Hankering for some traditional Dutch meatball soup but not sure how to begin? Pick up one of our Dutch Meatball Soup Kits. They contain all those secret herbs and spices that even the Colonel doesn’t know about. All you have to add is a pound of hamburger, water and maybe some fresh veggies.
OR here is the recipe:
Dutch Meatball Soup
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 package Silvo Gehakt Kruiden with breadcrumbs (Dutch hamburger spices) or 2 tsp Verstegen gehakt kruiden + 2 rusk crushed into crumbs
- 1 Honig Vleeskruidenbuiltje (herb sachet for beef broth)
- 1 package Honig Groente Soep (Dutch Vegetable soup mix)
- 2 litres of boiling water
- 4 large carrots
- 4 celery stems
- 1 small leek stem
- 2 handfuls vermicelli noodles
- (Dried veggies can substitute for fresh veggies but a mix of both is nice)
Mix ground beef, spices and rusk crumbs together. Hang herb sachet in water. (Tie string to stock pot handle for easy removal.) Roll ground beef mixture into small 1/2 inch meatballs and drop into simmering water.
Keep water at a simmer but do not allow it reach a rolling boil. If broth is allowed to boil too vigorously fat will emulsify making it difficult to skim off. When all the meatballs have made continue to let broth simmer as you chop the vegetables. Quarter the larger parts before chopping into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Remove broth from heat and allow fat to raise to the surface. Remove herb sachet. Skim off top layer into a large measuring cup or bowl. Refrigerate. Remove fat when it becomes a solid mass and return the extra broth to pan. Broth will cool faster in a glass or metal container.
Return broth to heat. Add chopped vegetables and bring soup back to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender. Dissolve soup mix in refrigerated broth or cold water and add to soup. Vermicelli should be added 7-10 minutes before serving depending on cooking time.
Traditionally served with crusty rolls, Gouda cheese and coldcuts.
Is there MSG in these mixes?
Hi Effie, both Honig and Silvo include MSG in their recipes. The rest of the ingredients listed here do not. The Silvo meatball spice can be replaced with Verstegen Gehakt spices and your own bread crumbs. It is difficult to find soup mixes that do not contain MSG. I myself am unable to use soup mixes due to other allergies. My solution has been to slow cook chicken in my crock pot with a very generous amount of herbs, sea salt and pepper with some white wine. My herb combination leans toward Herb Provencale. After the chicken is cooked, I remove the meat and broth, then return all the bones and skin to the slow cooker and cover with water. I let that cook on low for about 10 hours. All the flavours of the herbs are extracted into the final batch of broth which with the first batch forms the basis for whatever soup I want to make. The chicken itself can be used for another meal if I am making meatball soup. It sounds like a lot of work but once it becomes a routine, the delicious benefits will make the time seem very worth it. All the best!! JACQUI