History
Dutch cheese culture is medieval in origin; Gouda cheese was documented at the Gouda market from 1184. Utrecht is surrounded by Dutch dairy country and the city's Boerenmarkt features direct-from-farm cheese stalls with wheels of jong, belegen and oud gouda. Fine dining restaurants including Maeve and Karel 5 use Dutch aged cheeses in their tasting menus.
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Common allergens: Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 200g jong (young) gouda, sliced
- 150g belegen (aged) gouda, sliced
- 100g oud (old) gouda, broken into shards
- 100g Dutch aged goat gouda, sliced
- Dutch mustard for dipping
- Dutch dark rye bread (roggebrood) or white sourdough, sliced
- Small bowl of Dutch pickles (uitjes and cornichons)
Method
- Arrange cheeses on a wooden board from mildest (jong) to strongest (oud).
- Break the oud gouda into irregular shards rather than slicing; it is too brittle to slice cleanly.
- Serve the mustard in a small bowl alongside the board.
- Pair the board with Dutch dark rye bread and pickles.
Tip from the editors. Oud gouda develops white tyrosine crystals inside; these are a sign of quality and good ageing, not a defect.
Where to eat dutch cheese (kaasplank)
Dutch Cheese (Kaasplank) in Utrecht
Biologische Boerenmarkt Vredenburg ★ 4.6
Utrecht's organic farmers market on Vredenburgplein every Friday. Local farmers sell cheese, organic produce, bread, juices, meat and sustainable fish.
De Zakkendrager ★ 4.6
French Mediterranean wine bar in the Zakkendragerssteeg. Garden terrace, natural wines, Dutch cheese and charcuterie boards; booking recommended.
Why locals goTiny canal-cellar wine and borrelhapjes bar at wharfside level with no exterior signage
TipThe garden entrance is on the Zakkendragerssteeg between Oudegracht and Vredenburg; easy to walk past.
Maeve 1 ★ ★ 4.8
One Michelin star in the 2025 Netherlands guide. Tommy Janssen's tasting menus blend Japanese technique with Dutch terroir; vegetables lead every course.
Book3-4 weeks ahead
Karel 5 1 ★ ★ 4.7
One Michelin star, set inside a 14th-century monastery. Leon Mazairac's four-to-six-course menus rotate quarterly around seasonal Dutch produce.
Book2-3 weeks ahead
VinVin ★ 4.5
Natural wine bar on the Predikherenstraat. Low-intervention French, Italian and Spanish producers; small plates, charcuterie and cheeses from 16:00.
PourRotating orange wine by the glass from French or Italian natural producers
WineNatural wine, low-intervention European producers
FoodSmall plates and charcuterie
TipThe terrace fills fast on warm evenings; arrive before 18:00 to claim an outdoor table.
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