Bitterballen and Amsterdam

A recipe for Bitterballen inspired by our visit to Amsterdam! These crisp, breadcrumb-coated fried rounds are filled with a creamy meat gravy and served with mustard.

Disclosure: I received media tickets to the Heineken Experience. All comments and opinions are my own.

The Netherlands will always hold a special place in my heart as our first international vacation with the kids. We went for a week and had such an incredible time.

I will be sharing our experiences in a series of posts along with recipes inspired by some of our favorite foods.

Today, I am starting with Amsterdam’s Vondelpark, The Heineken Experience, Albert Cuyp Markt, and Foodhallen along with a recipe for Bitterballen.

Check out the rest of our trip:

• Beschuit (Dutch Rusk) and Amsterdam (Het Scheepvaartmuseum, NEMO Science Museum, Verzetsmuseum)
• Speculaas (Dutch Spiced Cookies) and Amsterdam (Zaanse Schans, De Pannenkoekenboot, Muiderslot)
• Hutspot (Dutch Mashed Potatoes and Carrots with Meatballs) and Amsterdam (Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank Huis)
• Patatje Oorlog (Dutch War Fries) and Rotterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and capital of the Netherlands (the administrative center and seat of the government is located at The Hague). It is a beautiful city packed with amazing museums, art, food, and an elaborate canal system lined with picturesque buildings.

We took an overnight, nonstop flight from Dulles (IAD) to Amsterdam’s airport, Schiphol (AMS). The time was just under 8 hours (with 9 hours on the way back).

The original plan was to take the sprinter train to Lelylaan Station, then the tram to our rented house. With two kids, all of our stuff, and overall being tired from the flight, we instead decided to take a taxi.

Walking through Schiphol, it was easy to find one with the marked path on the floor that led us outside to the licensed taxi pickup. If you have less stuff to tote than us, the public transportation system in Amsterdam is excellent and the 9292 website makes it easy to plan your trip.

After checking in and dropping off our luggage at the house, the plan was to eat lunch at Vondelpark to help the kids run off some energy after a long flight (and to keep them awake).

Vondelpark

Vondelpark is the most popular park in the Netherlands with 120 acres and 10 million annual visitors. It is located in Amsterdam-Zuid just west of Leidseplein and Museumplein (Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum). There are multiple entrances with nearby tram/bus stops.

The park was named after Joost van den Vondel, a Dutch poet. It opened in 1865 (named Nieuwe Park until 1867) and is home to many playgrounds, restaurants, and activities year-round.

During the summer, there is an Openluchttheater (Open Air Theater) with music and dance performances. Even during the off-season, the park is a wonderful area to relax and explore with a rose garden, other plants/trees, sculptures, and birds along the many winding paths.

Due to the high moisture content of the soil, many trees in Vondelpark grow at an angle with the roots exposed since the ground level is constantly lowering (regular renovation is often required). To help preserve them, some of the trees are supported with posts (some beautifully carved).

Groot Melkhuis

We walked to Groot Melkhuis for lunch and unfortunately realized it was closed. Turns out, they shortened their hours for the winter with closures on Mondays and Tuesdays starting the day we arrived.

So we came back on our last day in Amsterdam for an early dinner. Other places to eat in Vondelpark include De Vondeltuin (closed during winter) and ‘t Blauwe Theehuis with many others just outside the park.

Groot Melkhuis is located towards the center of Vondelpark. The closest entrances are from Kattenlaan and Gerard Brandtstraat. It is a self-service cafe with a large fenced-in playground attached to the outdoor seating. The location was perfect for us to enjoy our snacks (Bitterballen, Poffertjes, and Friet) while keeping an eye on the kids playing.

The restrooms also have a changing station. We were there on a Saturday afternoon and there was a bounce house along with an arts and crafts table set up in the playground.

The Heineken Experience

After our time in the park, we hopped on the tram to get to The Heineken Experience in De Pijp on Stadhouderskade. They are open 365 days a year “just like the city of Amsterdam.”

The Heineken Experience is housed inside the historic original Heineken brewery. It was built in 1867 and was a working brewery until 1988 when production was moved to a more modern building on the outskirts of the city.

They opened to the public in 1991 for tours and revamped in 2008 with more attractions to create the “experience.” Inside, you can go on a self-guided tour through the 4 story building that houses a museum with the history of the company and artifacts, interactive games, and beer drinking.

This was a great start to our trip. It also worked out well that Claire fell asleep just as we were heading into the building.

There (obviously) wasn’t much for young toddlers, so we were able to focus more on the exhibits. Evan enjoyed “the big room with all the wheels.”

I also loved “the big room” with the large copper vats and beautiful windows. You will learn about how beer is made and there are plenty of places throughout the tour for some fun photo opportunities.

Chad learned about the proper way to pour a beer (and drink it) and how to say cheers in Dutch- Proost. There are some fun games that include dancing, how well you can pour a beer, and sports. You will also see how the bottles and advertisements have changed over the years and can create your own personalized bottle.

The tickets during our visit included two glasses of beer at the end of the tour (for those 18 and over). The kids’ wristbands are good for two sodas or other nonalcoholic drinks.

There is a room at the entrance for checking coats and strollers before entering the experience. Walking through takes about 1 1/2 hours. Try to arrive earlier in the day. It definitely gets crowded later afternoon, particularly during the summer and holidays.

Albert Cuyp Markt

The Albert Cuyp Markt is in De Pijp just south of the Heineken Experience. It first came together in 1905 and has grown to the largest outdoor market in Amsterdam (and perhaps in Europe) with around 300 stalls down both sides of Albert Cuypstraat.

The market has been open six days a week since 1912 (Monday-Saturday) and is closed to traffic during this time.

Our favorite food in the market came from Original Stroopwafels. The founder, Ruud, runs the stall with the help of his son, Dennis, and son-in-law, Alex. There isn’t much better than a fresh, hot traditional stroopwafel with a syrupy caramel center.

You will also find waffles, herring and other seafood, cheese, chocolate, nuts, poffertjes (mini pancakes), fruits, vegetables, and more food items among the stalls between the flowers, clothing, shoes, jewelry, souvenir stands and other goods.

Foodhallen

Want even more food? North of the Vondelpark in Amsterdam Oud-West is the Foodhallen, an indoor food court with a variety of stalls featuring food from around the world.

It is also across the street from the market, Ten Katemarkt (an outdoor market with over 100 stands).

De Foodhallen opened in 2014 in an old tram service station at Bellamyplein.

We went early in the evening, so it wasn’t too crowded and there was plenty of seating but have read that it can get quite packed during peak hours. Many of the stalls don’t open until closer to 12-12:30.

I loved that each of us could choose a completely different meal foodcourt-style with upscale street food offerings.

Claire and I shared some bitterballen from De BallenBar. These were my favorite Bitterballen during our trip, particularly the Bouillabaisse and Goat Cheese. The other flavors included beef, tom kha kai, and truffle.

We weren’t planning on getting dessert, but were sitting next to Petit Gateau and the mini tarts were right there staring at us through dinner. There were a variety of gorgeous tarts to choose from. We decided on strawberry, chocolate caramel (my favorite), and hazelnut chocolate pear.

Bitterballen

After trying the amazing Bitterballen at De BallenBar, I was excited to learn how to make them at home. Using The Dutch Table as inspiration, I was able to get them fairly close to the flavors I so fondly remember.

We came across Bitterballen a few times during our trip. They were often featured on menus as a part of a platter with a variety of appetizers called Bittergarnituur (garnish with bitters- bitters referring to alcoholic beverages) or alongside fries for a quick lunch. They are especially perfect paired with mustard.

Similar to a croquette, these Bitterballen have a meat-based creamy filling formed into individual rounds, then rolled in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs to form a coating. They are then fried in oil until heated through and golden. The result is a thin, crispy layer that gives way to a thick, creamy meat gravy.

Someday, I would love to try different flavors such as the ones we had with our flight from De BallenBar. Other popular options may include chicken, veal, or even mushrooms for a vegetarian base.

The Bitterballen are best warm shortly after removing from the oil. Take care! The filling will be very hot at first (if you had the oil at the right temperature). I rarely have that level of self-control to wait and often end up burning the roof of my mouth/tongue.

A Few Bitterbal Tips

Bitterballen are a great way to use up leftover, cooked beef. I used a chuck roast that I simmered in water with onions, carrots, salt, and pepper for about 3 hours. If doing this, make sure to save the resulting beef broth! It can also be used in the recipe.

To quickly and easily shred the beef, I placed the cooked meat in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Pulse a few times to finely shred the meat into strands small enough to easily mix into the roux. Otherwise, you can use two forks.

Chop the onion very very finely. Otherwise, you may end up with big pieces of raw onion.

The trick to making these Bitterballen is to be sure that the filling is completely chilled before using. I highly recommend overnight (or 6 hours at the very least). If still warm, you won’t be able to get uniform rounds and risk the filling popping out of the breadcrumb coating while frying.

I used a small cookie scoop to cream uniform, roughly 1 tablespoon rounds for the base. Otherwise, use a spoon and try to get the Bitterballen roughly the same size for even cooking.

Make sure the chilled filling is completely covered with the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. This will keep it neatly inside, instead of bursting out while frying. I have also seen some recipes create a double layer of breadcrumbs for extra crunch.

The exact amount of salt needed may vary based on the salt content of the beef broth and how the beef was cooked. If using low-salt beef broth or stock, I usually go with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt in the filling. If the stock was well-seasoned, I pull it back to 1 teaspoon. Adjust the seasonings as desired based on personal taste.

The amount of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs may also vary based on the size of your Bitterballen.

Adjust the heat of the oil as needed to keep it around 375˚F (190˚C). You want the outside to become golden, but still give the chilled filling a chance to heat through. If too hot, the outside will brown too quickly. If too cold, they will soak in the oil and fall apart.

Take care to not crowd the pan, as this will bring down the temperature of the oil too quickly. Fry the rounds in batches.

These Bitterballen are best served warm. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not microwave. Reheat in a 350˚F (180˚C) oven or in an air fryer.

This recipe was originally posted in November 2016 and updated in February 2025.

Bitterballen Recipe

Adapted from The Dutch Table

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Bitterballen

A recipe for Bitterballen! These crisp, breadcrumb-coated fried rounds are filled with a creamy meat gravy and served with mustard.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Dutch

Keyword appetizer, beef, bitterballen, dutch, meat, Netherlands

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 50 Bitterballen

Ingredients

Filling:

• 10 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups (156 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups (830 milliliters) beef broth
• 1/2 onion peeled and very finely chopped
• 1/4 cup (6 grams) fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 pound (450 grams) finely shredded, cooked beef brisket or chuck roast
• 1-1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Bitterballen:

• 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups (240 grams) plain, unseasoned bread crumbs
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying
• Mustard for serving

Instructions

To make the filling:

• In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
• Once melted, slowly stir in the flour and continue to cook, stirring constantly, to form a paste.
• Once lightly golden, slowly whisk in the beef broth.
• Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture has thickened.
• Stir in the onion, parsley, and shredded beef.
• Season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Adjust seasonings as desired.
• Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

To assemble:

• Once ready to serve, fill a pot or deep fryer with 3-4 inches (8-10 centimeters) of vegetable oil and heat the oil to 375˚F (190˚C).
• Place a large plate nearby and cover with a towel.
• Place the flour in a wide, shallow bowl.
• In another bowl, beat together the eggs.
• In a third bowl, add the bread crumbs.
• Place another plate nearby.
• Scoop out a tablespoon of the thickened filling and form into a ball. Coat in the flour, then thoroughly in the egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Finish by completely coating in the breadcrumbs. Place on the plate and repeat with another 4-5 pieces.
• Gently add the formed Bitterballen to the heated oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden and heated through.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the golden Bitterballen to the towel-lined plate.
• Repeat with the remaining beef mixture, coating in the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, then frying until golden.
• Serve the Bitterballen while still warm with mustard for dipping.