Ten Fun Facts About the Dutch Croquette - the low countries (2024)

society

By Tom Christiaens

09/10/2019

2 min reading time

Since 2014, National Croquette Day has been celebrated every year in the Netherlands on 9 October. That day coincides with the birthday of Johannes van Dam. This culinary journalist loved the croquette and wrote The Croquette Book.

The ‘kroket’ (croquette) is a deep fried roll with meat ragout inside, covered in breadcrumbs. The original Dutch croquette is made from beef or veal, but there are many different flavors like chicken satay, shrimps, goulash or even a vegetarian version. You can eat a croquette as a snack, but most of the time they are served on sliced white bread or hamburger buns with mustard on the side.

There are quite a few fun facts to tell about this typical Dutch snack.

1. The croquette is not a Dutch, but a French invention. In 1691 the cook of Louis XIV wrote a recipe for 'croquets'.

2. Croquette is derived from the French word ‘croquer’, which means nibbling.

3. The first croquettes had the size of an egg.

4. Before the twentieth century the croquette was a luxury product for the wealthy bourgeoisie.

5. The Dutch eat croquettes from around the year 1830 onwards.

6. In the Netherlands, 300 million croquettes are eaten every year. That is an average of 25 per Dutchman.

7. Former Prime Minister Balkenende introduced the 'croquette motion': every municipal councillor is entitled to a croquette if the council meeting lasts until after 11 o'clock in the evening.

8. The croquette is the second most popular snack in the Netherlands. Fries are the most popular snack.

9. The largest croquette ever made was 1.3 metres long and weighed no less than 250 kilograms.

10. The world record for eating croquettes is 68 croquettes in one hour. Who challenges the record holder...?

Tom Christiaens

editor the low countries and deputy editor-in-chief Ons Erfdeel vzw

Ten Fun Facts About the Dutch Croquette - the low countries (2024)

FAQs

What is the origin of Dutch croquettes? ›

The croquette finds its origin in France (1705), but has over the years completely settled in the Dutch snack kitchen. Meat croquettes, in particular, are dominant in the Netherlands, but interest in varieties from chicken, vegetable proteins, fish or vegetables has grown.

What country are croquettes from? ›

The croquette originated in France and it was in 1898 that Monsieur Escoffier, the founder of the classical French Cuisine, together with the help of Monsieur Philias Gilbert started to write down the recipe.

Are croquettes Dutch or French? ›

The croquette is not a Dutch, but a French invention. In 1691 the cook of Louis XIV wrote a recipe for 'croquets'. 2. Croquette is derived from the French word 'croquer', which means nibbling.

What is Dutch kroketten? ›

A Dutch beef croquette is a delicious deep-fried snack with a crunchy outside and tender meat in gravy on the inside. It is a very popular snack in The Netherlands and is either eaten by itself, or with French fries, or on a soft and fluffy bun!

Who invented the croquette? ›

France. The ragout-filled dish was regarded as a French delicacy. It was first described in a recipe from 1691 by the chef of the French king Louis XIV, using ingredients such as truffles, sweetbreads, and cream cheese. From the 1800s onward, it became a way to use leftover stewed meat.

Where does the name croquette come from? ›

One of the curiosities is its etymological origin, since it comes from the French word “croquer”, which means to creak and its diminutive, “croquette”. This dish was born in a time of famine in which flour was abundant. They were made to take advantage of leftover meat from stews and stews.

What are three types of croquettes? ›

Some other popular croquettes include the following varieties: Pollo (chicken) Bacalao (codfish) Setas or boletus (mushrooms)

Are croquettes healthy? ›

These crispy balls (or patties) of minced meat and vegetables can contain plenty of unwanted — and unexpected — fat and calories, so you need to concoct your croquettes with a little nutritional know-how.

What are croquettes similar to? ›

Synonyms of croquettes
  • cakes.
  • patties.
  • fritters.
  • sticks.
  • cutlets.
  • galettes.
  • fingers.
  • gâteaux.

What does croquette mean? ›

croquette. /kroʊˈket/ uk. /krəˈket/ a small, rounded mass of food, such as meat, fish, or potato, that has been cut into small pieces, pressed together, covered in breadcrumbs and fried.

What are croquettes filled with? ›

In general, a croquette is a deep-fried ball or roll made with meat, wheat, and vegetables. Rich ingredients like bechamel or mashed potatoes act as binders, and the crisp coating is often made with breadcrumbs.

What is the history of croquettes in the Netherlands? ›

Even the name kroket was taken from the French - from croquer, or 'to crunch'. Croquettes gained in popularity in the Netherlands in the 18th century, when French food was all the rage in the Low Lands. And, while their origins are French, what is typically Dutch is the way these treats are consumed today.

What food are the Dutch known for? ›

There is a lot more to Dutch cuisine than pancakes!
  • Poffertjes. ...
  • Hollandse nieuwe haring. ...
  • Pannenkoeken. ...
  • Sate. ...
  • Stamppot. ...
  • Oliebollen. ...
  • Erwtensoep. ...
  • Bamischijf.

Can you cook Dutch croquettes in an air fryer? ›

Carlien M., has an airfryer and tested both methods. She was kind enough to share her results and pictures with us. We are happy to share that the taste of the bitterballen and the krokets were the same when fried by both methods. The crust using the airfryer was a little less crispy than the regular fryer.

What does bitterballen mean in Dutch? ›

Bitterballen are actually Dutch meatballs, a very popular snack served at bars along with beer. Sometimes they are shaped as logs or sometimes as balls.

What is the Dutch tradition of sandwiches? ›

The Dutch and Flemish Uitsmijter consists of one or more slices of bread topped with fried eggs (one per slice of bread), and can be accompanied by slices of cheese and/or meat (roast beef or ham). The dish is often served as a hearty breakfast.

Why are bitterballen important in the Netherlands? ›

Bitterballen are one of Holland's favorite snacks. In the early and mid-1900s, they were the housewife's perfect way to transform yesterday's meat leftovers into today's appetizer. Served shaped as a log (kroket) or in bite-size rounds, bitterballen were often served as an aperitif, or tapa, before lunch or dinner.

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