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What to eat in the South Netherlands? Top 7 Southern Dutch Foods

Last update: Sun Feb 16 2025
Top 7 Southern Dutch Foods
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01

Sweet Pastry

LIMBURG, Netherlands
4.4
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Nonnevot is a unique pastry originating from Limburg, dating back to at least the 17th century. The dough is prepared with flour, yeast, milk, salt, butter, lard, and brown sugar. It is then deep-fried until it develops a golden-brown color. Although nonnevot has traditionally been associated with the carnival, today it can be bought in many regional bakeries.


The unusual name of this pastry means nun's butt, referring to its knotted shape and the knot on the back of a nun's uniform.

02

Stew

LIMBURG, Netherlands
4.3
Zoervleis
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Zoervleis is an authentic delicacy originating from the province of Limburg. Although it is traditionally made with horse meat that is marinated in vinegar (hence the name, sour flesh), nowadays there are modern versions which use beef instead.


The stew is additionally enriched by the addition of bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, appelstroop (apple syrup), and pieces of Dutch gingerbread known as ontbijtkoek. Due to the formation of a thick gravy during the cooking process, zoervleis is almost always accompanied by fries, similar to the wildly popular Canadian poutine.

MOST ICONIC Zoervleis

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03

Sweet Pie

LIMBURG, Netherlands
4.2
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Vlaai is a sweet pie originating from the province of Limburg. It consists of a yeast pie base and a filling of creamy custard which is topped with streusel, a crumbly topping. The pie has a rich history: it was first consumed by Germanic tribes who used to drizzle the dough with fruit juice or honey, and later, it was used in monasteries as a special, sacrificial bread.


Over the years, vlaai was brought over to Maastricht, where it was used for festivities and celebrations such as birthdays and weddings. Today, there are numerous varieties of vlaai–filled with chocolate, rice pudding, or fruits such as cherries, strawberries, apples, and bananas.

MOST ICONIC Vlaai

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04

Snack

NORTH BRABANT, Netherlands
4.0
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A typical snack from the Dutch province of North Brabant, worstenbroodje is a meat-filled roll that is especially popular during the colder winter months. The dough is made with flour, milk, yeast, sugar, butter, and eggs, while the filling is usually made with ground beef and pork, eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, and flavorings such as salt, pepper, nutmeg, and chopped parsley.


Shaped into an elongated oval, these sausage rolls are baked in an oven until their exterior becomes golden-brown and crunchy.

MOST ICONIC Brabants worstenbroodje

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05

Snack

NORTH BRABANT, Netherlands
3.8
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Worstenbroodjes are a Brabant specialty consisting of bread rolls filled with meat (usually ground pork and beef), spices, and herbs such as pepper, nutmeg, and parsley. These savory rolls are consumed throughout the year, but they are especially popular during the colder months in the Netherlands.


It is recommended to brush the rolls with egg wash and bake them until they develop a golden-brown color on the crust.

MOST ICONIC Worstenbroodje

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06

Sweet Pastry

'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, Netherlands
3.8
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Bossche bol is a Dutch specialty from s'Hertogenbosch: a traditional, chocolate-coated, whipped cream-filled pastry. These pastry balls are characterized by their large size, which is why they are often served with forks, knives, and a number of napkins to clean the inevitable mess made while consuming them.


It is believed that the sweet treat was invented by Henri van der Zijde in 1920. Today, bossche bollen are traditionally paired with a cup of coffee on the side. There is also a version of Bossche bol that is twice its size, called a reuzenbol, while moorkop is a similar pastry, but much smaller.

MOST ICONIC Bossche bol

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07

Sweet Pie

LIMBURG, Netherlands
3.7
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Rijestevlaai is a creamy, rice pudding-based dessert that is popular in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. The cake consists of a single crust that is topped with rice pudding. Rijstevlaai is best served cold, usually on Sundays, at birthdays, weddings, and retirement parties.


Vlaai, or flat pies, were originally invented by Germanic tribes who used to spread out the dough over a hot stone and top it with honey or fruit juice in order to make it more flavorful. As time went by, the dough became thinner, and the toppings larger, resulting in numerous flat pies we know and love today.

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Southern Dutch Food