Chakalaka
A spicy South African vegetable relish of onions, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, beans, and curry spice. A township classic served cold or hot alongside pap, braai meat, and bread.
Type
Side
Key Ingredients
Onion, Tomato, Green pepper
Eaten With
Pap, Braai meat, Bread
Typical Price
$1 to 3
Chakalaka is South Africa's most recognisable relish, a spicy, vegetable-packed sauce that turns up at almost every braai, family lunch, and shisa nyama gathering. At its base it is onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and grated carrots cooked down with garlic, ginger, and curry powder, with chilli for heat and often a tin of baked beans stirred through to make it heartier. The result is bright, tangy, a little sweet, and properly spicy, with a loose, saucy texture that clings to whatever you spoon it over. It is endlessly variable: some cooks keep it sharp and fiery, others add cabbage or cauliflower, and the curry-and-chilli balance is a point of pride and gentle argument in many households. It can be served hot from the pot or cold from the fridge, and it actually tastes better the next day once the flavours have settled.
Chakalaka is township food at heart, with roots in the gold-mining communities and townships around Johannesburg, where migrant workers stretched simple, cheap vegetables and tinned beans into a fiery side that made plain staples exciting. Today it is found nationwide and crosses every community. It is almost never eaten alone: its job is to accompany. The classic pairing is with pap, the stiff maize porridge that is South Africa's staple, where a spoon of chakalaka cuts the blandness; it is also spooned over grilled braai meat, scooped up with bread, or served alongside samp and beans. Because it is vegetable-based and often vegetarian (when made without meat stock), it has become a reliable meat-free option at gatherings dominated by grilled meat. For a visitor, chakalaka is the side that defines the South African table: cheap, spicy, deeply local, and present at every gathering worth the name.
How It's Eaten
Served as a side relish, hot or cold, spooned alongside or over the main food. It is mixed into mouthfuls of pap, ladled over grilled braai meat, or scooped up with bread. It is a condiment and a vegetable side in one, never the centre of the plate.
Cultural Context
Chakalaka comes from the townships and mining communities around Johannesburg, where it was a way to make cheap vegetables and tinned beans into something exciting. It is now a nationwide fixture at braais, shisa nyama, weddings, and Sunday lunches, and most families have their own recipe and preferred heat level.
Variations
Bean chakalaka
Made with a tin of baked beans stirred in for body and a touch of sweetness. The most common everyday version.
Cabbage chakalaka
Includes shredded cabbage or cauliflower, making it bulkier and a bit milder.
Fiery chakalaka
Heavy on chilli and curry powder for cooks who like it sharp and hot, with little or no beans to soften it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chakalaka?
Chakalaka is a spicy South African vegetable relish made from onions, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and usually baked beans, seasoned with curry powder and chilli. It is served as a side dish with pap, braai meat, and bread.
Is chakalaka vegetarian?
Usually yes. The standard recipe is entirely vegetable-based and often includes tinned baked beans, with no meat. Just check it was not cooked with a meat stock if you are strictly vegetarian.
What does chakalaka taste like?
It is tangy, slightly sweet, and spicy, with a warm curry flavour and a saucy, chunky texture. The heat varies by cook, but a good chakalaka has a real chilli kick.
What do you eat chakalaka with?
Most often with pap (stiff maize porridge), grilled braai meat, bread, or samp and beans. It is a side relish, so it accompanies a main rather than being eaten on its own.
Is chakalaka served hot or cold?
Both. It can be served warm straight from the pot or cold from the fridge. Many people think it tastes even better the next day once the flavours have developed.