Dutch Hutspot Recipe

Hutspot is a traditional Dutch dish made from boiled potatoes, onions and carrots. This dish has an interesting origin in Dutch history and is now known as a cheap and nutritious comfort food. Made with hearty and starchy vegetables, Hutspot is often enjoyed on winter days. 

To incorporate Hutspot into a high-protein meal, many Dutch people will enjoy Hutspot alongside meatballs or smoked sausage. The original recipe is vegetarian and can also be enjoyed by itself. 

Traditional Hutspot recipes call for boiling the potatoes, onions, and carrots in chicken stock, an ingredient that was readily available and easy to prepare around the time of Hutspot’s invention. However, new variations of the dish see people replacing the chicken stock with evaporated milk, making for a creamier and more filling dish. 

Origin & Cultural Significance

While traditional Hutspot is undoubtedly a hallmark of Dutch cuisine, the actual origin of the dish is not come from the Netherlands. 

During the Eighty Years War, a war fought from 1568-1648 between Dutch rebels and the Spanish government, Dutch and Spanish cultures often mixed. At the Spanish siege of the city of Leiden, an overwhelming Dutch offense left Spanish soldiers to hastily retreat, leaving behind their food and supplies.

When Dutch rebels later came to pillage and clear the camps, they found a dish similar to a vegetable porridge containing carrots, onions, and broth. This dish would be taken in by the Dutch and called “Hutspot.”

Back in the 16th and 17th centuries, potatoes were not yet common in the Netherlands or Spain. Potatoes were not added to the dish until the 1800s when they began being grown in Europe and therefore more accessible. Hutspot is now sometimes seen as the Dutch answer to mashed potatoes, although the coarse consistency of the dish, as well as the carrots and onion, make it distinct.

Share on Social: