Stoemp Recipe (Belgian Mashed Potatoes and Carrots, One-Pot)

Name: These Buttery Belgian Mashed Potatoes Go with Everything
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces; 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick (about 1 1/2 cups); 1 1/4 cups chicken broth; 1/2 cup whole milk; 2 bay leaves, optional; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; A small pinch of grated nutmeg, optional

A bowl of Stoemp topped with melting butter served with a spoon — Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

Stoemp is a classic Belgian comfort food of mashed potatoes and carrots with rich flavor.
You can adapt this side dish easily using whatever vegetables you have in season or in the fridge.
The recipe is simple and fast, coming together in 40 minutes with just one pot.

I want to make one thing clear: I did not move to Germany for the potatoes. They were just the cherry on top, coming to me in forms I had never heard of, and now can’t imagine life without. Another unexpected benefit of living in close proximity to many other potato-loving countries in Europe is that my born-and-bred Midwestern appreciation for the sheer versatility of the potato dishes has grown exponentially.

Mashed vegetable dish with melted butter and a spoon — Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

While I will always be partial to the classic potato dishes I grew up with, from simple baked potatoes to cheesy funeral potatoes, I’ve come to believe my heart has limitless room for potato love. Now that I’ve met dishes like Irish colcannon, French chantilly potatoes, and Scottish rumbledethumps, there’s no going back.

When I heard about Belgian stoemp, I did my research, made it, loved it, and promptly welcomed it into my ever-growing potato portfolio.

What Is Stoemp?

Stoemp is a beloved comfort food from Belgium and commonly enjoyed in parts of France and the Netherlands. It’s a humble dish made from a mash of mixed vegetables (mainly potatoes with a varying mix of carrots, leeks, spinach, and cabbage) that’s enriched with butter, milk, or cream and frequently served with sausages.

It’s not dissimilar from colcannon or bubble and squeak, but its sheer adaptability sets it apart.

Served bowl of mashed vegetables with melting butter and a spoon — Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

A Flexible, Versatile Potato Side

Stoemp is a great side dish because it’s incredibly versatile, requires no fancy techniques or ingredients, and can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. The stripped-down recipes often call for just potatoes and carrots (as we do in ours below), but you can truly tailor it to the season, your own pantry, and preferences.

In the fall and winter, carrot, Brussels sprouts, parsnip, kale, leek, and cabbage can be added, whereas in spring and summer, baby spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, or even wild garlic make great additions. Some like to include bacon, sausage, or bits of ham for added richness and flavor, while others keep things vegetarian and might freshen things up with a handful of chopped herbs.

Simple Tip!

If you’re adding extra vegetables to your stoemp, be sure to peel anything that needs it first (such as parsnips). For greens with thick stems (like kale and chard), remove the stems first. Core and chop cabbage.

Serving Suggestions

In terms of serving, think of stoemp as another version of mashed potatoes. It goes really well with a simply prepared protein, from the traditional sausages to pork chops, roast chicken, or grilled steak. It also makes a great base for rich stews (Belgian carbonnade, anyone?) or a fried egg. If you want to give it the star treatment, you can even serve stoemp (especially when a protein is mixed in) as an easy, cozy main.

A dish of mashed potatoes and carrots served with pats of melting butter placed on a white bowl with a spoon — Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

Stoemp (Belgian Mashed Potatoes and Carrots)

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Servings 4 to 6 servings

This recipe is a stripped-back take on stoemp made with just potatoes and carrots. If you would like to add more vegetables, see the tip box above.

Keep Screen Awake

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk
2 bay leaves, optional
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A small pinch of grated nutmeg, optional

Boil the potatoes and carrots:

Add potatoes, carrots, chicken broth, milk, bay leaves, and salt to a large pot and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes and carrots are completely tender, 15 to 20 minutes. If you notice the milk is frothing up too much, remove the cover and let it simmer uncovered.
Mash and season:

Remove the bay leaves. Add half of the butter, all the black pepper, and nutmeg, if using, then mash the mixture roughly to combine. You don’t want to mash it completely into a purée; it should still have some texture.
Finish and serve:

Taste, adding salt and pepper as needed. Scoop the stoemp into your serving dish of choice and top with the remaining butter before serving.

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can use leftover stoemp as a base for potato pancakes or Irish boxty.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
238	Calories
9g	Fat
37g	Carbs
5g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	238
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	11%
Saturated Fat 5g	26%
Cholesterol 23mg	8%
Sodium 555mg	24%
Total Carbohydrate 37g	13%
Dietary Fiber 5g	16%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 16mg	80%
Calcium 63mg	5%
Iron 2mg	10%
Potassium 944mg	20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.