I love finding recipes that claim to be “national dishes” or “traditional” ones.
But I will also confess that, more often than not, when I declare that something is “traditional,” there is someone who will email me (very nicely, mind you) to let me know that, actually, the recipe I found wasn’t quite right.
Inevitably, the person I found making that dish online or in a cookbook somewhere doesn’t quite live up to the food one of my readers grew up enjoying.
So, I am very cautiously introducing you to what is supposedly the Dutch national dish: stamppot.
Stamppot is a mashed-potato meal that is mixed with some vegetables and served with sausage. It’s hearty and simple, and while Joey swore it could really have benefitted from a bit of gravy, it’s delicious, too.
Plus, while you’re eating a big plate of mashed potatoes, you’re also getting a huge serving of veggies along with it. That seems like a win to me.
This comes from the blog “Gypsyplate” by Jason Beiser. You can find the original post at https://gypsyplate.com/stamppot/. I added extra kale and garlic in my version and substituted an onion in place of shallots.
Stamppot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds potatoes cubed
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 tablespoons butter divided
- 16 ounces kale cut into strips (a big bunch)
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 1/2 cups milk warmed
- pinch nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound smoked rope sausage cut into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a large stock pot and just cover them with cold water. Add the bay leaves and add a large pinch of salt.
- Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the water and discard the bay leaves.
- While the potatoes cook, heat two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it’s tender. For the last couple of minutes, add the garlic and give it a quick saute until it’s fragrant.
- Remove the onion and garlic and place it on a plate or bowl to the side, and add the kale to the skillet, along with one-half cup of water. Place the lid on the skillet to wilt the kale. Check on it after a few minutes and stir to help the kale cook down. Add more water if all of it evaporates, and continue that process until the kale is cooked to your liking.
- Meanwhile, mash the potatoes with four tablespoons butter, the milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. (This made a slightly looser mash than I would normally make, but it had a great consistency once it was combined with everything else.)
- Add the kale and sauteed onions and garlic to the mashed potatoes and stir to combine.
- Set the potatoes aside, keeping them warm.
- In the same skillet as before, saute the sausage until it’s cooked through and has a little color on it.
- Serve the stamppot by placing a layer of the mashed potato/kale mixture on the bottom and topping with some sausage.
The amount of kale was a bit intimidating at first, but it does cook down a lot, and the flavor actually melds in with the mashed potatoes really well. I was afraid it would take over, but it was just a nice compliment to the rest of the dish.
The leftovers also reheated nicely, which was nice later in the week.
And this recipe may or may not be exactly what someone from the Netherlands would expect, but regardless, it was a darn tasty meal.
This piece first appeared in print Feb. 26, 2026.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.
