We were excited for our trip to Belgium for many reasons - and if you've read our vegan Belgian waffle blog, you'll know that food was one of these reasons! Belgium has such an incredible culinary heritage, so we knew that there would be loads of incredible dishes for us to delve into. One that we hadn't come across before, but were really excited to try in its plant-based form, was the classic Belgian dish Boulets à la Liégeoise! Brussels gave us so much to get giddy about, and we loved seeing absolutely mind-blowing sights from The Grand Place to The Atomium - but perhaps one of the best things about Brussels for vegetarians and vegans is how many incredible places there are to eat! So if we were to find our dream, vegan Boulets à la Liégeoise anywhere, surely it would be here, in the Belgian capital!
But wait, what exactly are Boulets à la Liégeoise?
Maybe one of Belgium's lesser known national dishes, Boulets à le Liégeoise are actually super popular and though the world may not be so familiar with them, you can find them all over Belgium! Originally from Liége, as the name suggests, this dish is a main meal that we thought would be absolutely perfect to warm us up while we visited during the chilly Belgian winter! This dish comprises of three main elements: meatballs (usually made from pork and/or beef), a rich sweet and sour sauce, and some freshly fried potato fries. On first consideration, we really weren't sure about the sound of this dish. I mean, sure, meatballs and chips - but that sweet and sour sauce?! This sauce that the meatballs are simmered in, is made from onions, brown sugar, raisins, Liége syrup, and vinegar. We really couldn't figure out how this would taste... but we were excited (if a bit nervous) to give it a try!
Where did we try vegan Boulets à la Liégeoise in Brussels?
We headed to The Judgy Vegan, an plant-based icon of a restaurant here in Brussels. The Judgy Vegan have a really big and inviting space, with a big menu packed with wholly plant-based Belgian and international cuisine. Our eyes were particularly drawn to their cabinet of vegan cakes and bakes, and we were desperate to try them after our meal - but little did we know how full we would be! And don't worry, the name is ironic - the staff at The Judgy Vegan aren't at all judgy! We found them to be so welcoming - this is a place that specialises in cruelty-free comfort food, so expect to find all your junk food favourites and a really cosy, comforting experience!
So come on - tell us all about the Boulets à la Liégeoise! How did they taste?
First of all - how amazing to be able to easily find a vegan version of this traditional Belgian dish! As vegan travellers who love to try local cuisine, the accessibility of the dish at The Judgy Vegan made us very happy. We were also impressed, when it arrived, by how attractively they had presented these meatballs, fries, and the green side salad - it smelled amazing too! So many different aromas, from the meatiness of the plant-based meatballs, to the tangy sweet and sour sauce, and the delicious fried smell of the chips. My mouth started watering at all the sight and smell of this dish!
The seitan meatballs themselves were dense and filling: it’s traditional to have a serving of two or three boulets on your plate and I completely understand why now, having seen their size! I definitely wouldn’t have been able to manage any more of them! The chips were really well cooked: the Belgians are serious about their fries, and these ones were homemade, crisp and delicious. The Liégeoise sauce was sweet but tangy: it actually worked really well with the savoury dish and I totally understand why it’s so popular here - but it would be a little sweet for me to eat more! I really enjoyed those fries as a very savoury accompaniment to the sweetness of the sauce. And a hidden gem? That side salad with balsamic! It was only a small garnish, but that was all it needed to be: I thought this attractive and tasty touch rounded the dish off really well!
How much did the plant-based Boulets à la Liégeoise cost - and was it worth it?
Brussels is a pretty expensive city, and almost everything we ate here was more pricey than we were used to! The Boulets à la Liégeoise at The Judgy Vegan cost €17 per plate (approx. £14.64 or $18.23); this is a pretty standard price in Brussels for a nice plate of freshly-cooked, quality food - and actually a fair bit cheaper than most. So, for a plant-based Boulets à la Liégeoise in the capital of Belgium, we thought that this was a pretty good price. We were really glad to have tried this dish here, and would absolutely go back to try more of their really delicious sounding menu - especially one of those cakes!
Have you tried vegan Boulets à la Liégeoise in Belgium? Or elsewhere in the world! Where did you go and what did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below.
Recommendations
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Where should I stay?
With Brussels being a capital city it is definitely not short of places to stay! For a small and friendly hotel that is only a short walk from the main attractions, check out The Sun Hotel. Or if a social hostel vibe is more your scene, Generation Europe is the highest rated hostel in Brussels, with a good choice of private and dorm rooms to fit all group sizes.
Tours & Experiences
Brussels is an incredible city packed full of things to see and do - however, some of the main attractions (including our favourite, The Atomium) are a little far apart. So why not take advantage of this bicycle tour, which shows you the highlights of the city on the convenience of your own two wheels. Or if that's not for you, check out some of the top-rated Viator tours below!
Please note that the tours displayed below are automatically selected for their popularity by Viator, not chosen or recommended by us. Please check whether any food or drink based tours are suitable for your dietary requirements before booking!