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Posted on 5 December 2013

South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (10)

South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (11)

South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (12)

Christmas time is almost upon us! Here are some ideas for South African Christmas recipes for Christmas lunch or dinner, as well as some tasty treats to cook up before the big feast.

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Christmas nibbles

1. Easy rum and raisin chocolate truffles

A quick, homely chocolate truffle recipe that’s so easy to make even your children can do it.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (13)

2. Christmas santa-berries

These are adorable, delicious and super-easy to make. What’s better than decorations you can eat?
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (14)

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3. Festive sweet and savoury nuts

Easy to make and delicious to snack on at any Christmassy moment.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (15)

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Christmas main dishes

4.Roast duck with honey spice glaze

If you’re of the opinion that Turkey is a place, not a meal, try this roast duck. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and it’s infused with the aromatic glory of Chinese five spice powder.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (16)

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5.Gammon with a sticky orange and ginger glaze

Combine that wholesome smoky flavour of gammon with thisdelicioussweet, spicy citrus and ginger glaze.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (17)

6.Butterflied leg of lamb on the braai

Skip the turkey altogether and put a leg of lamb on the braai. Why not?
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (18)

7.Turkey on the braai with cashew nut stuffing

Our ed’s favourite Christmas recipe.
Get the full recipe here

8.Crayfish and beef fillet

Add a bit of surf to your turf (roast) and mix things up a little by combining crayfish with your beef roast.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (20)

9.Gammon with a pomegranate and pink peppercorn glaze

This elixir of pomegranate syrup, cherry juice and crunchy rosy-pink peppercorns is dead easy to make, and tastes sensational drizzled, warm and syrupy, over a gammon.
Get the full recipe here

10.Mango and macadamia nut turkey stuffing

A must-try, albeit rather unusual, Christmas stuffing.
Get the full recipe here

11.Bacon-wrapped apricot and macadamia nut stuffing balls for roast turkey

If you roll your eyes every year at the wodges of pallid, soggy stuffing that are scooped from the inside of the Christmas turkey, here’s a recipe for you.
Get the full recipe here

12. Christmas gammon glazed with brandy and co*ke

Fancy incorporating a bit of Klippies en co*ke into your Christmas feast?
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (24)

13. The perfect roast lamb

Not a fan of turkey or gammon? Try this delicious roast lamb, made with rosemary and garlic.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (25)

14. Roast potatoes with biltong

To accompany your roast lamb, beef, turkey or glazed gammon make these uniquely South African roast potatoes with biltong.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (26)

15. Shallot and brie tart tatin

This tart tatin is a delicious option for the vegetarians at the Christmas table.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (27)

And for Boxing Day lunch,here are some ideas for using up leftover gammon and turkey.

16.Panettone pudding

Crispy top, gooey centre: bread and butter pudding made with Christmas-spiced Italian bread and a marmalade zing is a great addition to your Christmas table.
Get the full recipe here

17.Tower of ice cream with berries and meringue

Why have ice cream in a bowl? Draw gasps of delight and excitement witha splendid tower of ice cream!
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (28)

18. Ice cream Christmas pudding

Christmas in South Africa is too hot for traditional Christmas pudding. Try this perfectsouthern hemisphere summerice cream Christmas pudding instead.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (29)

19. Christmas mince pies

What’s Christmas without mince pies? This easy recipe will motivate you to make your own – so much better than the store-bought variety.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (30)

20. Christmas cookies

These Christmas cookies are the perfect festive treat to bake for your work colleagues, hairdresser, your kids’ teachers, and Santa Clause.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (31)

21. Christmas ice cream cake with white chocolate and berries

With mushed up mince pies, crushed Crunchies, lots of cream, brandy AND a white chocolate casing, this could well be the ultimate Christmas pudding!
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (32)

22. Boozy, fruity Christmas trifle cake

Easy to make and can be prepared a day (or even two) in advance. Need we say more?
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (33)

23. Amarula malva pudding

If you love pudding but aren’t into candied fruits, bake an easy malva pudding with a boozy touch – it’s sure to please the whole family.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (34)

24. Phyllo crackers with spicy plum filling

A spicy Christmas sweet treat.
Get the full recipe here
South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (35)

25. Quick and easy chocolate and Amarula trifle

If you prefer chocolate to fruit and Amarula to sherry then you’ll love this boozy trifle.
Get the full recipe here

South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (36)

26. Poached prune tart with red wine glaze

Another non-traditional Christmas dessert, this poached prune tart with a red wine glaze is the pudding to make if you’re putting on a sophisticated Christmas meal.
Get the full recipe here

South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (37)

27. Rum egg nog

A delicious traditional Christmas tipple.
Get the full recipe here

Recipes by Jane-Anne Hobbs Rayner, Michelle Parkin, Meg de Jong, Sarah Duff and Cameron Ewart-Smith.

Photos byJane-Anne Hobbs Rayner, Michelle Parkin, Meg de Jong.

Cover photo by Jane-Anne Hobbs Rayner.

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South African Christmas recipes | Getaway Magazine (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular food at Christmas in South Africa? ›

Roasted in the oven and supplying days and days of leftovers, turkey is a favourite South African Christmas food. Gammon: Another meat option, this smoked sweet pork cut is boiled and braised with a honey glaze and pineapple.

What is South Africa's Christmas food tradition? ›

The Christmas meal is either turkey, duck, roast beef or suckling pig with yellow rice & raisins and vegetables, followed by Christmas Pudding or a traditional South African dessert called Malva Pudding (sometimes also called Lekker Pudding) - get the recipe. People also like to pull Christmas Crackers!

What is Santa called in South Africa? ›

Santa goes by a few names in South Africa, including Sinterklaas (St Nicholas) and Kersvader (Father Christmas) for those who speak Afrikaans.

What is popular African Christmas food? ›

Traditional Christmas meals in African countries often feature fish or poultry, starchy sides such as yams or plantains and hearty vegetable dishes. Some everyday dishes may include couscous, soups, stews, tagines, and roasted meats.

What are 5 Christmas traditions in South Africa? ›

Attending a church service, exchanging gifts, indulging in a delightful traditional Christmas dinner or braai (barbecue), and playing backyard games are some of the wonderful South African Christmas traditions.

Is Christmas a big deal in South Africa? ›

The holiday may sit in the middle of summer, but South Africans don't scrimp on festive traditions – in fact, they're embraced with the same spirit as their wintery counterparts. Come the 25th of December, church services are held, crackers are torn apart, gifts are exchanged and drinks and conversation are enjoyed.

What do they call Christmas in South Africa? ›

Christmas in South Africa is known as "Kersfees" in Afrikaans and "uKhisimusi" in Zulu. South African Christmas traditions are influenced by a blend of European and African cultures.

What food is South Africa known for? ›

Traditional South African Dishes
  • Bobotie. Considered by many to be the South African national dish, Bobotie (pronounced ba-bo-tea) is a meat-based dish and one of the most well-known examples of Cape Malay cuisine. ...
  • Boerewors. ...
  • Biltong. ...
  • Vetkoek. ...
  • Potjiekos. ...
  • Chakalaka and pap. ...
  • Durban bunny chow. ...
  • Malva pudding.
Jan 4, 2023

What does a pickle mean on a Christmas tree? ›

In the tradition, an ornamental pickle is placed on a Christmas tree as one of the Christmas decorations. On Christmas morning, the first person to find the pickle on the tree would receive an extra present from Santa Claus or would be said to have a year of good fortune.

What do South Africans do on Christmas? ›

Most South Africans stay home and spend the day with their families and friends. There will be regular church services should you wish to worship on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

How do you say Santa in Afrikaans? ›

Afrikaans originally comes from Dutch, even Santa. Claus is called “Kersvaders” in Afrikaans!

What is African Christmas dinner? ›

In Africa, Christmas meals are much more diverse than this and are largely shaped by the individual's cultural heritage and Africa's rich culinary history. Typically dishes such as jollof rice, plantains and stew-style meals are served, but this can vary, with many enjoying barbecues, too.

What to cook for Christmas lunch in South Africa? ›

A good South African Christmas lunch menu will include meat, a side dish, and dessert. Examples may include gammon, roast duck, yellow rice and raisins, fruit mince pie, and malva pudding.

How does Africa say "merry Christmas"? ›

Kiswahili is spoken in many countries in Africa such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania or Rwanda. "Heri ya Krismasi" means Merry Christmas in Swahili.

What food is eaten on Christmas? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

What are three traditional Christmas foods? ›

Every family in every part of the world serves their own traditional Christmas foods, but in the U.S., some are enjoyed nationwide:
  • Turkey.
  • Prime Rib.
  • Baked Ham.
  • Mashed Potatoes & Gravy.
  • Stuffing.
  • Green Bean Casserole.
  • Candied Sweet Potatoes.
  • Roasted Vegetables.
Dec 19, 2022

Where to eat on Christmas day in Cape Town? ›

Cape Town & surrounds
  • 3 KITCH3NS. (Silver Forest, Somerset West) ...
  • Blanko. (Constantia, Southern Suburbs) ...
  • Ginja Restaurant. (Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town) ...
  • Grand Pavilion. (Sea point, Cape Town) ...
  • Greek Fisherman. (Sea Point, Cape Town) ...
  • Grub & Vine. ...
  • La Belle. ...
  • Mint Restaurant at Taj Cape Town.
Nov 9, 2023

What are common Christmas decorations in South Africa? ›

It's common to see people use handmade decorations, bells, and lanterns to decorate their Christmas tree. And if some Africans want to see a little snow, they usually find fake snow at a store to put on their tree.

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