Africa · Traditional

South African cuisine

South African cuisine brings together braai smoke, maize pap, Cape Malay spice, Durban curry, biltong, coastal snoek, township street food and generous puddings.

Explore recipes Build a South African menu Wine pairings

Food history

Why South African food is worth cooking

South African cuisine reflects Indigenous Khoisan food knowledge, Bantu-speaking farming traditions, Dutch settlement, enslaved and exiled communities from Southeast Asia, British rule and Indian migration. Few national cuisines show their history so clearly in a single table.

Why it is famous

The international reputation of South African food rests partly on braai, bobotie, bunny chow, boerewors, biltong, potjiekos, Cape Malay curries and malva pudding. Yet many of the most revealing things to cook are less famous: the soups, breads, vegetable dishes, preserves and regional meals that show how people have used local ingredients day after day.

Regional food story

Cape Town carries strong Cape Malay traditions; Durban is renowned for Indian South African food; the Karoo is associated with lamb; coastal regions bring abundant fish; township and rural cooking preserve important maize, bean and braai traditions.

How to cook it

Flavours, ingredients and menu ideas

Signature ingredients

Maize meal, beef, lamb, game, beans, chillies, curry spices, dried fruit, chutney, seafood and local greens are among the ingredients that repeatedly shape South African food. Their importance comes from how they are used locally, not simply from appearing in recipes, so regional technique and seasonality remain essential.

Cooking style

South African cooking ranges from live-fire grilling and cast-iron pot cooking to fragrant curries and baked puddings. Sweet-savoury combinations, spice and smoke often appear, but the cuisine changes sharply between communities and regions.

Build a menu

Choose one thread and let it lead: a braai with salads and maize sides, a Cape Malay curry meal, or Durban-inspired bunny chow. Add a sharp relish or chutney and finish with malva pudding or another homely baked dessert.

Starters Mains Desserts

Cook by course

South African recipes

Start with a starter, choose a main, then finish with a dessert to build a complete country-inspired menu.

Starters

South African starters

Biltong Platter

Traditional South African starter of cured beef platter, with proper technique, timing and serving ideas.

starter 22 mins

Snoek Pâté with Toast

Traditional South African starter of smoked fish pate, with proper technique, timing and serving ideas.

starter 3 hr 25 mins

Mini Bunny Chow

Traditional South African starter of Durban curry bread bowls, with proper technique, timing and serving…

starter 4 hr 43 mins

Chakalaka and Pap Cups

Traditional South African starter of maize pap with spicy vegetable relish, with proper technique, timin…

starter 8 hr 6 mins

Bobotie Bites

Traditional South African starter of Cape Malay mince tartlets, with proper technique, timing and servin…

starter 8 hr 57 mins

Cape Malay Samoosas

Traditional South African starter of crisp triangular spiced pastries, with proper technique, timing and…

starter 8 hr 57 mins

Peri-Peri Chicken Skewers

Traditional South African starter of grilled chilli chicken skewers, with proper technique, timing and s…

starter 8 hr 57 mins

Vetkoek with Mince

Traditional South African starter of fried bread with curried mince, with proper technique, timing and s…

starter 8 hr 57 mins

Main courses

South African main courses

Gatsby Sandwich

Traditional South African main of Cape Town sharing sandwich, with proper technique, timing and serving…

main 3 hr 23 mins

Kota

Traditional South African main of loaded quarter-loaf street sandwich, with proper technique, timing and…

main 3 hr 23 mins

Peri-Peri Prawns

Traditional South African main of garlic chilli prawns, with proper technique, timing and serving ideas.

main 3 hr 25 mins

Pickled Fish with Yellow Rice

Traditional South African main of curried pickled fish, with proper technique, timing and serving ideas.

main 3 hr 25 mins

Snoek Braai

Traditional South African main of apricot-glazed grilled snoek, with proper technique, timing and servin…

main 3 hr 25 mins

Bunny Chow

Traditional South African main of Durban curry in a bread loaf, with proper technique, timing and servin…

main 4 hr 43 mins

Cape Malay Akhni

Traditional South African main of spiced rice and meat dish, with proper technique, timing and serving i…

main 4 hr 43 mins

Cape Malay Chicken Curry

Traditional South African main of fragrant chicken curry, with proper technique, timing and serving idea…

main 4 hr 43 mins

Cape Malay Seafood Curry

Traditional South African main of gentle spiced seafood curry, with proper technique, timing and serving…

main 4 hr 43 mins

Durban Lamb Curry

Traditional South African main of deep red-brown lamb curry, with proper technique, timing and serving i…

main 4 hr 43 mins

Boerewors with Pap and Chakalaka

Traditional South African main of grilled sausage with maize and relish, with proper technique, timing a…

main 8 hr 7 mins

Morogo with Pap

Traditional South African main of wild greens with maize pap, with proper technique, timing and serving…

main 8 hr 7 mins

Bobotie

Traditional South African main of spiced mince bake with custard, with proper technique, timing and serv…

main 8 hr 57 mins

Braaied Lamb Chops

Traditional South African main of fire-grilled lamb chops, with proper technique, timing and serving ide…

main 8 hr 57 mins

Chicken Dust

Traditional South African main of charred township-style chicken, with proper technique, timing and serv…

main 8 hr 57 mins

Frikkadels with Tomato Gravy

Traditional South African main of South African meatballs, with proper technique, timing and serving ide…

main 8 hr 57 mins

Sosaties

Traditional South African main of curried kebabs with apricot, with proper technique, timing and serving…

main 8 hr 57 mins

Denningvleis

Traditional South African main of sweet-sour Cape Malay lamb, with proper technique, timing and serving…

main 9 hr 16 mins

Mogodu

Traditional South African main of tripe stew, with proper technique, timing and serving ideas.

main 9 hr 16 mins

Oxtail Potjie

Traditional South African main of slow oxtail potjie, with proper technique, timing and serving ideas.

main 9 hr 16 mins

Potjiekos

Traditional South African main of slow layered cast-iron stew, with proper technique, timing and serving…

main 9 hr 16 mins

Tomato Bredie

Traditional South African main of slow lamb and tomato stew, with proper technique, timing and serving i…

main 9 hr 16 mins

Umngqusho

Traditional South African main of samp and beans, with proper technique, timing and serving ideas.

main 9 hr 16 mins

Waterblommetjie Bredie

Traditional South African main of lamb stew with Cape pond flowers, with proper technique, timing and se…

main 9 hr 16 mins

Desserts

South African desserts

Koeksisters

Traditional South African dessert of plaited syrup-soaked pastries, with proper technique, timing and se…

dessert 4 hr 54 mins

Peppermint Crisp Tart

Traditional South African dessert of no-bake caramel mint tart, with proper technique, timing and servin…

dessert 6 hr 20 mins

Melktert

Traditional South African dessert of cinnamon milk custard tart, with proper technique, timing and servi…

dessert 6 hr 22 mins

Amarula Cheesecake

Traditional South African dessert of cream liqueur cheesecake, with proper technique, timing and serving…

dessert 6 hr 25 mins

Cape Brandy Pudding

Traditional South African dessert of warm brandy syrup pudding, with proper technique, timing and servin…

dessert 6 hr 25 mins

Hertzoggies

Traditional South African dessert of jam and coconut tartlets, with proper technique, timing and serving…

dessert 6 hr 25 mins

Malva Pudding

Traditional South African dessert of warm apricot sponge pudding, with proper technique, timing and serv…

dessert 6 hr 25 mins

Tipsy Tart

Traditional South African dessert of date pudding with brandy syrup, with proper technique, timing and s…

dessert 6 hr 25 mins

Wine and drink pairings

What to drink with South African food

Use South African Chenin Blanc with Cape Malay spice and seafood, Sauvignon Blanc with snoek or prawns, Pinotage or Syrah with braai meat, sparkling wine with fried snacks, and sweet or fortified styles with sticky puddings.