Stamppot (Dutch Mashed Potato and Sausage)

Method

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15-20 minutes until fork-tender. In the last 5 minutes, add the chopped kale to the same pot. Drain well.

   Salt early and throughout the cooking process. Salt added at the beginning penetrates the food; salt added at the end sits on the surface. Both are important, but the foundation matters most.

   Salt early and throughout the cooking process. Salt added at the beginning penetrates the food; salt added at the end sits on the surface. Both are important, but the foundation matters most.

2. Mash together — add butter and warm milk to the pot. Mash the potatoes and kale together until the potatoes are smooth but the kale still has some texture. Season with salt and pepper.

   Season generously — underseasoned food is the most common home cooking mistake. You can always add more at the end, but building seasoning in layers produces deeper flavor than a single pass.

   Season generously — underseasoned food is the most common home cooking mistake. You can always add more at the end, but building seasoning in layers produces deeper flavor than a single pass.

3. Cook the sausage by simmering it in water for 10 minutes (or according to package directions). Slice on the diagonal.

   A simmer means small bubbles gently breaking the surface — not a rolling boil. Aggressive boiling toughens proteins and causes sauces to reduce too quickly, concentrating flavors unevenly.

   A simmer means small bubbles gently breaking the surface — not a rolling boil. Aggressive boiling toughens proteins and causes sauces to reduce too quickly, concentrating flavors unevenly.

4. Serve by mounding the stamppot on plates, making a well in the center for gravy. Lay sliced sausage on top. Serve with mustard on the side. In the Netherlands, stamppot is cold-weather food — eaten from October through March.

Equipment

• Stockpot Recommended: Tramontina 12-Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot
• Potato masher Recommended: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Potato Masher

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: The potatoes and kale are mashed TOGETHER — not served separately. The kale gets folded into the hot mashed potatoes, wilting slightly but keeping some texture. This is what makes stamppot different from mashed potatoes with a side of greens.
• Use curly kale (boerenkool) for the most traditional version. Other stamppot variations use sauerkraut (zuurkoolstamppot), endive (andijviestamppot), or carrots and onions (hutspot).
• The sausage sits on top, not mixed in. In the Netherlands, rookworst (smoked sausage) is the traditional pairing — kielbasa is the closest widely available substitute.
• Make a well in the center of the stamppot and pour gravy into it. This is the traditional Dutch presentation.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Curly kale	Sauerkraut (zuurkoolstamppot)	Completely different flavor — equally traditional
Rookworst	Kielbasa or bratwurst	Kielbasa is closest in smoke and texture
Russet potatoes	Yukon Gold	Creamier but less fluffy
Butter + milk	Cream only	Richer — use 3/4 cup cream

What You're Practicing

Stamppot teaches you the Dutch approach to comfort food — combining starch and vegetables in one mash. The same concept appears in Irish colcannon (potatoes + cabbage), Scottish rumbledethumps (potatoes + cabbage + cheese), and British bubble and squeak. Visit Techniques for more.