Dutch doughnuts

Why this dinner works

Most weeknight one-pot dinners ask you to choose between two evils: a five-ingredient bowl that tastes like the inside of a saucepan, or a recipe so layered it eats your entire evening. Dutch doughnuts sits comfortably in the middle. It draws on International traditions where building flavor in stages — aromatics, then spice, then the slow swell of liquid into starch — is just how dinner gets made on a regular Tuesday.

The whole thing comes together in about 40 minutes in a single skillet, which means dinner from idea to table is shorter than most podcast episodes. We've leaned on the everyday 5 ingredients listed below, but in the notes after the recipe you'll find the small swaps and shortcuts that make this dish forgiving when your fridge is half-empty.

Method

1. Step 1. Place the flour in a large bowl and add the yeast and sugar. If the milk is cold make sure to heat it to lukewarm. Mix your flour mixture bit by bit with the milk until you have a smooth batter. Add the salt and mix with a wooden spoon till the batter is smooth and liquidy.
2. Step 2. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm spot for about an hour to rise.
3. Step 3. Heat your deep fryer or add the oil to a large pot. The oil should be a t 180˚C (350˚F) for best results.
4. Step 4. Before starting stir your batter through and scoop the batter with two spoons or with an ice cream scoop. Let it drop into the oil carefully. It is easiest to do this if you dip your spoons or scoop into the oil before dipping into the batter. That way it will slide of the spoons easily. Don't over crowd the fryer to prevent the oil cooling down too quickly and everything sticking together. Once one side is golden brown it usually turns around to the other side automatically. If not help it along with two forks.
5. Step 5. Take the balls out once golden brown and leave to drain on a piece of kitchen paper.

Cook's notes

One pan, fewer dishes. Use the widest, heaviest skillet you own with a tight-fitting lid. The wider base means faster browning at the start; the lid traps the gentle steam that finishes the dish without scorching the bottom.

Salt as you go. Season the aromatics, season the protein, season the liquid before it reduces. By the time you taste at the end, the only adjustment is usually acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a final crack of pepper.

Make it ahead. Like most one-pot dinners with international roots, the leftovers are arguably better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen things back up.

Pairings & serving

This one feels best in a 4-bowl spread with a sharp green salad and something cold to drink. If you want to stretch it for unexpected company, double the liquid and a single starchy ingredient — rice, pasta, potatoes, depending on the recipe — and the whole pan grows without much extra work.

Original recipe inspiration: source.