Kroketten Recipe (Dutch Beef Croquettes) (2024)

Make the tastiest beef croquettes yourself

Although the croquette was first described in a French cookbook in the 17th century (and it's, therefore, a French invention), the oldest known Dutch recipe dates from 1830. And at that time it was not a snack, but a chic intermediate dish (source: Wikipedia), in which leftover meat was used as a luxurious appetizer (about the size of an egg).

From earlier times, the Beef croquette is a product that you bought at the Dutch baker or butcher. But after the Second World War, it was picked up by the snack bars (where Eetsalon van Dobben is by far the most famous) and became a Dutch traditional snack. Every year the Dutch consume around 300 million kroketten, which means about 25 croquettes per person annually. It's the second-most-popular snack in the Netherlands (the Frikandel is in the top position).

These days there are different flavors of croquettes available. Filled with chicken, goulash, satay, potato croquettes, and there even is a vegetarian version called the vegetable croquette.

The snack bar croquettes are made from a thick ragout, which contains a little meat (veal or beef). And therefore today we are making croquettes with a delicious, well-filled meat ragout.

What do you need for a real Dutch kroket

For the preparation of these beef croquettes you need the following ingredients (you can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog):

• Beef (soup meat) - For this recipe, you need cooked beef. Add to the meat 4 ½ cups (1 liter) of cold water, with an onion, parsley, bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and cook for 3 to 4 hours, without the lid, when the water will evaporate and therewill be about 2 ¼ cups (½ liter) ofconcentrated stock left. (Note: always start with cold water otherwise the beef will become tough).
• Beef Broth - Use beef stock to make the thick ragout. If it is unsalted, add 1 teaspoon of salt to the stock. You can use the stock that you have leftover when the beef is done. If you have leftover soup meat, you can also make stock from a cube.
• Breadcrumbs - Use breadcrumbs or finely crumbled toasted white bread.
• Spices - Pepper, salt, nutmeg, and thyme. This will flavor the ragout. Taste the ragout before mixing it with the meat. Use a clean spoon for this (otherwise the binding of the ragout will deteriorate and it will become liquid).
• Gelatin - Used to bind the ragout so that it thickens and you can shape it into long bars. You need a thick mixture.

How to make Dutch croquettes

A recipe with extensive steps, the right amount of ingredients, and which you can also easily print can be found at the bottom of the blog.

1. Melt butter on medium-high heat and fry the onion until translucent. Add the flour (to create a roux) all at once. Bake for at least 2 minutes (otherwise you will taste the flour).
2. Dilute the roux with stock while continuing to stir and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and dissolve the soaked gelatin in it.
3. Add the spices and mix everything well. Taste and add additional spices if desired.
4. Add the meat to the broth. You can pull the beef poulet apart with two forks for pulled soup meat or you can cut it into very fine cubes.
5. Spread the meat mix out on a large plate and cover with plastic wrap (to prevent skin from forming). Leave to cool so that the ragout becomes firm and you can form a croquette filling.
6. Take a small ball and shape it into a small roll of 4 inches (10 cm) long and about 1 inch (3 cm) thick (make sure your hands are wet to help shape the croquettes). Dip the croquettes first in the breadcrumbs, then in the flour, the egg white and finally again in the breadcrumbs for a second coating of crumbs. Fry until the croquettes are golden brown in 4 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).
7. Drain on paper towels to discard excess oil and serve.

Serving

• Serve it as a side dish with French fries, Dutch cheese soufflé, Frikandel, chicken satay, Dutch mayonaise, ketchup or curry sauce.
• Serve this deep fried snack on soft white buns (or hamburger buns,) topped with some mustard (one of the most delicious lunches I know).

Servings: 18 snacks

Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 198mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 83IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Iron: 2mg