Chakalaka
Chakalaka Recipe – This unique relish makes an incredible side dish. It tastes amazing, makes a great talking point at dinner parties, and is a fabulous way to top grilled meats. Simple yet delightful, you’ll love this South African–born dish. 🫶🏿
Traditionally, this dish is fairly spicy, and you know I love to bring on the heat. But one of the beautiful things about it is how easy it is to customize. Not only can you choose what veggies and beans to include, but you can dial up or down the spice to as hot or mild as you like it. 🔥
This dish pairs well with just about any meal, but I especially like to pair it with proteins. I put it on grilled steaks or alongside a pan-fried pork chop. It’s one of my favorite ways to up my vegetable intake.
Content…What Is It? |
What Is Chakalaka?
Chakalaka is a South African dish and a staple throughout the country. It contains chopped veggies, tomatoes, beans, and plenty of seasonings. It creates an amazing relish to top other dishes or as a standalone side.
Usually, people serve it mostly during celebrations or gatherings, and it’s a must-have during braais (South African barbecues). Legend has it that men working in the goldmines invented this recipe. They would mix up whatever vegetables they had with canned beans for a fast, easy, and tasty relish to pair with starchy sides.
Recipe Ingredients
- Aromatics – Onion, garlic, and ginger set the stage for a highly flavorful side dish (it also smells amazing).
- Veggies – Tomatoes, cabbage, chili peppers, carrots, and green and red bell peppers constitute my veggie selection for this dish.
- Seasonings – Smoked paprika, curry and cayenne powder, thyme, and bouillon add flavor and nutrition.
- Beans make this dish extra filling. You can use any beans you like, but baked beans add some sweetness, which acts as a foil to the chili peppers.
How to Make Chakalaka
- Saute – Heat oil over medium in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Then, add the onion and saute for a minute or two. (Photo 1)
- Season – Stir in the spices (garlic, ginger, smoked paprika, curry, cayenne pepper, and thyme), and continue stirring for a minute or two to so the flavors bloom. (Photos 2-3)
- Veggies – Next, add the tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and cabbage. Stir to combine. (Photo 4)
- Simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Beans – Finally, add the baked beans and bouillon powder (or salt) to taste. Stir gently and continue cooking for about 2-3 minutes. (Photo 5-6)
- Serve – Adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve warm.
Recipe Variations
- Customize the veggies. You can use a variety of other vegetables like green beans, corn, or zucchini.
- Choose your temp. Chakalaka can be enjoyed hot, room temperature, or cold.
- Omit the beans. Beans are a highlight of this dish for many people, but if you don’t like beans, then just make it a veggie relish. It still looks and tastes beautiful. 😍
Tips and Tricks
- Use fresh ingredients. Freshness enhances the flavor and texture of the chakalaka.
- If the texture of the chakalaka turns out too thick, add a little vegetable stock or water. If it’s too thin, let it cook uncovered to thicken.
- Watch the heat once done with sauteing. After the veggies cook, keep the heat fairly low to prevent burning and turning everything to mush.
Make-Ahead and Serving Instructions
This dish is a great make-ahead! Make it the day before you want to serve it, and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. The next day, serve it chilled or warm it up gently on the stovetop over medium heat.
Serve chakalaka with corn pudding (pap) and South African sausage (wors) if you can. But rice and grilled meat also work. Garnish it with some freshly chopped parsley if you please. Leftover chakalaka can last refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-5 days and frozen for over 3 months.
What Goes With Chakalaka
Chakalaka is extremely versatile, so feel free to get creative! Chakalaka and pap and wors are the traditional pairings, but grilled flank steak or spicy grilled New York steak won’t break anyone’s heart. Pap is a South African maize porridge that’s a little thicker than your usual grits recipe but softer than ugali. 😋
More Veggie-Packed Side Dishes to Try
- Pea Salad
- Sweet Potato Salad
- Githeri (Boiled Corn and Beans)
- Cornbread Salad
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was originally published in November 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Chakalaka
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) cooking oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1-2 teaspoon (2-4g) curry powder
- 2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon (1g) thyme
- ½ teaspoon (1-2g) smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon (2-3g) cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon (2-3g) minced ginger
- 1-2 tomatoes
- 3-4 cups (300-400g) cabbage, sliced
- 1 -2 chili peppers, diced (seeds removed for less heat)
- 1 large carrot, grated on the large side or sliced thinly
- 1 medium green pepper, diced
- 1 medium red pepper, diced
- 1 14-ounce can baked beans (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon (3-4g) bouillon powder (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add onion and saute it for a minute or two,
- Stir in all the spices: garlic, ginger, smoked paprika, curry, cayenne pepper, and thyme. Continue stirring for about a minute to let the flavors bloom. Then add tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and cabbage.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Finally, add the baked beans and bouillon powder and stir. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
- Adjust for seasonings. Serve hot, warm, or cold.
Tips & Notes:
- Use fresh ingredients. Freshness enhances the flavor and texture of the chakalaka.
- If the texture of the chakalaka turns out too thick, add a little vegetable stock or water. If it’s too thin, let it cook uncovered to thicken.
- Watch the heat once done with sauteing. After the veggies cook, keep the heat fairly low to prevent burning and turning everything to mush.
- For a vegan main dish, make sure the baked beans don’t have bacon or meat broth.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
I made this and yes it’s worth making. Really yum!
Hi Lebo! Thanks! Happy to know that you loved it! 🙂
I am vegan always looking for new recipes. This hit it out of the park. I made it just as the recipe stands, no substitutions, since I like things spicy. Not disappointed. I will certainly be looking for more of your recipes. Serving with some roasted white and sweet potatoes with grilled tofu. Can’t wait for dinner!
Awesome! Thank you, Darlene! I also have a Roast Potatoes and Carrots you might enjoy for next time 🙂
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I’m going to try this, I usually order on line but it doesn’t taste like when I was in SA wish me luck. Any recommendations about cabbage.
You always have such enticing recipes. This sounds delish for polenta.
Thanks Diya
quick and easy to make and tastes amazing!
Great ! Thanks
Meal Prepping and of course I had to scour your recipes for inspiration. I tend to leave you love on the Gram but I had to try and drop a comment. Thank you SO much for this, I have not yet made it but this was seriously a missing piece. Wanted to serve something along with your recipe for Moroccan Slow Cooker thighs on top of plantain or white rice and GIRL! This seriously just got me SUPER excited for the dinners that are going down in this house the following week. Thank you for sharing so many great recipes with us. I am extremely grateful and so in my BELLY!
Hi, Can you make this dish a day before you need it? Also, need it for 8 people, will it work in one big cast iron skillet?
Hello Judith, Yes you can, the flavors all come together nicely, the following day.
Are you going to double the recipe ?
Great recipe , but how do we cut the tomatoes ?
Thank you, Kenny! Dicing them up works fine.
I made this for a book club meeting for The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony. My guests LOVED this dish, which I served with white rice. I used my home cooked Great Northern beans which worked great. I did cut down on the “heat” of the dish to fit our northern Wisconsin tastes.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, Paula! Glad you love this dish as much as we do! 🙂
I am writing all the ingredients in my homework book cause I have to find ingredients to the most traditional South African dish
This recipe needs to be baked in oven for a while…..otherwise veggies are still crunchy……too much cayenne….did not add any peppers……used less cabbage and added another can of beans…also added a little maple syrup…..with these adjustments, it was delicious, and will make again!
Thanks for the feedback! So glad to hear it worked out well for you.
Here in the birthplace of chakalaka we like it crunchy. Its not a condiment, but a veggie side dish. Ģlad to see the changes you made. May chakalaka live on forever!
Awesome !
If I wanted to take this to a South African themed dinner party as an appetizer, what would you suggest I serve it with~~ crackers or ? in keeping with the SA theme. Thanks. And Bushes baked beans from the can work?
Hi Penny! Yes bushes baked beans would work as well. I would serve it with South African Corn bread recipe here https://www.africanbites.com/mealie-bread-south-african-corn-bread/. If not crackers would or crusty bread would work too!
Imma I love you! This recipe is fantastic, thank you so much! Missing my African Roots, misty and raining here but this has put a smile on my face, Chakalaka on toast, so simple, so delicious.
YESS! Glad to hear. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts Lalla
please tell me if I can freeze chakalaka, we love it but cant eat it all at 1 tme
Sorry I have never tried freezing it.
I place it in a mason jar and keep in the refrigirator for up to two weeks, depending on the weather. I once put it in tupperware but the stains are still in the plastic, so avoid that.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing Rita
Hi Imma….. I’m back! Lol…. tried this and LOVED it! I was feeling lazy so I took some short cuts…. bought the shredded cabbage in a bag. Used some of your green seasoning that I had frozen….. also added some fresh fennel and leeks because I had them…. turned out delicious and guilt-free 🙂 Will definitely try it again.
Nullacia! Where have you been???? I have missed you girl. So glad you to see you back here. I bet the addition of green seasoning takes this humble dish over the top. As always thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
This definitely tastes like home… in South East Asia.
I think the tomatoes were omitted from the list off ingredients.
Thanks! Recipe updated
So easy even I made a success out of it. Substituted green chana and Fava beans for baked beans and green and red chilies for bell peppers to accommodate the preferences in our house. It was a huge hit. Thank you!
First time to make it and loved it reminded me of home South Africa.
Don’t you just love it when a recipe takes you home, it makes it taste even better. Glad you enjoyed it Audrey!
Hi Imma, can i repost this?
Dee, you can post with a single picture and a link back here. Thanks
Ha I saw this first on Siba’s Table on the cooking channel and it looks awesome!
It sure taste great- you should try it sometime.
It is most often served with grilled meat. Yes, it is baked beans with tomato sauce. However, you may use any variety.
Hi Imma! This looks like yet another recipe of yours that will make my taste buds sing! Do you use this as a side for simply cooked proteins? And when you say baked beans, do you mean the canned variety that comes with the tomato sauce? Thanks!