10+ South African Recipes You’ll Love to Try at Home

South African recipes bring together a wild mix of flavors and traditions, all reflecting the country’s patchwork of cultures.

You’ll find meals that pull in local ingredients but also have hints from all over the world.

These recipes give you a chance to try unique dishes that are both tasty and easy to make at home.

Whether you want something simple or a recipe with more spices, South African cooking has something for your kitchen.

1) Bobotie – South African spiced minced beef casserole with custard topping

Bobotie is a classic South African dish with spiced minced beef.

You cook the meat with curry spices and seasonings, then bake it with a soft, eggy custard on top.

This one’s surprisingly easy to make and great for family dinners.

The custard topping is creamy and smooth, which balances out those warm spices underneath.

Serve it with rice or some vegetables on the side.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) minced beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 slice white bread, soaked in milk
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (240 ml) milk
• 2 tbsp chutney
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Bay leaves for garnish

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Fry onions until soft, then add minced beef and curry powder. Cook until browned.
3. Squeeze milk from bread and crumble it into the meat mixture. Add raisins, chutney, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
4. Place mixture in a baking dish and smooth the top. Lay bay leaves on top.
5. Beat eggs with milk and pour over the meat.
6. Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the custard is set and golden.

2) Bunny Chow – Hollowed-out bread filled with curry

Bunny Chow is a street food superstar in South Africa.

You take a loaf of bread, hollow it out, and fill it with spicy curry—usually chicken, lentils, or veggies.

Tear off a chunk of bread and scoop up the curry with your hands.

Despite the name, there’s no rabbit in sight.

It’s hearty, simple, and the bread soaks up every bit of that flavorful curry.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of white bread
• 1 pound (450g) chicken or vegetables
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 can (14 oz/400g) chopped tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic, cook until soft.
3. Stir in curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add chicken or vegetables and cook until browned.
5. Pour in tomatoes, simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Cut the bread loaf in half and hollow out the center.
7. Fill the bread with the hot curry. Serve immediately.

3) Chakalaka – Spicy vegetable relish

Chakalaka is a fiery South African relish that’s all about spice and tang.

You’ll usually find it as a side for bread, stews, or anything grilled.

It’s loaded with vegetables—think bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, and tomatoes.

The seasoning is bold: cumin, coriander, and chili pepper.

You cook the veggies gently, just enough to soften them but keep a little crunch.

Chakalaka really wakes up any meal.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 cup cabbage, shredded
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic; cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in bell pepper, carrots, and cabbage. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
5. Cook uncovered on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
6. Serve warm or at room temperature.

4) Boerewors – Traditional South African sausage

Boerewors is a staple at South African barbecues.

It’s a sausage made from beef, pork, and a bunch of spices, all packed into casings.

The flavor comes from coriander seeds, cloves, and black pepper.

Some pork fat keeps it juicy and tender.

You can grill or pan-fry boerewors—just make sure it hits 160°F (71°C) inside.

Eat it hot, maybe with pap or fresh bread.

Ingredients

• 2 kg beef, well-matured
• 1 kg fatty pork (neck, shoulder, or belly)
• 45 ml whole coriander seeds
• 5 ml whole cloves
• 30 ml salt
• 15 ml freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Toast and crush the coriander seeds and cloves.
2. Mix beef, pork, fat, and spices well.
3. Stuff the mixture into sausage casings evenly.
4. Grill or pan-fry over medium heat.
5. Cook until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
6. Serve hot with your favorite sides.

For more details, you can check a South African Boerewors recipe.

5) Pap and Sheba – Maize porridge with tomato and onion sauce

Pap is a crumbly maize porridge that’s everywhere in South Africa.

You make it from ground maize, cooked until it’s thick and soft.

It’s mild, so it pairs well with almost anything.

Sheba is a tomato and onion sauce that really brings pap to life.

You cook tomatoes, onion, garlic, and maybe some cumin or chili for a little extra kick.

Serve pap and sheba with grilled meat or just eat it as a quick, comforting meal.

Ingredients

• 2 cups mielie meal (ground maize)
• 4 cups water
• 3 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Cooking Instructions

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil.
2. Slowly add mielie meal while stirring to avoid lumps.
3. Reduce heat and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring often until pap thickens.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Sauté onion and garlic until soft.
5. Add tomatoes and cumin. Cook for 10 minutes until sauce thickens.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve pap topped with sheba sauce.

Learn more about pap and sheba here.

6) Melktert – Creamy milk tart dessert

Melktert is a beloved South African dessert.

It’s got a creamy milk filling in a flaky crust, with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

The filling uses milk, eggs, sugar, and a bit of flour for that silky texture.

The crust is buttery and light, just enough to hold everything together.

Bake it until the filling sets and the top is golden.

Cinnamon on top makes it even more comforting.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (113 g) butter, chilled
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) milk, divided
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon for topping

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Make the crust by mixing flour and butter until crumbly. Press into a pie dish.
3. Heat 1 ½ cups of milk until hot but not boiling.
4. Whisk remaining milk, sugar, flour, egg yolks, and vanilla.
5. Slowly add hot milk to this mixture while stirring.
6. Return mixture to heat and cook until thick.
7. Pour filling into crust.
8. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold gently into filling.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes until set.
10. Let cool, then sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.

You’ll enjoy this creamy South African classic anytime. For a full recipe, see a detailed guide on making melktert.

7) Potjiekos – Slow-cooked stew made in a cast-iron pot

Potjiekos is a slow-cooked stew, usually made outdoors in a cast-iron pot called a potjie.

You cook it over coals or a gas burner—whatever you’ve got.

The slow simmer brings out deep, rich flavors in the meat and veggies.

You can use lamb, chicken, oxtail, whatever’s on hand.

Layer the ingredients in the pot and don’t stir; just let each layer cook through.

This method lets the flavors blend on their own.

Potjiekos is made for sharing, especially at gatherings.

You’ll taste the difference that slow cooking makes.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs meat (oxtail, lamb, or chicken)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups beef or vegetable stock
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooking oil

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil in a cast-iron pot over medium heat.
2. Brown the meat on all sides, then remove and set aside.
3. Add onions and garlic, cook until soft.
4. Layer meat, carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes in the pot.
5. Pour in stock, season with salt and pepper.
6. Cover and cook slowly over low heat for 2-3 hours, or at 250°F (120°C).
7. Check occasionally, adding water if needed until meat is tender.

8) Vetkoek – Fried dough bread often stuffed with minced meat

Vetkoek is a staple in South African kitchens—a fried bread that’s crisp and golden on the outside, but soft and fluffy inside.

You start by making a dough, proofing it, then frying it up until it looks just right.

Eat vetkoek plain if you like, or stuff it with whatever you’re craving. Minced meat cooked with curry spices is a classic, but sweet fillings like syrup or jam? Also delicious.

It’s honestly quick to make, which is probably why it’s such a go-to snack or meal.

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 pound minced meat
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
2. Add warm water and knead until the dough feels soft.
3. Cover the bowl and let it rise for about 1 hour.
4. Cook the minced meat with onion, curry powder, salt, and pepper.
5. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C).
6. Punch down the dough, then shape it into balls.
7. Fry each ball in hot oil until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side.
8. Drain the vetkoek on paper towels.
9. Cut them open and fill with the curried minced meat.

9) Biltong – Air-dried cured meat snack

Biltong is South Africa’s answer to jerky, but honestly, it’s got its own thing going on.

You take beef or game meat, cure it with vinegar and spices, then let it air-dry. That’s it.

The drying usually takes a few days, and you want a cool, dry spot for the best results.

Season the meat with salt, black pepper, and vinegar, then hang it up until it’s firm but still tender.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs (900 g) beef silverside or your choice of lean meat
• 5 tbsp brown malt or cider vinegar
• 2.5 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Cut the meat into strips, about 1 inch thick.
2. Soak the strips in vinegar for 5 minutes.
3. Mix salt, pepper, and coriander seeds in a bowl.
4. Coat the meat strips evenly with the spice mix.
5. Hang the strips in a cool, well-ventilated place.
6. Let them dry for 4-7 days, depending on how firm you want it.
7. Slice and enjoy your homemade biltong.

If you want more details, check out this South African biltong guide.

10) Koeksisters – Sweet syrup-coated twisted doughnuts

Koeksisters are South Africa’s twisted doughnuts, famous for their sticky-sweet syrup coating.

They’re crispy on the outside, but the inside stays soft. After frying, you dunk them straight into cold syrup made with sugar, lemon, and sometimes a hint of ginger.

That crunchy, syrupy bite? It’s addictive. Koeksisters are great for sharing—if you don’t eat them all first.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 egg
• Oil for frying

Syrup:

• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Cooking Instructions

1. Toss flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a bowl.

2. Pour in the milk, melted butter, and crack in the egg. Stir everything together until the batter looks smooth.

3. Roll out the dough into strips. Give them a twist, then cut into pieces—don’t worry if they’re not perfect.

4. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Drop in the doughnuts and fry until they turn golden brown.

5. In a small pot, boil sugar, water, lemon juice, and vanilla to whip up a syrup.

6. Dunk the fried doughnuts in the cold syrup and let them soak for about five minutes.

7. Lift them out and drain off the extra syrup before serving.