What is in season in Utrecht. and what to order when the market changes.
Spring
- White asparagus (witte asperges): Dutch white asparagus season runs April to mid-June. Utrecht restaurants dedicate menus to the Brabant and Limburg varieties; the Boerenmarkt stalls sell bunches direct from growers from late April.
- Fresh Dutch herring (hollandse nieuwe): The Hollandse Nieuwe is declared in late May or early June when the fat content reaches 16%. Utrecht's Vismarkt sells the first catch raw with diced onion; the Vismarkt tradition dates to the medieval fish trade.
- Radishes and early lettuces: Dutch greenhouse radishes and butter lettuces appear at the Boerenmarkt from March, replacing root vegetable winter stocks. Open-faced Dutch sandwiches switch from cheese to fresh vegetable toppings.
Summer
- Dutch strawberries (aardbeien): Field-grown Dutch strawberries from the Westland and Zeeland regions arrive at Utrecht markets from June. The Boerenmarkt sells them by the punnet; local patisseries use them in Dutch shortcake and tarts.
- Courgette, tomatoes and summer beans: Dutch hothouse and field-grown summer vegetables dominate the Boerenmarkt from July. Utrecht restaurants switch to summer salad menus; the Twijnstraat organic market peaks with variety.
- Elderflower (vlierbloesum): Dutch elderflower is foraged and used fresh in cordials and desserts by Utrecht's craft kitchens from late May to June. Kasvio and Feu feature seasonal elderflower preparations on their summer menus.
Autumn
- Wild mushrooms (wilde paddenstoelen): Dutch wild mushrooms including chanterelles and porcini appear at the Friday boerenmarkt stalls on Vredenburg each October. Utrecht's fine-dining restaurants feature wild mushroom tasting plates from September.
- Dutch pumpkin and squash: Heritage varieties of Dutch pumpkin and squash from local farms appear at the Boerenmarkt from September. Stamppot with pumpkin is an autumn Dutch variation served at neighbourhood brown cafes.
- Game (wild) season: Dutch game including pheasant, venison and wild boar is available from September to December. Utrecht fine-dining restaurants including Maeve and Hemel en Aarde feature Dutch wild game on autumn menus.
Winter
- Stamppot (mashed potato and vegetable stew): Dutch stamppot with boerenkool (kale), hutspot (carrot and onion) or zuurkool (sauerkraut) is a cold-season staple. Utrecht brown cafes and traditional restaurants serve stamppot with rookworst sausage from October to March.
- Erwtensoep (Dutch split pea soup): Thick Dutch green split pea soup with rookworst and celery root is eaten from November to February. The consistency should be thick enough to hold a spoon upright; served at Utrecht market stalls and traditional cafes.
- Oliebollen (Dutch doughnuts): Deep-fried dough balls dusted with icing sugar, sold from street stalls across Utrecht from Sinterklaas in December through New Year. The Boerenmarkt and Oudegracht stalls produce fresh oliebollen to order.