South African dishes include all kinds of foods that are served in South Africa, these are the very popular ones. There’s a wide range of South African foods available today. It is impossible to include all the dishes in an overview of the country’s favourite foods, it is better to choose ten of the dishes mentioned by most South Africans when asked about local food.

Top 10 Popular And Delicious South African Foods

1. Boerewors

The word boerewors comes from the Afrikaans and Dutch words boer (farmer) and wors (sausage). Boerewors is a popular traditional South African sausage that is made from beef, mixed with either pork or lamb and a mixture of spices. Boerewors are quite tasty and a favourite for the majority of the population in South Africa and are traditionally served in a coiled shape.

2. Bunny chow

Bunny chow is a street food of Durban which has become popular across South Africa. The delicacies that are used in bunny chow include curry lamb, chicken or beef but in some instances, it can also be vegetarian in nature. It was created by the immigrant Indian community in the Natal area of Durban and served to workers for lunch. The food entails a hollowed-out half-loaf filled with delicacies

3. Bobotie

Bobotie is believed to have been brought to South Africa by Asian settlers and is now the official national dish of South Africa. Minced meat is simmered with spices, usually curry powder, herbs and dried fruit, then topped with a mixture of egg and milk and baked until set. It is most commonly served with pilaf rice, another popular dish in South Africa and sambal which contains chopped tomatoes, banana, nuts, chutney and a little bit of coconut.

4. Chakalaka

Chakalaka which is a required component for serving barbecues is a classic relish of tomatoes, carrots, baked beans and chillies with hot curry powder that is served almost ubiquitously with every meal. It is very easy to prepare which requires you to make a gravy from chopped tomato and onion, add plenty of grated carrots, chillies, garlic, a bit of grated cabbage, baked beans and/or cauliflower (diced) and cook until soft.

5. Biltong

This is considered to be South Africa’s most popular and best-known food. It is a kind of cured meat, an air-dried meat (usually beef) that is savoured nearly everywhere by nearly everyone. The process of preparation involves cutting strips of raw fillets of meat following the grain of the muscle. Flat pieces of meat could also be sliced across the grain.

6. Mashonzha

Mashonzha is a popular traditional dish of the Zulu people of South Africa. Mashonzha is basically mopane worms which look like caterpillars but are non-poisonous and can be eaten. In preparing it, these worms are usually fried or grilled and are usually served with peanut or chili sauce to enhance their flavor.

7. Koeksister

When we want to talk about a favourite dish amongst the Afrikaners community of South Africa, Koeksisters will have to be mentioned. Koeksisters can be regarded as candied vegetables and it is usually made by drenching vegetables in fat and syrup and then deep-frying them.

8. Droewors

Droewors can be generally regarded as a smaller, thinner version of boerewors but without the pork. It is a spiced sausage and  are usually sundried like biltong and they have a longer shelf life when compared to boerewors.

9. Braai

Braai as a delicacy has been elevated to the level of an art form due to its popularity amongst the general population most specifically white South Africans. Braai is basically roast meat.

10. Frikkadel

Frikkadels are generally regarded as snacks but also features in main meals. They often contain seasoning, the most common being coriander or nutmeg. It is another popular South African dish considered as a favourite by many people residing in South Africa.