Groningen mustard soup: sharp from the jar, mellowed by the roux
The soup is younger than the mustard. What makes it taste of Groningen lies in the coarse grind and vinegar, not in a medieval soup book.
Mustard was part of the cuisine of almost every Dutch region. In Groningen, dozens of small factories were operating in the early twentieth century. RTV Noord identifies De Marne as the last major name: founded in 1895 in Kloosterburen by a farmer, a mayor and a teacher, and later moved to the city. According to the same report, the seed used in jars of ‘Groningen mustard’ usually comes from elsewhere; the regional identity lies in the recipe, not automatically in the field.
Mustard soup is the warm application. Visit Groningen publishes a basic recipe using roux, vegetable stock, Groningen mustard and cream — often with leek, bacon or Groningen sausage. This is contemporary regional cuisine, not an ancient manuscript. The soup is served for lunch or as a starter, not as a festive dish tied to a fixed date.
Below are four bowls, inspired by the Visit Groningen recipe, for making at home. The roux needs to cook over low heat until it loses its raw taste. Add the mustard only towards the end; prolonged boiling makes it bitter. Add the cream and do not let the soup boil afterwards. Allergens in the stated ingredients: gluten (flour), milk (butter, cream), mustard. Whether the stock contains celery or additional gluten depends on the label of the product you buy.
Taste after adding two tablespoons of coarse mustard. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises keeping leftovers chilled for no more than two days and reheating them until piping hot throughout. Serve with substantial bread. The soup should deliver a sharp kick and then land softly.
Get cooking
4 bowls
- 50 g butter
- 50 g wheat flour
- 1 l cold vegetable stock (check the label)
- 2 tbsp coarse Groningen mustard
- 125 ml cream
- optional: leek or crisp-fried bacon
- Melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 8–10 minutes over low heat without letting it brown.
- Gradually whisk in the cold stock. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the mustard, taste, add the cream and heat without boiling.
Recipe not kitchen-tested. Allergens: gluten, milk, mustard, celery possible depending on stock label. Check the labels of all products used.
Stir the bowl: you should be able to see the seeds. Smooth yellow soup without any grain is usually not made with Groningen mustard.