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Dutch snacks provide a glimpse into the wealthy culinary heritage of Amsterdam, by mixing candy and savory flavors. From iconic cheese and sausages to festive treats and deep-fried favorites, these snacks are a must-try for any Amsterdam meals tour.
Cheese and Sausages: The Coronary heart of Dutch Snack Tradition
Amsterdam is a veritable treasure trove of Dutch snacks, wealthy with tasty cheeses and succulent sausages that tantalize the senses.
Widespread Cheese Snacks in Amsterdam
Previous Amsterdam Cheese is a mature gouda cheese with a wealthy, nutty taste and crumbly texture. It’s sometimes loved as a snack with mustard or paired with a beer.
Kaasblokjes are seemingly easy cheese cubes which can be served at borrel Dutch social gatherings. You typically discover them on serving trays as bite-sized cubes of gouda or edam. They’re often served together with mustard or pickles, which helps reduce the wealthy fattiness of the cheese and retains your palate awake.
Kaassoufflé is a deep-fried snack made with a skinny dough shell stuffed with gooey, melted cheese. You discover it rather a lot in Amsterdam’s snack bars.
Boerenkaas is a sort of farmer’s cheese constructed from uncooked milk. You discover it all through Amsterdam in numerous aged varieties. It’s often served as a country snack with bread and butter. That is the form of factor that’s onerous to come back by within the US and is unquestionably price making an attempt just a few instances.
Stroopwafel with cheese is a contemporary twist on the basic stroopwafel, by combining the candy caramel layers with a touch of aged Dutch cheese. There’s a sweet-savory factor to it that makes it a fantastic any-time-of-day snack.
Widespread Sausage Snacks in Amsterdam
Rookworst is a juicy smoked Dutch sausage that you simply typically discover being served with stamppot mashed vegetable dish. But in Amsterdam, you’ll typically discover it pleasant as a standalone snack. Particularly in winter or on festive events like Sinterklaas.
Ossenworst is a cured and evenly smoked beef sausage that’s sometimes sliced and served with mustard. In Amsterdam you typically discover it being served as a bar snack.
Gelderse Worst is a coarse-ground spiced sausage that’s initially from the Gelderland area. Today it’s more and more fashionable in Amsterdam’s markets and butcher outlets, because it’s an ideal snack meat.
Grillworst is a seasoned sausage that’s grilled to crisp the pores and skin and provides it a snap if you chew into it. You typically discover it in Amsterdam at deli counters and snack stands.
Leverworst is a tender, spreadable liver sausage regularly loved on bread or crackers. It’s typically served at Dutch social gatherings.
Frikandel is a skinless, deep-fried sausage generally eaten with mayonnaise, curry ketchup, or particular “frikandel particular” toppings. Widespread at snack bars and sporting occasions.
Dutch Festive Meals: Seasonal Treats and Celebrations
There are particular snacks that you simply discover in Amsterdam throughout Dutch festivals, celebrations, and particular events.
Sinterklaas Specialties
Pepernoten & Kruidnoten are small, spiced gingerbread-like cookies historically scattered by Sinterklaas and his helpers.
Speculaas are spiced short-crust cookies, typically formed into windmills or Sinterklaas figures.
Banketletter is basically a puff pastry letter stuffed with almond paste.
Chocolate Letters are massive chocolate treats within the form of letters meant to suggest a baby’s initials. Whereas they’re typically given to kids, many adults nonetheless take pleasure in them too.
New 12 months’s Delights
Oliebollen are similar to deep-fried doughnut holes. They’re typically dusted with powdered sugar and loved on New 12 months’s Eve.
Appelbeignets are deep-fried and breaded apple slices. They’re commonest across the holidays and also you wish to get them after they’re contemporary and crisp proper out of the fryer.
Kniepertjes are skinny, crispy waffle cookies you typically discover in Amsterdam within the final weeks of the 12 months. They’re typically rolled as much as symbolize new beginnings.
King’s Day Favorites
Tompouce is an oblong puff pastry, stuffed with custard cream, after which topped with vibrant orange icing.
Oranje Bitter is a robust orange-flavored liqueur, sipped in celebration of the Dutch monarchy.
Haring are contemporary herring, typically loved with pickles and onions, a road meals favourite throughout festivities.
Iconic Dutch Pastries to Savor
In the event you have been to ask me what the highest Dutch pastries are to savor on an Amsterdam meals tour, I’d choose the next.
Stroopwafel
A skinny, crispy waffle sandwich that’s typically stuffed with caramel syrup. Ideally, you wish to get it contemporary from a market stand to eat it heat. In a pinch, you’ll be able to place it over a sizzling cup of espresso to melt the filling on a cold day.
Tompouce
A basic staple in Amsterdam bakeries, tompouce is an oblong pastry with layers of crisp puff pastry and creamy custard, topped with vibrant pink icing. On King’s Day bakeries and road distributors will cease it with orange icing.
Appeltaart
That is primarily a Dutch apple pie with a thick, buttery crust and a filling of spiced apples, raisins, and cinnamon. Served with whipped cream, it’s excellent for a comfortable café break.
Bossche Bol
Initially from Hertogenbosch however fashionable in Amsterdam, it is a large cream puff coated in shiny chocolate. It’s wealthy, indulgent, and messy but scrumptious.
The place to Discover Dutch Snacks
Amsterdam has tons of nice markets, snack bars, and festivals providing the prime alternative to take pleasure in iconic Dutch snack meals.
Widespread Amsterdam Markets
Photograph credit score: Albert Cuyp Market
Albert Cuyp Market is Amsterdam’s most well-known road market and provides an array of Dutch treats. Signature snacks embrace freshly made stroopwafels to crispy poffertjes mini pancakes.
Dappermarkt is a well-liked multicultural market the place you’ll be able to strive basic Dutch herring or heat kibbeling. It’s an inexpensive and vigorous spot to discover Amsterdam’s worldwide road meals scene.
Noordermarkt is a well-liked natural farmers’ market and is the right place to pattern contemporary Dutch cheeses and artisan apple pie. It’s a favourite amongst locals for its high-quality, farm-fresh produce.
Nieuwmarkt is a historic market close to Amsterdam’s Chinatown. Signature snacks embrace bitterballen and regionally made Gouda cheese. It’s surrounded by cafés and is very vigorous on weekends.
Widespread Amsterdam Snack Bars
FEBO is an iconic Dutch snack bar that includes a distinctive automat merchandising machines. It’s a fantastic place to seize a crispy kroketten and frikandel spiced sausage on the go. It’s a enjoyable, fast, and inexpensive solution to get a fast style of genuine Dutch Snacks.
Photograph credit score: Van Dobben
Van Dobben snack bar close to Rembrandtplein is known for its ultra-creamy beef kroketten and broodje bal meatball sandwich. The no-frills environment makes it a favourite amongst locals.
Eetsalon Van Westerveen is a hidden gem of a snack store serving a few of the greatest patat oorlog fries with peanut sauce and onions. This cozy, conventional snack bar is a must-visit for fried meals lovers.
Het Vlaamse Friteshuis Vleminckx is one in every of Amsterdam’s most well-known fry stands, serving thick-cut fries with a selection of over 25 sauces. The road is commonly lengthy, however the crispy, golden fries are well worth the wait.
Festivals in Amsterdam with Nice Snacks
Sinterklaas is a beloved Dutch vacation the place households trade presents, recite humorous poems, and luxuriate in festive treats. Signature snacks embrace pepernoten spiced cookies, speculaas spiced shortcrust biscuits, chocolate letters, and banketletter crammed pastries.
King’s Day on April twenty seventh is the Netherlands’ greatest road get together, and a main alternative to take pleasure in Amsterdam’s road meals snack scene. Meals stalls provide tompouce custard-filled pastry with vibrant orange icing, haring and bitterballen deep-fried meat snacks.
Sources:
Eetsalon Van Dobben. (n.d.). Eetsalon Van Dobben. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from http://www.eetsalonvandobben.nl/
Consuming Europe. (n.d.). Amsterdam meals excursions. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://www.eatingeurope.com/amsterdam/
Nieuwmarkt. (n.d.). Nieuwmarkt. In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwmarkt
Noorder Market. (n.d.). Noordermarkt Amsterdam. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://www.noordermarkt-amsterdam.nl/en/home-en
Vleminckx Sausmeesters. (n.d.). Vleminckx De Sausmeester. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from http://vleminckxdesausmeester.nl/
Albert Cuyp Markt. (n.d.). Albert Cuyp Market. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://albertcuyp-markt.amsterdam/?lang=en
