Kapsalon Recipe: The Dutch Fast Food Masterpiece
Dutch Kapsalon Recipe – I first encountered kapsalon on a rainy Tuesday in Amsterdam, huddled under the awning of a small kebab shop with water dripping off my completely inadequate jacket.
Kapsalon
Ingredients
- 250 Grams Fries
- 500 Grams Doner Meat
- Garlic sauce for topping
- Hot sauce for topping
- 1 Bulb Lettuce
- 1 Tomato
- 1/3 Cucumber
- 100 Grams Gouda cheese
Instructions
- Cut the meat into strips. Heat oil in a pan and fry the strips for 6 minutes until it's ready.
- Bake the fries until golden brown in a deep fryer. When ready transfer to a baking dish. Make sure the fries are spread over the whole dish.
- Cover the fries with a new layer of meat and spread evenly.
- Add a layer of cheese over the meat. You can also use grated cheese. When done put in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Chop the lettuce, tomato and cucumber in small pieces and mix together for a basic salad. As extra you can add olives, jalapenos and a red onion.
- Divide the salad over the dish and serve with garlic sauce and hot sauce.
Nutrition
The shop owner, noting my American accent and general look of cold desperation, insisted I try their specialty. “It will fix everything,” he promised. Reader, it did.
There I was, soaked and shivering, suddenly presented with what looked like the result of a late-night fridge raid gone wonderfully right: crispy fries layered with savory meat, melted cheese, and fresh veggies.
It was comfort food that somehow managed to include a token salad component, which meant I could tell myself it was practically health food. (It’s not. Not even close. But we can pretend together.)
The Curious Origin of Kapsalon
Before we dive into this glorious mess of a dish, let’s talk about its name. Kapsalon” literally means “hair salon” in Dutch. Yes, you read that correctly.
The story goes that a Rotterdam hairdresser regularly ordered this combination at his local shawarma shop until they named it after his profession. I find it deeply reassuring that hairdressers worldwide have excellent taste in comfort food.
This Dutch street food creation beautifully represents the multicultural influences in the Netherlands, combining elements of Middle Eastern döner kebab with Dutch cheese and fries. It’s what happens when cultures collide in the most delicious way possible.
What Makes a Perfect Kapsalon
The beauty of kapsalon is in its layering – like a savory parfait of questionable nutritional value but undeniable deliciousness.
The foundation is always crispy fries, topped with juicy meat (traditionally döner or shawarma), blanketed with melted cheese, and crowned with a fresh salad. The contrasts are what make it magical: hot and cold, crispy and soft, indulgent and (nominally) fresh.
I’ve made this at home countless times, sometimes at perfectly respectable dinner hours, but often at that mysterious time between midnight and sunrise when all the best food decisions are made.
Also read:
- Classic British Bakewell Tart Recipe
- Garides Saganaki Recipe
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe
- Beef and Mustard Pie Recipe
- Breakfast Potato Recipe
- Mbuzi Choma Recipe
The version I’m sharing today stays true to the original while being entirely possible to create in your home kitchen without specialized equipment.
The Recipe: Homemade Kapsalon
Here’s the Dutch Kapsalon recipe which you can cook right now:
Ingredients
For the base:
- 250 grams (about 1/2 pound) frozen french fries
- 500 grams (about 1 pound) döner meat or lamb strips
- 100 grams (about 1 cup) Gouda cheese, sliced or grated
- Olive oil for cooking
For the salad topping:
- 1 bulb lettuce (I use romaine or iceberg), chopped
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1/3 cucumber, diced
- Optional: sliced olives, jalapeños, and red onion
For the sauces:
- Garlic sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- Hot sauce of your choice
Equipment
Don’t worry, I’m not going to insist you need some obscure Dutch cooking implement. You’ll need:
- A deep fryer or large, deep pot for the fries (or an oven for baking)
- A skillet for the meat
- An oven-safe dish for layering
- Basic kitchen tools like knives and cutting boards
Instructions
- Prepare the meat: Cut the döner meat or lamb into thin strips if not already prepared. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the meat strips for about 6 minutes until they’re browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Make the fries: If using a deep fryer, heat your oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry until golden brown and crispy. If baking, follow package instructions. I won’t judge you for using frozen fries – we’re making street food, not competing on a cooking show.
- Create the foundation: Transfer your crispy fries to an oven-safe baking dish, spreading them evenly across the bottom. This is important – every bite should have a proper fry-to-topping ratio.
- Add the meat layer: Distribute your cooked meat evenly over the fries. Don’t be shy here.
- Cheese time: Layer your Gouda slices or spread your grated cheese completely over the meat. Place in a preheated oven (350°F/175°C) for about 3-5 minutes, or just until the cheese melts. Watch it carefully – we want melted cheese, not cheese that’s reverted back to its molecular components.
- Prepare the salad: While the cheese is melting, chop your lettuce, tomato, and cucumber into small pieces and toss them together. If you’re using add-ins like olives, jalapeños, or red onion, mix those in too.
- Final assembly: Once the cheese has melted, remove the dish from the oven and top with your freshly prepared salad. Serve immediately with garlic sauce and hot sauce on the side for drizzling at will.
Tips for Kapsalon Success
Let’s be honest about a few things. First, this dish is best consumed immediately. It waits for no one. The structural integrity depends on that contrast between the hot, cheesy bottom layers and the cool, crisp salad on top.
Second, while traditional kapsalon uses döner meat, you can substitute with other proteins. Chicken shawarma works wonderfully. For vegetarians, try crispy falafel or spiced roasted chickpeas instead of meat.
For the cheese, authentic kapsalon uses young Gouda, but mozzarella or a mild cheddar will work in a pinch. Whatever melts well and doesn’t overpower the other flavors is fine.
Serving Suggestions
Kapsalon is a complete meal in itself – that’s kind of the whole point. But if you’re feeling fancy, serve it with extra sauces. Besides the traditional garlic sauce and hot sauce, a tangy yogurt sauce or tahini drizzle works beautifully.
This is not first-date food unless you’re specifically testing how someone reacts to watching you devour what is essentially a sophisticated version of loaded fries. It is, however, perfect for:
- Late-night cravings
- Hangover recovery
- Feeding hungry friends who don’t care about pretense
- Tuesday dinners when cooking ambition is low but hunger is high
The Dutch Way vs. Your Way
In Rotterdam, they might question some adaptations, but cooking is about making things work for you. Don’t have a deep fryer? Bake those fries. Can’t find döner meat? Use what you can find. The spirit of kapsalon is indulgence and satisfaction, not strict authenticity.
That said, do try to maintain the hot/cold contrast and the layering. That’s what makes it special rather than just throwing everything together in a bowl (which, to be fair, would still taste good, just different).
When I make this at home, I sometimes add a sprinkle of za’atar to the meat as it cooks or a few drops of lemon juice to the salad for brightness. Make it yours.
In the end, kapsalon is proof that some of the best foods come from cultural fusion, a hairdresser’s regular order, and possibly questionable late-night decisions. And isn’t that something worth celebrating?
