Bitterballen (Dutch meatballs)
Bitterballen
Melt the butter in a skillet or pan. When melted, add the flour little by little and stir into a thick paste. Slowly stir in the stock, making sure the roux absorbs the liquid. Simmer for a couple of minutes on a low hea
Imported from TheMealDB. Times and card copy were filled in for this listing, not kitchen-tested. Native name preserved: Bitterballen.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Melt the butter in a skillet or pan. When melted, add the flour little by little and stir into a thick paste. Slowly stir in the stock, making sure the roux absorbs the liquid. Simmer for a couple of minutes on a low heat while you stir in the onion, parsley and the shredded meat. The mixture should thicken and turn into a heavy, thick sauce. Pour the mixture into a shallow container, cover and refrigerate for several hours, or until the sauce has solidified.
Ingredients
- Butter100 g
- Wheat flour150 g
- beef stock700 ml
- Onion30 g
- Parsley15 ml
- Beef400 g
- Saltto taste
- Bell pepperto taste
- Nutmegto taste
- Wheat flour50 g
- Egg2
- Breadcrumbs50 g
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Melt the butter in a skillet or pan. When melted, add the flour little by little and stir into a thick paste. Slowly stir in the stock, making sure the roux absorbs the liquid. Simmer for a couple of minutes on a low heat while you stir in the onion, parsley and the shredded meat. The mixture should thicken and turn into a heavy, thick sauce.
Step 2
Pour the mixture into a shallow container, cover and refrigerate for several hours, or until the sauce has solidified.
Step 3
Take a heaping tablespoon of the cold, thick sauce and quickly roll it into a small ball. Roll lightly through the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Make sure that the egg covers the whole surface of the bitterbal. When done, refrigerate the snacks while the oil in your fryer heats up to 190C (375F). Fry four bitterballen at a time, until golden.
Step 4
Serve on a plate with a nice grainy or spicy mustard.
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
butter → olive-oil
Use a little less oil than butter. Pastry and laminated doughs are a different problem.
flour (a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread)) → a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread)
Coatings and roux can swap. Yeast breads need a blend designed for gluten-free baking.
beef → tofu
Marinated tofu or mushrooms can take the savoury role. Label the plate as a vegetarian adaptation.
onion → shallot
Shallots are sweeter. Use the same volume, or a little extra onion if that is what you have.
egg (silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)) → silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)
Carbonara without egg is not carbonara. Fried rice can skip the egg. We will not pretend otherwise.
Tips
- Times on this listing are typical for this kind of dish. The source method did not list minutes.
History & culture
Editorial cultural notes have not been written for this imported dish.
Editorial history has not been written for this imported dish.
Inspired by
Provenance: Imported. Initial recipe data sourced from TheMealDB and adapted/reviewed by I Want Some Food. Times on this listing are typical for this kind of dish. The source method did not list minutes.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Bitterballen (Dutch meatballs) take?
1 hr 5 min all in — 20 min prep, 45 min cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 servings. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk, Wheat, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Saucepan.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at to taste.
What can I use instead?
butter → olive-oil. Use a little less oil than butter. Pastry and laminated doughs are a different problem. flour (a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread)) → a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread). Coatings and roux can swap. Yeast breads need a blend designed for gluten-free baking. beef → tofu. Marinated tofu or mushrooms can take the savoury role. Label the plate as a vegetarian adaptation. onion → shallot. Shallots are sweeter. Use the same volume, or a little extra onion if that is what you have. egg (silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)) → silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish). Carbonara without egg is not carbonara. Fried rice can skip the egg. We will not pretend otherwise.
Any tips from this recipe?
Times on this listing are typical for this kind of dish. The source method did not list minutes.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.