Stamppot
in Amsterdam
Not just any stamppot. Family recipes from 1949, potatoes mashed the way grandma used to and a smoked sausage that lives up to its name. Welcome to Heemelrijck.
Stamppot the way it should be
In a world full of fusion and fine dining, there is something comforting about a plate of stamppot that is simply done right. No tricks, no foam, no kombucha on the side. Just kale with a generous knob of butter, a hand-made smoked sausage and gravy that has been simmering all day.
At Heemelrijck we mash potatoes using recipes that Grandpa Nars already used in 1949 in his sandwich shop at Leidseplein. Three generations have come and gone since then, but the recipes have stayed the same.
You can eat stamppot in Amsterdam in many places. But authentic stamppot, made with Dutch-sourced ingredients and a family recipe as its foundation, that is what we serve.
Heemelrijck is a family-run Dutch restaurant in Amsterdam with three locations: Leidseplein, the Centre and De Pijp. Traditional Dutch food, made the way it always was.
"My grandmother always made the stamppot with a spoonful of fat from the braising pan. That secret is still in our gravy." — Nars, third generation Heemelrijck
On the menu
Our stamppot dishes
Kale mash
The stamppot everyone knows, at its very best. Fresh kale, mashed potatoes and a hand-made smoked sausage from the butcher around the corner. The gravy is drawn fresh every day from the braised meat.
Dutch classicHutspot with braised brisket
Hutspot is older than the Republic. We make it with carrot, onion and potato, slow-cooked until everything becomes tender. The brisket simmers for four hours on a low flame before it reaches your table.
Recipe from 1949Sauerkraut mash
Home-fermented sauerkraut mixed through mashed potatoes and finished with crispy fried bacon bits. Slightly sour, savoury and utterly irresistible on a cold Amsterdam evening.
Seasonal classicEndive mash
The lightest of the four. Fresh endive, finely shredded and folded through warm mashed potato. Garnished with a fried egg and crispy rendered bacon. Simplicity at its finest.
House favouriteGood to know
What is stamppot, exactly?
Stamppot might be the most Dutch dish there is. The base is always the same: boiled potatoes, mashed and mixed with vegetables, which is also where the name comes from ("stamppot" literally means "mashed pot"). It is simple, filling and has been part of Dutch cuisine for centuries. It used to be food from the ordinary Dutch kitchen: affordable, hearty and made from whatever the season had to offer. Today, stamppot has grown into a beloved comfort dish that appears on tables across the Netherlands as soon as the weather turns cold.
What makes stamppot so special is its simplicity. It only needs a handful of ingredients, but the flavour depends entirely on their quality and the care that goes into making it. A good stamppot has creamy potatoes, fresh vegetables with a bit of bite, and a hearty companion such as smoked sausage, bacon or braised beef.
The classic types of stamppot
In Dutch cuisine there are a few varieties that everyone knows. Each has its own character and its own season.
- Kale mash with smoked sausage: the best-known of them all. Firm, dark green kale mashed through the potatoes, traditionally served with a smoked sausage. The ultimate winter dish, at its best after the first night frost.
- Hutspot: a mixture of potato, carrot and onion, often served with braised brisket or another cut of stewed beef. Hutspot is one of the oldest stamppots and is traditionally linked in the Netherlands to the history of the city of Leiden.
- Sauerkraut mash: potatoes mixed with sauerkraut, giving a slightly sour, savoury flavour. Often finished with fried bacon bits or a sausage, a true winter comfort meal.
- Endive mash: a lighter variant, in which fresh, raw endive is folded through the warm mashed potato. The endive wilts from the heat and adds a fresh, slightly bitter note.
On top of that, there are countless regional and seasonal variations, from spring greens and spinach in spring to raw endive and leek. The freedom to vary the vegetables is exactly what has made stamppot so loved for generations.
A dish for winter
Stamppot is a seasonal dish through and through. Classic winter vegetables such as kale and sauerkraut are traditionally harvested and eaten only in the colder months, and kale is even said to taste better after it has been through a frost. That is why, for many Dutch people, a steaming plate of stamppot is inseparable from autumn and winter. It is the kind of food that warms you up after a cold walk through the city and shows Dutch cuisine at its most comforting.
Stamppot at Heemelrijck
At Heemelrijck we don't see stamppot as a dish from the past, but as a living tradition. We work from family recipes and prepare the classic varieties, kale, hutspot, sauerkraut and endive, the way they were made at home: with care, honest ingredients and a homemade gravy. Anyone who wants to eat stamppot in Amsterdam the way it should be will find Dutch cuisine at its most comforting at Heemelrijck.
Our story
A hundred years of Dutch cooking
Stamppot is not a trend at Heemelrijck. It is the foundation. When Grandpa Nars opened his first sandwich shop in 1925, it was the food of the ordinary Amsterdammer: honest, nourishing and full of flavour.
Three generations later his grandchildren still serve the same dishes, made the same way. Because good food does not need reinventing.
Read our storyWhere to find us
Stamppot in Amsterdam at three locations
Leidseplein
On the canal, a stone's throw from the iconic Leidseplein. Homely, lively and convivial.
Centre
In the heart of the old city. A quiet refuge in the middle of Amsterdam's bustle.
De Pijp
In Amsterdam's most vibrant neighbourhood. Between the market stalls and cafes of Albert Cuypstraat.
Frequently asked questions
About stamppot at Heemelrijck
Reserve
Stamppot tonight?
Choose a location and reserve directly. We always have a table ready for you.