Meat croquettes (kroketten) consist of a thick meat ragout rolled into a cylindrical form, covered in breadcrumbs, which are deep-fried. They are a much loved food in the Netherlands, for example as a lunch staple and as part of a snackbar takeaway, but almost no one makes them at home. For this post I did make them myself and was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t take that much time (most of it was waiting time) and the result was very delicious.
I served my delicious homemade croquettes in a typical Dutch way: the 12 o’clock (het twaalfuurtje). This is a dish often found on the lunch menu in lunchrooms and restaurants and consists of a slice of bread with butter, mustard and a croquette; a small ‘uitsmijter‘; a garnish of crudités or salad; and a small bowl of soup. Sometimes you also get juice or coffee. Two generously topped slices of bread, some salad and a bowl of soup is enough lunch for a hungry person. You can always choose if you like white or brown bread. The salad is usually potato, russian or beef, but making those is subject for a later post.
You can also use this recipe to make ‘bitterballen’, the only difference is to roll the ragout into small balls (about 4 cm in diameter) instead of cylinders. Bitterballen are served as a cocktail snack, accompanied by a small bowl of mustard to dip them in. 
Dutch Beef Croquettes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Crispy, savory croquettes with a creamy beef filling. Perfect for a party appetizer or a fun weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 7 oz (200 g) beef/14 oz (400 g) beef with bone
- 1 count onion
- 1 count carrot
- 1 count stalk of celery
- 0.5 count leek
- 2 count sprigs of parsley
- 1 count sprig of thyme
- 1 count bay leave
- a small bit of mace
- 5 count pepper corns, slightly crushed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 oz (35 g) butter
- 1 oz (35 g) flour
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp cream
- 0.5 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1 count egg yolk
- 1 count egg
- dried breadcrumbs
- oil for deepfrying
Instructions
- Wash the vegetables and cut them into large chunks.
- Place the vegetables, herbs, and spices in a cooking pan; lay the meat on top.
- Add water until the ingredients are just covered.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the meat is cooked and tender.
- Remove the meat, slice it into 0.5 cm cubes, and discard any tough, sinewy, or fatty bits.
- Strain the stock and set aside 200 ml; discard the rest. For a stronger flavor, reduce the stock before measuring.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan.
- Add the flour, mix well, and cook for about 1 minute.
- Gradually add the measured stock while stirring to create a smooth, thick sauce.
- Cook on low heat for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Add the lemon juice, cream, parsley, and egg yolk; mix well.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the cubed meat and mix.
- Pour the sauce into a deep, water-rinsed plate.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
- Whisk an egg with a little water in a deep plate. Place dried breadcrumbs on another plate.
- Divide the cooled croquette mixture into 4 (or 8 for mini-croquettes) equal portions.
- Place a portion on top of the breadcrumbs and shape into a cylinder or croquette.
- Dip the croquette in the egg mixture, then coat completely with breadcrumbs; pat to adhere.
- Repeat with the remaining portions.
- Heat the oil to 392°F (200°C).
- Fry the croquettes for about 2 minutes, or until the crust is brown.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- For richer flavor, use bone-in beef and reduce the cooking stock before using it in the sauce.
- To prevent sticking, ensure the croquettes are fully coated in egg wash before breading.
- Leftover croquettes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven or air fryer.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Deep-Frying
- Cuisine: Dutch
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 croquettes
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 80
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the filling in Dutch beef croquettes made from?
Traditional Dutch beef croquettes use a thick ragout made from slow-cooked beef, beef stock, and a roux of butter and flour. The mixture is chilled until firm before shaping and breading.
How do I keep the croquettes from bursting open when frying?
Make sure the ragout filling is fully chilled and set before shaping. Seal the edges well when rolling, apply a thorough coating of egg wash and breadcrumbs, and fry in oil at around 175 to 180°C so they cook quickly without the filling overheating.
Can Dutch beef croquettes be baked instead of deep fried?
Baking is possible but the crust will be less crisp and the color more matte than with frying. If you bake them, brush generously with oil and use a high oven temperature, around 220°C, to get closer to the traditional texture.
Thanks Ena, was wondering if you could post a pic of the inside of this croquette. Want to know what it should look like. Thanks.
This is not the authentic dutch recipe sadly.
this was nice and gave me a good view of my heritage and culture
il tell you a quick story
i was running in the streets of Melbourne and came across some clocks. one of the clocks said ” berlin” so i sprinted as fast as i could for no reason. but then it hit me , i have to go to berlin. so i took a train to dandenong and got a coffee. and then went back to my dads house the end
this was nice
Dear Ena, I have made kroketten and bitterballen all my life so I do know how to make them BUT now I have a friend who cannot eat gluten (wheat flour). Can you tell me what flour I can use (except wheat) to make these delicious snacks. I want to surprise her. The rest of the ingredients I can handle.
Thank you in advance for your reply.
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Ena, thank you for the recipe! I’ve tried to make it for the lunch. I cooked the croquette mix a day ahead, and cool it down in the refrigerator. But turn out, the mixture still very runny and it was very diffucult to make a rolls. I have tried very carefully to make a croquettes, and fried them. The results was ok, the only thing I wished more have filling inside instead of bread crumbs. I didn’t use 2 table spoon of cream, maybe because of that the mixture didn’t get stiff enough? I haven’t try the real Dutch croquettes, so I have nothing to compare. Thank you for your sharing, I also want to try make a Satay with peanut butter.
Ena thanks for the recipe. I doubled the ingredients to made a double batch but the rue came out very runny. Any suggestions.
Thanks,
Adrian
I know of that cake, but I don’t like it myself because I hate the aniseed flavour. I did searched for a good recipe for you, but unfortunately couldn’t find one. I do have a recipe for “ontbijtkoek” (Dutch Spiced Breakfast Bread) on Honest Cooking, which is quite similar except for the spices. You could try that recipe and add some more aniseed to it. I hope this helps!
My aunt and I used to make a cake or loaf . It was called translated to English “old wife’s cake”. She has passed on and I have been looking for this recipe. It was a spice cake made with aniseed . I am hoping you might know of it and give me the recipe
Thankyou nancy
Thanks a lot! I’m happy you enjoy my posts and recipes!
Dear Ena,
I love all that you posted. Thank you so very much. It is just wonderful to read and I have already made your pancakes for my Dutch/US kids. We all loved them. I can’t wait to make your Dutch apple pie recipe and spice cookies for the holidays. I also like to read your descriptions before the recipes. I’m so grateful for all the time that you put into this wonderful cache of Dutch recipes.
Many Thanks,
S