Dutch Gehaktballen (Dutch Meatballs in Gravy)

About This Recipe

Dutch Gehaktballen is a real, traditional Dutch dish, known as Dutch Meatballs in Gravy. Large, softly spiced ground beef meatballs braised in a rich pan gravy, a quintessential Dutch Sunday dinner dish.\n\nGehaktballen are a staple of everyday Dutch home cooking, historically made from ground beef stretched with breadcrumbs and egg to feed a family affordably, served alongside stamppot or potatoes at the traditional Dutch evening meal.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Dutch home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gground beef
• 1yellow onion(finely grated)
• 1 cupbreadcrumbs
• 1egg
• 2 tbspwhole milk
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspground nutmeg
• 0.25 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspbutter(for frying)
• 2 tbspall-purpose flour
• 400 mlbeef stock
• 1 tbspsoy sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the breadcrumbs

   Stir breadcrumbs into the milk and let sit for 5 minutes to soften.

2. 2

   Mix the meatballs

   Combine ground beef, grated onion, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, salt, nutmeg and pepper, mixing gently until just combined.

3. 3

   Shape

   Form the mixture into 8 large meatballs.

4. 4

   Brown

   Melt butter in a wide pan and brown the meatballs on all sides over medium heat, about 10 minutes total.

5. 5

   Make the gravy

   Remove the meatballs, whisk flour into the pan drippings, then gradually whisk in beef stock and soy sauce.

6. 6

   Finish

   Return the meatballs to the gravy, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes until cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Serve hot with stamppot or potatoes.

Variations

• •

  A mix of ground beef and pork gives a slightly milder, juicier meatball.

• •

  Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce to the gravy for extra depth.

• •

  Serve with applesauce on the side, a traditional Dutch pairing that adds sweetness.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions