The cuisine of the Netherlands is distinguished by its simplicity: the country is famous for dairy products (milk, butter, yogurt, renowned cheeses such as Edammer-or Edamer- and Gouda), while bread and potatoes are consumed in overabundant quantities: gingerbread (koek) invariably accompanies the moment of coffee.
An important role in Dutch cuisine is dedicated to fish and seafood such as oysters, which are always fresh. The most common and most consumed fish is herring, the fresh one is also eaten raw with onions (green herring).
Soups are also particularly popular in the country; the most common is the ancient Erwtensoep (pea soup), hot and thick prepared with ham or sausage, and the Sipelsoep (onion soup).
The desserts are of excellent quality, especially with chocolate.
10 typical dishes not to miss in the Netherlands
Fish and Shellfish
Lobster, crabs or mixed grilled fish of daily catch, Hollandse Nieuwe Haring, raw herring fillets accompanied by pickles and onions or Smoked eel, (gerookte paling);
Stamppot
A hearty, traditional mash-up of potatoes with endive, turnips or some other earthy vegetable, customarily accompanied by smoked sausage;
Erwtensoep
Thick pea soup flavored with sausage, makes a filling repast; some version of it is often served by the local pub in winter;
Bitterballen
Crunchy balls of a mixture of chopped beef, beef broth, flour, butter, herbs, and spices, battered in a crunchy breadcrumb, typically served with mustard for dipping;
Gehaktballen
The Dutch version of meatballs, characterized by their large size usually made with a combination of ground beef and pork and flavorings such as salt, pepper, nutmeg, onions, and mustard.
Lekkerbekje
A dish consisting of fish that is dipped in batter and fried in oil.
Kibbeling
Popular street food consisting of pieces of fish that are dipped in batter, deep-fried in hot oil, and served with a dipping sauce such as garlic sauce, remoulade, ravigote, or whiskey sauce.
Stroopwafels
Waffle cookie made from two thin layers of batter with a sticky syrup filling in the middle.
Koffie Verkeerd
A hot cup of coffee with a lot of warm milk with steamed milk on top.
Goudse Kaas
The typical Gouda cheese.
Beer
