Our 7 favourite braai sides recipes

We have 7 braai side recipes you’ll love, from marrow fries to bhajis and more.

Add some pizzazz to your summer braai with these delicious, simple braai sides recipes.

Baked baby marrow fries with garlic mayo

SERVES 4 | HANDS-ON 20 min HANDS-OFF 10–15 min

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup desiccated coconut
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 500g baby marrows
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup Greek yoghurt
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp lemon juice

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a baking tray.
2. Mix together breadcrumbs, coconut, Parmesan and salt and pepper in a bowl. Have the eggs ready in another bowl.
3. Cut each baby marrow in half, and then in quarters lengthwise to make fingers.
4. Dip the baby marrow fingers into the egg, shake to remove excess, then roll in the crumb mixture to coat. Transfer to the baking tray.
5. Bake until golden and crisp, about 15–20 minutes.
6. For the garlic mayo, mix the mayonnaise, yoghurt, garlic and lemon juice together. Serve with the baby marrow fries.

Green bean and cherry tomato gratin

SERVES 4 | HANDS-ON 15 min HANDS-OFF 12 min

INGREDIENTS

• 700g green beans, trimmed
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 shallots or small onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp baby capers
• Zest and juice of ½ lemon
• 500g cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper
• 50g cream cheese
• ½ cup breadcrumbs

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. In a pot over high heat, bring 2l of water to the boil. Add the beans and cook for 4 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pot over medium heat and fry the shallots or onions until tender. Add the capers and lemon zest and fry for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the remaining oil and the lemon juice, cherry tomatoes and parsley, and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomato mixture to the green beans, season and toss gently to coat.
5. Transfer to an oven dish. Spoon the cream cheese on top and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake for 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Vegetable Bhajji with Onion and Courgette

Serves 4 | HANDS OFF 15 minutes HANDS ON 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup water
• 2 courgettes
• 1 onion
• Oil, for deep frying

For the coriander and mint dip

• 250ml Greek yogurt
• 15g coriander finely chopped
• 10g mint finely chopped

METHOD

1. Mix the chickpea flour and water together; creating a smooth batter, you may need to add a bit more water if it’s too thick, it should be the consistency of yogurt.
2. Add in the spices and salt to taste.
3. Grate the courgettes and place aside in a bowl. Thinly slice the onions into crescents and separate into pieces.
4. Divide the batter into two separate bowls; add the grated courgettes into one bowl and the sliced onion into another.
5. Heat enough oil in a deep frying pan over a high heat. It will be hot enough when the mixture will sizzle immediately once placed into the oil.
6. To make the bhajji, add a tablespoon of the mixture into the oil and fry for 30-45 seconds, until crisp and golden brown all over.
7. Remove from the hot oil and drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle a little salt over the fried bhajjis and serve with the coriander and mint dip.

For the dip

1. Mix together the yogurt, coriander and mint and season well with salt and pepper.
2. Serve the vegetable bhajjis with the coriander and mint dip.

Caesar salad

SERVES 2 | HANDS-ON 20 min

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 4 slices of white bread, crusts removed, cut into squares
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cos lettuce
• ½ cup grated Parmesan

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place 1 tbsp of olive oil and the butter in a bowl. Add cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and bread, and toss to coat.
3. Transfer to a baking tray and bake until golden. Remove the croutons and set aside.
4. Place the anchovy fillets, garlic and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the egg yolk and mix well.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and the remaining olive oil. Season with pepper. Slowly pour into the egg-yolk mixture, while whisking continuously to form a thin dressing.
6. Add the lettuce and croutons to the bowl and toss to coat. Top with grated Parmesan and serve.

Cheese-stuffed Peppadews

SERVES 4 | HANDS-ON 10 min HANDS-OFF 10 min

INGREDIENTS

• 250g cream cheese
• 200g Bloukrans or other blue cheese, crumbled
• 50g ground almonds
• Salt and pepper
• 12 Peppadews
• 2 tbsp olive oil

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, Bloukrans cheese and almonds, and season. Spoon the mixture into the Peppadews.
3. Place the stuffed Peppadews on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, season and roast for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Salade niçoise

SERVES 4 | HANDS-ON 20 min

INGREDIENTS

• 400g green beans, trimmed
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 650g baby potatoes, cooked and halved
• 425g tin tuna in oil, drained
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
• 2 cos lettuce hearts, leaves separated
• ¾ cup kalamata olives
• 8 anchovy fillets
• Salt and pepper
• Parsley, to garnish

METHOD

1. In a pot over high heat, boil the beans for 2–3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, then drain again.
2. Blend together the oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic until smooth, to make a dressing.
3. Arrange the beans, potatoes, tuna, tomatoes, eggs, lettuce, olives and anchovies on serving plates. Season, garnish with parsley and serve with dressing on the side.

Grilled chermoula steak wraps

Serves 6 | HANDS ON 10 min HANDS OFF 15 min

INGREDIENTS

• Vegetable oil
• 600g steak of your choice (excess fat removed, if desired)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 30g coriander
• 10g parsley
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons, plus wedges to serve
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp cumin
• 250g portobellini mushrooms, quartered
• 30g microgreens
• 4 tortillas

METHOD

1 Heat a griddle pan until it starts to smoke. Place 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a bowl. Add the steak and coat evenly. Season each side of the steak with salt. Fry until cooked of the way, 4–6 minutes.

2 Flip the steak and season with pepper. Fry another of the way, then remove from the pan. Season the other side with pepper. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

3 Place the coriander, parsley, zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1 lemon, garlic, olive oil, cumin and 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a food processor. Blitz until smooth. Season.

4 Fry the mushrooms in the remaining vegetable oil for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Squeeze over the juice of the remaining lemon. Remove from the heat and drain on paper towel.

5 Thinly slice the steak. For each wrap, arrange microgreens, mushrooms and steak on a tortilla. Drizzle with chermoula. Serve warm with remaining chermoula and extra lemon wedges.

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