Vetkoek is an iconic South African street food item consisting of deep-fried yeast buns that are usually filled with cheese, curry, or fruit jams. It can be served as a small snack, for breakfast or lunch. The ball-shaped dough is made from salt, yeast, and flour. When served at a South African braai, vetkoek is often served with boerewors, a traditional sausage. You can also serve them as they are, or with a cup of tea on the side.
Koeksister is a sweet South African snack with a sticky appearance. It is prepared by frying braided dough strips in oil, then dunking them into a cold sugary syrup. These sticky treats are sold on every major street in South Africa, and today they can even be found in most supermarkets. It is recommended to top them with cinnamon or lemon juice before consumption.
Pampoenkoekie is a South African dessert consisting of fluffy pumpkin fritters. The fritters are made with cooked and puréed pumpkin, flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, milk, and salt. When golden-brown and fully cooked, they are traditionally drizzled over with a thick and sticky caramel syrup. Since they are a little bit savory and a little bit sweet, pampoenkoekies can be served either as breakfast, snack, dessert, or a side dish.
Droëwors is a dry sausage snack that originates from South Africa, where it holds a place as a popular and widely recognized food product. It is made by air-drying spiced meat sausages, usually beef-based, into a firm, shelf-stable form. The name derives from Afrikaans, with “droë” meaning dry and “wors” meaning sausage. It is closely related to boerewors, a fresh sausage, but differs in that droëwors is intended to be dried and consumed without cooking.
The development of droëwors is tied to the preservation needs of early South African settlers, particularly the Dutch-speaking Boer communities. During long treks or in rural areas with limited access to refrigeration, preserving meat through drying was a practical necessity. Influenced by techniques from Europe and the indigenous food knowledge of southern Africa, droëwors evolved as a way to turn perishable fresh sausages into a portable, long-lasting food. Over time, it became not only a method of survival but a staple item in the diet and eventually, a sought-after snack with commercial significance.
The preparation of droëwors starts with lean cuts of beef, often mixed with a small portion of lamb for flavor and texture. Pork is typically avoided because of its shorter shelf life. The meat is finely ground and blended with a spice mixture that usually includes salt, black pepper, toasted coriander seeds, vinegar, and sometimes clove or nutmeg. The seasoned meat is then stuffed into thin natural casings, usually sheep intestines, which help the sausages dry more quickly and evenly. The sausages are hung in a controlled environment with proper airflow and low humidity and are left to dry slowly over several days until they reach the desired firmness. The drying process both preserves the meat and intensifies the flavor, resulting in a chewy, richly spiced sausage that can be eaten as-is.
Droëwors is typically served as a snack and requires no further preparation once dried. It is commonly sold in butcher shops, supermarkets, farm stalls, and at sporting events and markets throughout South Africa. Many producers make it in small batches, while larger commercial operations package it for both local and export markets. It is often enjoyed alongside biltong, another South African dried meat product, and sometimes forms part of snack platters or casual meals.
Despite its simplicity, droëwors has become part of South Africa’s culinary identity and is frequently brought abroad by travelers or expatriates seeking a familiar taste of home. It is especially popular among hikers, road-trippers, and anyone needing a protein-rich food that doesn’t require refrigeration. Its long shelf life and ease of transport have made it a preferred choice for outdoor activities and long journeys. While it remains deeply rooted in South African culture, droëwors has also gained recognition internationally, appreciated for its craftsmanship and distinctive flavor.
Biltong is a traditional beef snack that is cured in a unique way. The word comes from the Dutch bil, meaning hind quarter, and tong, meaning strip, in this case - a strip of meat. Although it looks similar to American beef jerky, it is quite different in flavor and the method of preparation. The beef is dried with vinegar which cures the meat and adds layers of texture and flavor. It is seasoned with salt, pepper, and coriander, and the meat is much thicker than beef jerky. Originally, it was created out of necessity as a survival food when the Dutch settlers arrived in South Africa. As the climate was extremely hot, they needed to preserve the meat, so they hung it out to dry and found out that it had become hard on the exterior, yet flavorful on the inside. And so, biltong was born, enjoyed today both in South Africa and abroad as a testament to its ever-growing popularity.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot,
nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable.
For the “Top 5 South African Snacks” list until June 15, 2026, 60 ratings were recorded, of which 52 were recognized by the system as legitimate.
TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods,
instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.
