Easy South African Recipes

South African braai sides

Braai Salads

A good braai salad brings freshness, colour and contrast to food from the fire. This collection combines familiar South African favourites—from creamy potato salad and curry noodle salad to beetroot, beans, corn and chakalaka—so you can choose sides that suit the meat, the weather and the size of your gathering.

Salad recipes for your next braai

Pair one creamy salad with one tangy or vegetable-based option rather than serving several rich dishes together. Open each recipe for exact quantities, preparation times and storage guidance.

Broccoli Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Broccoli Salad

Creamy Coleslaw – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Creamy Coleslaw

Greek Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Greek Salad

Braai Pasta Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Braai Pasta Salad

Caesar Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Caesar Salad

Green Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Green Salad

Tuna Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Tuna Salad

Chicken Salad with Chutney Dressing – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Chicken Salad with Chutney Dressing

Macaroni Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Macaroni Salad

Cucumber Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Cucumber Salad

Caprese Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Caprese Salad

Chickpea Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Chickpea Salad

Couscous Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Couscous Salad

Waldorf Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Waldorf Salad

Quinoa Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Quinoa Salad

Garden Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Garden Salad

Avocado Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Avocado Salad

Egg Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Egg Salad

Roasted Butternut Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Roasted Butternut Salad

Green Bean Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Green Bean Salad

Rice Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Rice Salad

Watermelon & Feta Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Watermelon & Feta Salad

Tuna Pasta Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Tuna Pasta Salad

Grilled Mielie Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Grilled Mielie Salad

Spinach Salad with Orange, Feta and Toasted Seeds – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Spinach Salad with Orange, Feta and Toasted Seeds

Tomato Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Tomato Salad

Chicken Pasta Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Chicken Pasta Salad

Red Cabbage Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Red Cabbage Salad

Mango Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Mango Salad

Lentil Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Lentil Salad

Creamy Mayo Pasta Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Creamy Mayo Pasta Salad

Sweet Potato Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Sweet Potato Salad

Carrot & Pineapple Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Carrot & Pineapple Salad

Beetroot & Feta Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Beetroot & Feta Salad

Roasted Baby Potato Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Roasted Baby Potato Salad

Orzo Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Orzo Salad

Tomato & Onion Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Tomato & Onion Salad

Pea Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Pea Salad

Asian Slaw – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Asian Slaw

Prawn Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Prawn Salad

Greek Pasta Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Greek Pasta Salad

Chakalaka Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Chakalaka Salad

Halloumi Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Halloumi Salad

Cauliflower Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Cauliflower Salad

Mushroom Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Mushroom Salad

Mexican Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Mexican Salad

Kale Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Kale Salad

Biltong Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Biltong Salad

Roast Vegetable Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Roast Vegetable Salad

Butter Bean Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Butter Bean Salad

South African Potato Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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South African Potato Salad

Curry Noodle Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

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Curry Noodle Salad

Copper Penny Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Copper Penny Salad

Feta and Bacon Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

salad

Feta and Bacon Salad

Traditional South African Beetroot Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

side dishes

Traditional South African Beetroot Salad

Three Bean Salad – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

side dishes

Three Bean Salad

Traditioinal Chakalaka – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

side dishes

Traditioinal Chakalaka

Iinkobe (Boiled Corn Salad) – homemade traditional South African recipe, plated and ready to serve

main dishes

Iinkobe (Boiled Corn Salad)

How to choose salads for a braai

Start with the main food on the fire. A creamy South African potato salad suits boerewors, chops and chicken, while curry noodle salad adds sweet-and-savoury spice. For a brighter plate, add beetroot salad or copper penny salad.

Bean and corn dishes are useful when you need substantial sides. Three bean salad can be prepared ahead, while iinkobe brings simple maize flavour to the table. Chakalaka is a good choice when the rest of the menu needs heat and acidity.

Make-ahead and food-safety tips

  • Prepare sturdy bean, beetroot and curried salads ahead so their flavours have time to develop.
  • Keep mayonnaise- and dairy-based salads refrigerated until shortly before serving.
  • Use a cooler box with ice packs when the braai is away from home or food will stand outside.
  • Add delicate herbs and crisp garnishes close to serving so they retain their colour and texture.
  • Return chilled salads to the fridge rather than leaving them beside the fire between servings.

Planning a balanced braai table

For a smaller braai, two salads are usually enough: choose one filling option and one fresh or tangy side. For a larger gathering, add a third salad with a different colour and texture, then complete the meal with braaibroodjies, potbrood or paptert.