Braai Pasta Salad

Name: Braai Pasta Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 6 generous or 8 smaller side portions people
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 300 g Dry pasta shells (Small or medium shells; screw-shaped pasta also works); 1 tsp Salt (For the pasta cooking water); 1 Red pepper (Medium, deseeded and cut into small dice); 150 g Cucumber (Weighed after removing the watery seed centre; cut into small dice); 150 g Tinned sweetcorn kernels (Drained weight; drain thoroughly); 3 Spring onions (Finely sliced); 2 tbsp Fresh flat-leaf parsley (Chopped); 150 ml Mayonnaise (Use a creamy mayonnaise you enjoy); 100 ml Plain unsweetened yoghurt (Full-fat works well); 45 ml Fruit chutney (A South African-style peach or apricot chutney); 15 ml Lemon juice (Freshly squeezed); 1/2 tsp Mild curry powder (For gentle warmth rather than a strong curry flavour); 1/4 tsp Ground black pepper (Plus extra to taste)

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

A good Braai Pasta Salad should be creamy without swimming in dressing, with enough crunch to keep every forkful interesting. This one combines pasta shells, sweetcorn, red pepper and cucumber with a mayonnaise-and-yoghurt dressing. A spoonful of fruit chutney and a little mild curry powder give it that familiar South African sweet-and-tangy flavour.

It’s a useful side when the braai grid is already full: there’s no last-minute heating, and the cool, crunchy vegetables balance smoky meat beautifully. Serve it with Lamb Sosaties, spicy Peri-Peri Chicken, chops or boerewors. For a bigger spread, choose another fresh or tangy side from the Braai Salads collection.

You can make it the evening before, keeping the cucumber and reserved dressing separate until serving for the best texture. In our summer heat, keep the salad at 5°C or below until needed, using an ice-packed cooler if fridge space is tight. Don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours in total, or 1 hour when the temperature is above 32°C; shade alone won’t keep it safe.

Tips & Techniques

Drain properly: Give the colander a few good shakes, especially with pasta shells, and drain the sweetcorn well so the dressing stays creamy.
Keep the crunch: Scrape the watery seed centre from the cucumber before dicing. If making the salad the day before, add the cucumber just before serving.
Save some dressing: Pasta absorbs dressing as it stands. The reserved 45 ml freshens the salad without needing another big spoonful of mayonnaise.
Balance your chutney: Chutneys differ in sweetness and tang. Taste the finished salad before adding anything extra; a small squeeze of lemon can balance a particularly sweet chutney.
Plan the cold space: Chill the salad before transporting it and pack it against ice bricks. During load shedding, use a thermometer to check that the fridge or cooler remains at 5°C or below.

Delicious Variations

No curry flavour: Leave out the curry powder and add 5 ml Dijon or mild prepared mustard to the dressing instead.
Cheesy version: Fold in 100 g cheddar cut into small cubes. This makes a richer salad and increases the cost.
Dairy-free option: Replace the yoghurt with 75 ml extra mayonnaise and 25 ml cold water, checking that your mayonnaise is dairy-free.
A little chilli: Add 5 ml peri-peri sauce to the dressing, then taste before adding more; keep it gentle if you’re serving spicy meat too.

Serving Suggestions

With smoky meat: Serve cold alongside lamb sosaties, pork chops, boerewors or peri-peri chicken.
For a mixed salad table: Pair with a green salad or tangy beetroot salad rather than another creamy side.
For a bring-and-braai: Transport in a sealed container in an ice-packed cooler, with the reserved dressing in a separate small container.
For a crowd: Double the ingredients for 12 generous or 16 smaller side portions, and serve in batches so most of the salad stays cold.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can I make braai pasta salad the day before?

Yes. Prepare it up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate promptly in a covered container at 5°C or below. Keep the diced cucumber and reserved dressing separately chilled, then fold them in just before serving. The prep time is 20 minutes, but allow at least 1 additional hour for chilling.

Q2: How long will leftovers keep?

Keep safely chilled leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge and eat within 3 days of making the salad. Discard any salad that has spent more than 2 hours in total out of refrigeration, or more than 1 hour above 32°C. Refrigerating it again does not reset that clock. Freezing is not recommended because the dressing can separate and the vegetables lose their crunch.

Q3: What can I use instead of shells or yoghurt?

Use the same weight of dry screw-shaped pasta or macaroni instead of shells. For the yoghurt, substitute 75 ml extra mayonnaise mixed with 25 ml cold water. Frozen sweetcorn also works in place of tinned: cook it according to the packet, cool promptly and drain well before adding.

Q4: How many people does this recipe serve at a braai?

The 300 g dry pasta, vegetables and dressing make enough for 6 generous side portions or 8 smaller portions when you have other sides. Double the recipe for 12–16 people, depending on the rest of the menu.

Q5: Why has my pasta salad gone dry in the fridge?

Cooked pasta continues to absorb moisture from the dressing. Stir in the reserved dressing before serving. If it still needs loosening, add cold water or milk 15 ml at a time, tossing gently after each addition; avoid adding lots of liquid at once.

In Summary

This Braai Pasta Salad brings crunchy vegetables, tender pasta and a gently spiced chutney dressing to the braai table without any last-minute cooking. Make it ahead, keep it properly chilled and stir in the reserved dressing just before serving.

Recipe