Belgian Cuisine

 Belgians definitely are foodies! They are bon vivants. They like to enjoy tasty food and drinks. But Belgian cuisine is about far more than the traditional mussels and fries.

What a traditional food day looks like in Belgium?

In the morning, a delicious slice of cramique (raisin bread) or craquelin (sweet bread) would be well appreciated. For those who love tradition, there is also the so-called “Greek bread”, which isn’t in the least bit Greek but a 100% Brussels specialty!

Later in the day, you can spot a person with the aperitif with a good beer. 

Then traditionally there is a main course with some famous dishes listed below and of course a dessert! Belgium has a huge variety of sweet smile-makers! You might also like to try some Belgian pralines, two or three cuberdons, speculoos or babeluttes from the coast.

Afterwards, you can taste one of many Belgian cheeses, you will be surprised by their quality and diversity.

1. Carbonade flamande or stoofvlees

This sweet and sour steak has many variations, and many families hand down their own recipes from generation to generation. Most recipes include beef, rich dark beer, bread, onions, salt, pepper, herbs (such as bay and thyme), and spices. Other ingredients can include carrots, mushrooms, bacon, red wine, shallots – and even dark chocolate! A long marinade and slow cooking are crucial to the flavor and tenderness of the meat. Traditionally, people enjoy this dish with frites (French fries), boiled potatoes, noodles, salad or veggies – and of course, more beer.

2. Sole meunière

Sole meunière is Belgium’s classic fish dish. The latter part of its name translates as ‘miller’s wife’ which refers to the way she would dip the fish in seasoned flour before pan-frying it in a small amount of butter. Traditionally, you add lemon juice and chopped parsley to make a rich brown butter sauce. Most people enjoy the dish with a serving of potatoes; either frites, boiled or mashed.

3. Stomps

This popular Belgian food is made from mashed potatoes mixed with other mashed up vegetables. It traditionally includes endive, kale, onions, carrots, turnips, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and greens. Some people also add cream or milk to the mix. 

4. Gentse waterzooi

Gentse waterzooi is a soup-like stew that is commonly found throughout Belgium. Waterzooi comes from the old Flemish word zooien, meaning ‘to boil’, while gentse shows that the soup originates from the city of Ghent. The dish is traditionally made using fish such as carp, pike, eel, and bass, however, these days it is more common to use chicken. It can also include vegetables such as carrots, leeks, and potatoes. The stew is then thickened with eggs, cream, and butter and usually served with toasted French bread to mop it all up.

5. Boulets

Boulets (or meatballs) are a great staple of Belgian home cooking, and you will find a variety of different recipes throughout the country. However, they are nearly always served with frites or mashed potato. In Flanders, balletjes are typically found covered in tomato sauce, or Frikadellen-style ‘met krieken ‘, where the meatballs are fried in butter with Belgian cherry sauce. In the French-speaking part of Brussels, boulets à la Liégeois is a very popular dish. Here, the meatballs are served with a rich mixture of beef stock, spices, and sirop de Liège; a fruit syrup made from apples and pears, which gives them a distinct sweet taste.

6. Crevette grise

You will find crevette grise (or gray shrimp) all over Belgium and some seafood restaurants will serve you a snack bowl of these crunchy crustaceans. Despite their name and appearance, these North Sea delicacies have a sweet and delicate flavor and are prepared in a number of ways. You can either eat them as tomato crevette (fresh tomatoes stuffed with a prawn salad), crevette croquettes (garnaalkroket in Dutch), or peeled as a snack with beer. Traditionally, fishermen on horseback would harvest the shrimp all along the Belgian coast. This is still practiced today in the coastal village of Oostduinkerke, where the event has gained UNESCO status.