Authentic Kapsalon Recipe
Rotterdam, Netherlands
JUMP TO RECIPE
We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Filling, practical, and influenced by various national cuisines, kapsalon is a perfect example of how culinary traditions from different sides of the world can create a favorite meal. This dish undoubtedly qualifies as fast food, and one portion contains roughly 1800 calories. The preparation of kapsalon starts with preparing potato fries — frieten (Flemish) or patat (Dutch) — which can be deep-fried, oven-baked or made in a fryer. The fries are lightly salted and arranged on the bottom of a disposable metal food container. Then, a portion of shawarma meat is layered on top of the fries. Shawarma is a Middle-Eastern specialty usually made with spiced lamb meat, although the Dutch version rather uses beef, veal, chicken, and even pork. Typically, shawarma is grilled on vertical rotating metal skewers. However, for homemade preparation, it is suggested to cook the meat in a skillet. Next comes the cheese, preferably real Dutch Gouda cheese with ... Read more
Cooking tips
-
shawarma meat
As a Middle-Eastern specialty, shawarma is usually made with lamb. However, in the Netherlands lamb is often substituted with veal, beef, chicken, and even pork. The real shawarma is grilled on a vertical rotating skewer, but if you plan to make kapsalon at home, you can cook the meat on a lightly greased skillet for about 8 minutes, until it browns slightly. In the Netherlands, shawarma meat can ... Read more -
fries
To make fries for kapsalon, you can either deep-fry the potatoes, bake them in an oven, or prepare them in a fryer. If you are using a fryer, make sure the oil is heated to 180°C/350°F. To bake fries in an oven, preheat it to 200°C/400°F. If you choose to do a healthy version, you can use sweet potato instead of a regular potato, but keep in mind that sweet potato fries tend to be less crispy than ... Read more -
cheese
Typically, kapsalon is made with real Dutch Gouda cheese. It can be either grated or sliced and is usually placed on top of fries and shawarma meat, and baked in an oven until it melts. Since there are seven types of gouda — which range from soft to hard and crumbly, depending on the age — make sure you choose the type which is more on the mature side. Look for the marking belegen (mature) and go ... Read more -
vegetables
Most commonly, kapsalon is topped with shredded lettuce and thinly sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. When it comes to lettuce, crispy varieties such as Iceberg lettuce have proven to be the best option. Thin slices of onion and pitted olives are also often asked for. To keep the vegetables fresh and crispy, they should be scattered on top of kapsalon after it has been removed from the oven. -
sauces
Classic kapsalon is served with knoflooksaus (garlic sauce) and sambal, a spicy Indonesian sauce which is very popular in the Netherlands due to the fact that Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony. Garlic sauce can be store-bought or prepared at home by mixing some mayonnaise with yogurt and finely minced garlic or garlic powder. Sambal sauce, on the other hand, is almost exclusively store-bought and ... Read more -
serving
As a fast food dish, kapsalon is usually served in a disposable aluminum container, which serves both as baking and a serving dish.
Recipe variations
-
Classic Kapsalon
Ready in 45minThis recipe describes a typical homemade kapsalon preparation. The fries are oven-baked instead of fried, while the shawarma meat is cooked in a skillet. It is preferable to use mature Gouda cheese with a 48+ marking, which indicates that the cheese contains 48% fat and will melt perfectly.
-
Chicken Kapsalon
Ready in 45minThis healthy version of kapsalon replaces the shawarma meat with chicken thighs, while the fries can be made with either a regular or a sweet potato. Instead of Turkish garlic sauce, kapsalon is in this case drizzled with a dressing made with lactose-free yogurt and mayonnaise.
Classic Kapsalon
PREP 15min
COOK 30min
READY IN 45min
This recipe describes a typical homemade kapsalon preparation. The fries are oven-baked instead of fried, while the shawarma meat is cooked in a skillet. It is preferable to use mature Gouda cheese with a 48+ marking, which indicates that the cheese contains 48% fat and will melt perfectly.
Ingredients
Classic Kapsalon
700g (1.5 lbs) potatoes
500g (1.1 lbs) shawarma meat
100g (3.5 oz) grated Gouda cheese (mature, 48+)
1/2 cucumber
2 tomatoes
100g (3.5 oz) iceberg lettuce
100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp) garlic sauce
sambal sauce, to taste
Preparation
Classic Kapsalon
Peel the potatoes, cut them into fries, and place them on a baking dish lined with parchment. Bake the fries in the oven preheated to 200°C/400°F for 25 minutes. When the fries turn golden and crispy, remove them from the oven.
Meanwhile, fry the shawarma meat in a non-stick skillet for 8 minutes, so it browns evenly.
Arrange the fries on the bottom of an aluminum dish. Cover them with a layer of shawarma and top with grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.
In the meantime, cut the cucumber and the tomato into thin slices and shred the lettuce.
Take kapsalon out of the oven. Arrange cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce on top. Drizzle with garlic sauce and sambal to taste. Serve hot.
Other Variations
-
Chicken Kapsalon
Ready in 45minThis healthy version of kapsalon replaces the shawarma meat with chicken thighs, while the fries can be made with either a regular or a sweet potato. Instead of Turkish garlic sauce, kapsalon is in this case drizzled with a dressing made with lactose-free yogurt and mayonnaise.
Other authentic recipes
Rating And Comments
Rate It
Wanna try?
Add To List