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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Easy Bobotie: A Traditional South African Recipe

    Published: Sep 23, 2021 · Modified: Jan 31, 2022 by Beth Sachs · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Bobotie pin image.

    A hearty and comforting bobotie recipe, made with curried minced beef, fruit, and a savoury egg custard topping, which is baked in the oven until golden.

    Flavourful, punchy, and something a little bit different to the usual minced beef recipes of chilli con carne, spaghetti bolognese and keema, which tend to do weekly rotations in our house!

    Bobotie in an enamel serving dish.
    Bobotie Recipe

    Often considered the national dish of South Africa, bobotie (pronounced 'ba-boor-tea') originates from the Cape Malay community, which has also given rise to a number of other dishes that are now considered core to South African cooking, including sosaties and bredie!

    Essentially, this easy bobotie recipe is a delicious mixture of curried minced meat and fruit (golden raisins are typical) with a creamy golden topping, not dissimilar to moussaka.

    Best of all it's really yummy, and the kids always request seconds (which is a win in my book)!

    👩‍🍳 Looking for another easy recipe that uses minced beef? Try my easy lasagne with a cheat's white sauce!

    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
    • 🛒 Ingredients
    • 🔪 How to make South African bobotie
    • 💭 Top tips
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥡 Storage
    • ❓ FAQs
    • 😋Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!

    • A beef mince recipe that's something a bit different to the usual chilli con carne, bolognese and lasagne!
    • Easy to make
    • Savory and meaty, but with a hint of sweetness and spice
    • Complex flavors and textures that are guaranteed get your taste buds excited
    • The curried beef mince part of the recipe is freezer-friendly

    🛒 Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make bobotie.
    • Beef Mince - 500g of 10% fat minced beef.
    • Bread - 1 slice of thick white bread. I find that white bread absorbs the milk much better than wholemeal.
    • Milk - full-fat or semi skimmed milk to soak the bread.
    • Butter - for frying the onion and garlic.
    • Onion - 1 medium onion, chopped finely.
    • Garlic - 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped.
    • Curry Paste - I use tikka curry paste, but if you like your food spicy, use madras curry paste instead. Swap for curry powder if you prefer to use that.
    • Cumin
    • Apple - 1 Granny Smith apple, grated. Squeeze out excess moisture using a clean tea towel.
    • Worcestershire Sauce
    • Mango Chutney - 2 tablespoons give the dish a delicious fruity flavour. You could also use apricot jam.
    • Bay Leaves - 2 fresh or dried bay leaves.

    For the egg topping;

    • Eggs - 2 large free-range eggs at room temperature.
    • Double Cream - creates the savoury egg custard topping. Milk could be used instead, but has a tendancy to sink into the mince if you haven't packed it tightly enough into the baking dish.
    • Milk - reserved from soaking the bread.
    • Nutmeg - a small pinch of grated nutmeg.

    🔪 How to make South African bobotie

    The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post

    One: Soak the bread in milk in a shallow bowl.

    Two: Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the onions and garlic on a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.

    Three: Add in the minced beef and cook until it has changed colour.

    Four: Mix in the curry paste, cumin, grated apple, mango chutney, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves.

    Step by step photo instructions for making bobotie.

    Five: Simmer for 5 minutes.

    Six: Squeeze the milk from the slice of bread, being careful to reserve this milk as you will need it for the topping, and add it to the minced beef. Stir thoroughly until the bread is combined.

    Seven: Spoon the mixture into an oven-proof baking dish and pack down firmly with the back of a spoon.

    Eight: In a jug, whisk together the eggs, cream, nutmeg and reserved milk and pour onto the beef mixture. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the topping is golden. Garnish with extra bay leaves if you like.

    How to make easy bobotie recipe.

    💭 Top tips

    • Make sure the beef mixture is packed down firmly into your baking dish. This will ensure the savoury custard topping does not sink to the bottom of the dish, but instead remain on top, where it will become golden and delicious on baking!
    • Save time and make the minced beef mixture ahead of time. Let it cool down first before transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge. The curried beef mince can also be frozen.
    • Add dried fruit into the ground beef mixture for texture and sweetness.

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    Traditionally bobotie is served with yellow rice and tomato sambal. I sometimes also serve a green side salad with it or seasonal green vegetables such as roasted Tenderstem broccoli or asparagus.

    📖 Variations

    • This easy bobotie recipe can be doubled to feed a crowd.
    • Add in a handful of chopped dried apricots or raisins for an extra fruity hit.
    • Garnish the baked dish with some toasted pine nuts for crunch and texture.
    • Make it spicy by using a hot curry powder and adding a chopped red chilli at the same time as the onion and garlic.
    • Make it with ground lamb (minced lamb) instead.
    Traditional bobotie served in a white dish.

    🥡 Storage

    Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated until piping hot in the microwave.

    💡 Get Ahead Tip - the curried beef mince can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months! All you need to do when you're ready bake, is whisk up the savoury egg topping!

    ❓ FAQs

    What does bobotie mean in English?

    A dish of minced meat with curry and condiments.

    What is the consistency of bobotie?

    The minced beef part of the recipe should be tightly packed into the baking dish and thus it resembles the consistency of meatloaf. The savoury egg custard topping is light and mousse like in texture.

    😋Related recipes

    More savoury mince recipes from the blog!

    • Simple Savoury Mince
    • Keema Matar
    • Easy Lasagne
    • Minced Beef Cobbler

    Tried this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating in the comments!

    Recipe

    Bobotie in a white serving dish.
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    5 from 6 votes

    Easy Bobotie

    A hearty and comforting bobotie recipe, made with curried minced beef, fruit, and a savoury egg custard topping, which is baked in the oven until golden.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine South African
    Keyword bobotie, easy bobotie, traditional bobotie
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 590kcal
    Author Beth Sachs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Kitchen Scales
    • Chopping Board
    • Knife
    • Frying Pan
    • Oven Proof Baking Dish
    • Measuring Jug
    • Whisk

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 1 Slice of White Bread
    • 100 ml Milk reserve the milk for the topping
    • 20 g Butter
    • 1 Onion finely chopped
    • 2 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
    • 500 g Minced Beef
    • 2 tablespoon Tikka Curry Paste
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin
    • 1 Green Apple grated
    • 2 tablespoon Mango Chutney
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
    • 2 Bay Leaves
    • ½ teaspoon Salt

    For the topping

    • 2 Eggs large
    • 150 ml Double Cream
    • ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg grated
    • Reserved milk from above

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C (160 fan/ Gas 4/ 350F).
    • Soak the bread in milk in a shallow bowl.
    • Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the onions and garlic on a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.
    • Add in the minced beef and cook until it has changed colour.
    • Mix in the curry paste, cumin, grated apple, mango chutney, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Squeeze the milk from the slice of bread, being careful to reserve this milk as you will need it for the topping, and add it to the minced beef. Stir thoroughly until the bread is combined into the beef mince.
    • Spoon the mixture into an oven-proof baking dish and pack down firmly with the back of a spoon.
    • In a jug, whisk together the eggs, cream, nutmeg, and reserved milk and pour it onto the beef mixture. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the topping is golden and set. Garnish with extra bay leaves if you like.

    Notes

    Top Tips:
    • Make sure the beef mixture is packed down firmly into your baking dish. This will ensure the savoury custard topping does not sink to the bottom of the dish, but instead remain on top, where it will become golden and delicious on baking!
    • Save time and make the minced beef mixture ahead of time. Let it cool down first before transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge. The curried beef mince can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
     
    Variations:
    • This easy bobotie recipe can be doubled to feed a crowd.
    • Add in a handful of chopped dried apricots or raisins for an extra fruity hit.
    • Garnish the baked dish with some toasted pine nuts for crunch and texture.
    • Make it spicy by using a hot curry paste and adding a chopped red chilli at the same time as the onion and garlic.
     
    Storage:
    Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated until piping hot in the microwave.
     
    Nutrition:
    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
     
    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Bobotie
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    590
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    44
    g
    68
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    20
    g
    125
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    2
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    16
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    224
    mg
    75
    %
    Sodium
     
    451
    mg
    20
    %
    Potassium
     
    552
    mg
    16
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    20
    g
    7
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    12
    g
    13
    %
    Protein
     
    27
    g
    54
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    746
    IU
    15
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    6
    mg
    7
    %
    Calcium
     
    112
    mg
    11
    %
    Iron
     
    4
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marlynn

      September 25, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      5 stars
      I had never made this at home before but your recipe was a hit! Thanks for the easy instructions.

      Reply
    2. Jennifer

      September 25, 2021 at 2:27 pm

      5 stars
      What a fabulous recipe! it turned out perfectly and was so full of flavor. I'll be making it again for sure!

      Reply
    3. Andrea

      September 25, 2021 at 3:04 pm

      5 stars
      Oh this is perfect for my family. We are always looking for new and delicious recipes to make with ground beef.

      Reply
    4. Farah Maizar

      September 25, 2021 at 4:00 pm

      5 stars
      Had never heard of this but looks so good! And simple to make, can't wait to try it out

      Reply
    5. Cathleen

      September 25, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      5 stars
      Any time I see the word "easy" in the recipe, I know that I am going to love it. This recipe is so good, thank you so much for sharing 🙂

      Reply
    6. Beth

      September 25, 2021 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      How incredibly delicious! I took your advice and added some golden raisins. My family just loved it.

      Reply

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    Beth Sachs Food Blogger

    Hi, I’m Beth, a Mum of three (and one crazy dog), living in Cornwall, UK. I love creating easy, delicious and fuss-free recipes, perfect for busy families, just like my own.

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