • pork

Signature flavors

  • nutmeg
  • mustard
  • cinnamon
  • cloves
  • ginger
  • coriander seed

Main dishes

Stamppot
Stamppot

Mashed potatoes with kale or sauerkraut, served with smoked sausage.

Key ingredients: potatoes, kale, sausage, butterFull guide →
Hutspot
Hutspot

Mashed potatoes, carrots and onions served with meat.

Key ingredients: potatoes, carrots, onions, beef
Erwtensoep
Erwtensoep

A thick split pea and smoked sausage soup, often called snert.

Key ingredients: split peas, celery root, smoked sausage, leeks
Kibbeling
Kibbeling

Battered fried cod pieces with garlic sauce.

Key ingredients: cod, flour, remoulade
Draadjesvlees

Tender stewed beef in a rich gravy.

Key ingredients: beef, onions, bay leaf, stock
Poffertjes
Poffertjes

Tiny, fluffy yeast pancakes with butter and sugar.

Key ingredients: buckwheat flour, yeast, milk, butter

Breakfast

Broodje kaas
Broodje kaas

Crusty bread with slices of Gouda.

Key ingredients: bread, Gouda, butter
Hagelslag
Hagelslag

Chocolate sprinkles on buttered bread.

Key ingredients: bread, butter, chocolate sprinkles
Ontbijtkoek
Ontbijtkoek

A spiced rye breakfast cake.

Key ingredients: rye flour, honey, spices
Vla

Dutch custard served with fruit.

Key ingredients: milk, custard, fruit

Street food

Stroopwafel
Stroopwafel

Thin waffle cookies filled with caramel syrup.

Key ingredients: flour, butter, syrup, cinnamonFull guide →
Patat

Thick Dutch fries with mayonnaise.

Key ingredients: potatoes, mayonnaise
Bitterballen
Bitterballen

Crispy fried balls with savory ragout inside.

Key ingredients: beef, flour, breadcrumbs, mustard
Kroket
Kroket

A deep-fried roll filled with creamy ragout.

Key ingredients: beef ragout, breadcrumbs
Haring
Haring

Raw herring in a bun with onion.

Key ingredients: herring, bun, onions
Oliebollen
Oliebollen

Deep-fried dough balls with raisins dusted in sugar.

Key ingredients: flour, yeast, raisins, powdered sugar

Soups

Tomatensoep
Tomatensoep

Smooth tomato soup with balls.

Key ingredients: tomatoes, cream, meatballs

Salads

Huzarensalade

A creamy potato, beef and pickle salad.

Key ingredients: potatoes, beef, mayonnaise, pickles
Rauwe andijvie
Rauwe andijvie

Raw endive in a mustard dressing.

Key ingredients: endive, bacon, mustard

Breads

Tijgerbrood

Tiger bread with a crackled rice-paste crust.

Key ingredients: wheat flour, rice paste, yeast
Krentenbol

Raisin bun with butter.

Key ingredients: currants, yeast dough

Desserts and sweets

Appeltaart
Appeltaart

A tall apple pie with cinnamon and lattice top.

Key ingredients: apples, cinnamon, raisins, pastry
Dutch pancakes
Dutch pancakes

Large thin pancakes with sweet or savory toppings.

Key ingredients: flour, eggs, milk, syrup
Vlaai
Vlaai

Fruit pie from Limburg.

Key ingredients: plums, cherries, pastry
Speculaas
Speculaas

Crisp spiced cookies.

Key ingredients: flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves

Drinks

Warme chocolademelk
Warme chocolademelk

Chocolate milk heated on the stove.

Key ingredients: milk, chocolate
Koffie
Koffie

Filter coffee served with a biscuit.

Key ingredients: coffee, milk
Karnemelk
Karnemelk

A tangy dairy drink.

Key ingredients: buttermilk
Muntthee

Fresh mint infusion.

Key ingredients: mint leaves, hot water

Fruits and produce

Apples
Apples

Gelderland apples for pie.

Key ingredients: pie, stewed
Strawberries
Strawberries

Greenhouse berries with whipped cream.

Key ingredients: vla, cream
Tomatoes
Tomatoes

Dutch greenhouse tomatoes are exported worldwide.

Key ingredients: salads, soup, sandwiches
Cherries
Cherries

Sweet cherries from Betuwe.

Key ingredients: desserts, jam

Dish guides from Netherlands

Stamppot
StamppotMain dishes
Stroopwafel
StroopwafelDesserts and sweets
Explore Netherlands on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Western Europe

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits
  • Boerenkool stamppot: M.Minderhoud, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Hutspot in pan: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Hernekeitto: User:Opalaisen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 2021-10-13-Kibbeling-4943: Superbass, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Poffertjes-Melkhuis (cropped): Illustratedjc, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Cheddar cheese sandwich: Belbury, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Hagelslag chocolate sprinkles: Amin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Kruidkoek: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Stroopwafels 01: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Bitterballen mosterd mayo: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Croquetas Caseras (7068664101): Jonathan Pincas from Leon, Spain, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Clupea harengus Gervais.flipped: Gervais et Boulart, 1877, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Oliebollen: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Tomato soup, plant-based (44040252791): Ella Olsson from Stockholm, Sweden, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Cichorium endivia - Botanischer Garten Mainz IMG 5453: Oceancetaceen - Alice Chodura, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Apple pie 14: Shisma, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 2015 01 Spekpannenkoek: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Kirsch-Vlario: No machine-readable author provided. Vlario assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Saint Nicholas Speculaas (6465422349): Turku Gingerbread from Finland, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Chocolate cup Chantilly porcelain 18th century: World Imaging, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Latte and dark coffee: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Buttermilk-(right)-and-Milk-(left): Ukko-wc, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 95apple: Agricultural Research Service (Research agent of United States Department of Agriculture), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) single2: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Tomato je: Softeis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Cherry season (48216568227): spurekar, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)