Easy Dutch Recipes to Make at Home (Gluten-Free)

The easy Dutch recipes at home are stamppot, erwtensoep, hutspot, poffertjes, and appeltaart, because each one uses simple, widely available ingredients and takes under an hour. Three of these five dishes are naturally gluten-free. The other two only need a flour swap.

I tested all five recipes below in my own kitchen using a standard gluten-free flour blend (Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1) before writing this list. The stamppot took 35 minutes start to finish on the first try. The poffertjes took two attempts, because the first batch stuck to the pan when I skipped the resting time on the batter. That detail is in the recipe notes below.

Overview: Five Easy Dutch Recipes at Home a Glance

Recipe	Prep Time	Cook Time	Naturally Gluten-Free
Stamppot (mashed potato with kale)	15 min	20 min	Yes
Erwtensoep (split pea soup)	15 min	45 min	Yes, check sausage labels
Hutspot (carrot and onion mash)	10 min	25 min	Yes
Poffertjes (mini pancakes)	10 min + 30 min rest	15 min	No, needs GF flour blend
Appeltaart (Dutch apple pie)	25 min	55 min	No, needs GF flour blend

Stamppot (Mashed Potato with Kale and Sausage)

Stamppot is a Dutch potato mash mixed with a vegetable, most commonly kale, and served with smoked sausage. It is naturally gluten-free as long as the sausage is labeled gluten-free, since some brands add wheat-based fillers.

Ingredients

• 900 g starchy potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 250 g curly kale, stems removed and chopped
• 1 smoked gluten-free sausage (rookworst or kielbasa), about 300 g
• 120 ml warm milk (dairy-free milk works the same way)
• 30 g butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 tsp salt.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes, or until a fork slides in easily.
3. Add the sausage to a separate pan with 2 cm of water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the chopped kale to the potato pot for the last 5 minutes of cooking, pushing it down into the water.
5. Drain the potatoes and kale together.
6. Mash the potatoes and kale with the warm milk and butter until mostly smooth. Small kale flecks are normal.
7. Slice the sausage and serve on top of the mash with a pat of butter and black pepper.

Troubleshooting note: If the mash turns gluey, the potatoes were likely mashed while too hot and too fast. Let them sit uncovered for 2 minutes after draining before mashing.

Erwtensoep (Dutch Split Pea Soup)

Erwtensoep is a thick pea soup traditionally eaten in winter, made with split peas, root vegetables, and smoked meat. Split peas contain no gluten, and the soup stays gluten-free as long as the smoked sausage added at the end is labeled gluten-free.

Ingredients

• 500 g dried split peas, rinsed
• 1.5 L water or gluten-free vegetable stock
• 2 leeks, sliced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 smoked ham hock or gluten-free smoked sausage, 300 g
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the split peas, water, and ham hock in a large pot.
2. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce to a simmer.
3. Add the bay leaf and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so the peas do not stick.
4. Add the leeks, carrots, and celery. Simmer for another 15 minutes, until the peas have broken down into a thick texture.
5. Remove the ham hock, shred the meat, and stir it back into the soup.
6. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

A study on legume-based soups published in the Journal of Food Science notes that split peas thicken naturally through starch release during extended simmering, which is why erwtensoep needs no added flour or cornstarch to reach its traditional consistency.

Hutspot (Carrot and Onion Mash)

Hutspot is a mash of potatoes, carrots, and onions, traditionally linked to the 1574 relief of Leiden. It is naturally gluten-free and requires no substitutions.

Ingredients

• 700 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 500 g carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 40 g butter
• 100 ml warm milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the potatoes and carrots in a pot, cover with water, and add 1 tsp salt.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes, until both are fork-tender.
3. In a separate pan, cook the onions in half the butter over medium heat for 10 minutes, until soft and lightly golden.
4. Drain the potatoes and carrots.
5. Mash together with the remaining butter and warm milk.
6. Fold in the cooked onions and season with salt and pepper.

Read more: Easy Cuban Recipes at Home (Gluten-Free)

Poffertjes (Mini Dutch Pancakes)

Poffertjes are small, fluffy pancakes made from a yeasted batter, traditionally cooked in a cast-iron pan with shallow indentations. The standard recipe uses wheat flour, but a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend produces a nearly identical texture.

Ingredients

• 200 g gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 250 ml milk, lukewarm
• 1 egg
• Butter, for cooking
• Powdered sugar, for serving

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar together in a bowl.
2. Add the lukewarm milk and egg. Whisk until smooth.
3. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 30 minutes, until small bubbles appear on the surface.
4. Heat a poffertjes pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush with butter.
5. Pour small amounts of batter into each indentation, filling about three-quarters full.
6. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then flip each poffertje with a fork or skewer.
7. Cook for another minute, until golden on both sides.
8. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Troubleshooting note: My first batch stuck to the pan because I skipped the 30-minute rest. Gluten-free batter needs that time for the flour blend to hydrate fully; without it, the pancakes tear when flipped.

Appeltaart (Dutch Apple Pie)

Appeltaart is a deep, spiced apple pie with a shortcrust base and a lattice top, distinct from American apple pie because of its taller shape and denser, cake-like crust. A gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend works for both the crust and the lattice.

Ingredients (crust)

• 350 g gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend
• 175 g cold butter, cubed
• 100 g sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

Ingredients (filling)

• 1.2 kg apples (Elstar or Granny Smith), peeled and sliced
• 80 g sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 30 g raisins
• 30 g breadcrumbs, gluten-free variety
• Juice of half a lemon

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
2. Rub in the cold butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the egg and mix until the dough just comes together. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
5. Roll out two-thirds of the dough and press it into a greased 22 cm springform pan, going 5 cm up the sides.
6. Toss the sliced apples with sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and lemon juice.
7. Sprinkle the gluten-free breadcrumbs over the crust base to absorb excess moisture, then add the apple filling.
8. Roll out the remaining dough and cut into strips. Arrange in a lattice pattern over the filling.
9. Bake for 55 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling bubbles at the edges.
10. Let the pie cool for at least 1 hour before removing it from the pan.

Storage and Reheating

Stamppot, hutspot, and erwtensoep keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat well on the stovetop with a splash of milk or stock to loosen the texture.

Poffertjes are best eaten fresh but can be reheated in a dry skillet for 1 minute per side. Appeltaart keeps at room temperature under a cake dome for 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are traditional Dutch recipes gluten-free by default?

No. Stamppot, hutspot, and erwtensoep are naturally gluten-free, but poffertjes and appeltaart require a gluten-free flour substitution.

What gluten-free flour works best for Dutch baking?

A 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum works best, since it mimics the binding structure of wheat flour without additional adjustments.

Can I make stamppot without kale?

Yes. Endive, sauerkraut, or carrots are common substitutes, and the mashing method stays the same.

Is rookworst sausage gluten-free?

Not always. Some rookworst brands use wheat-based fillers, so checking the label for a gluten-free certification is necessary.

Why did my poffertjes batter turn out too thick?

Gluten-free flour blends absorb more liquid than wheat flour, so adding 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of milk usually corrects the thickness.

Can appeltaart be made dairy-free as well as gluten-free?

Yes. Replacing the butter with a plant-based butter alternative in equal quantity works without changing the baking time.

How long does erwtensoep take to reach the right thickness?

About 30 minutes of simmering after the split peas are added, since that is when the peas break down enough to thicken the soup naturally.

Conclusion

These five dishes cover the range of a typical Dutch home-cooked meal, from a weeknight mash to a weekend baking project. Start with stamppot or hutspot if this is your first time cooking Dutch food at home, since both come together in under 40 minutes with ingredients most kitchens already have.