Erwtensoep appears as a signature dish in 2 Netherlands cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.
Erwtensoep (Snert) · Amsterdam
Erwtensoep, called snert when thick enough for a spoon to stand in it, is Amsterdam's winter green-pea soup, stewed with smoked sausage, pork belly, leek, celeriac and carrot until the texture clings.
Erwtensoep is one of the oldest Dutch peasant dishes, recorded in cookbooks back to the 16th century. The Amsterdam test is whether your spoon stands upright in the bowl; if it does, it qualifies as snert. The traditional service is with rookworst smoked sausage sliced on top, slices of katenspek (smoked pork belly) on the side, and roggebrood (rye bread) to mop up. Moeders on Rozengracht runs the canonical version through winter.
Where to eat in Amsterdam:
- Moeders
- Café Hoppe
Erwtensoep (Dutch Split Pea Soup) · Utrecht
Thick green split pea soup with rookworst, celery root and celeriac. Traditional Dutch winter food; must be thick enough to hold a spoon upright.
Erwtensoep has been Dutch winter food since the medieval period. The canonical preparation uses split green peas slow-cooked with pork, rookworst smoked sausage and celery root until the soup is almost stew-like in consistency. The Dutch say it must be thick enough to hold a spoon standing upright. Utrecht market stalls serve fresh erwtensoep from October.
Where to eat in Utrecht:
- Biologische Boerenmarkt Vredenburg
- Ledig Erf
- Stadsbrouwerij Utrechts Bier