Recipes
South Africa

Braai Veggie Skewers

Fire-kissed vegetable skewers with smoky paprika — a South African braai essential.

Ingredients

  • 2 bell peppers, chopped
  • 2 baby marrows (zucchini), sliced
  • 1 red onion, quartered
  • 200g mushrooms, whole or halved
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper
  • Optional: fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs

Method

  1. 1

    Thread peppers, marrows, onions, and mushrooms onto skewers.

  2. 2

    Mix oil, lemon, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Brush onto skewers.

  3. 3

    Place over medium coals. Turn frequently until charred and tender (8–10 minutes).

  4. 4

    Garnish with herbs and extra lemon.

Swaps & variations

  • Add halloumi cubes
  • Marinade with peri-peri sauce
  • Add pineapple chunks
  • Use sweet potato chunks (parboil first)

Storing & freezing

Best cooked fresh. Prepped veggies keep 2 days refrigerated. Do not freeze raw peppers or marrows (texture becomes mushy).

Grow it yourself

  • Bell Peppers: Need warm temperatures; start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before planting out; use compost-rich soil and full sun
  • Baby Marrows: Sow in late spring; produce abundantly with weekly harvesting; pick small for best texture
  • Onions: Plant sets early spring; water steadily during bulb formation
  • Mushrooms: Grow using kits in cool, dark spaces; keep substrate moist but not wet
  • Spray garlic-chilli tea every two weeks to deter beetles
  • Basil repels flies and improves pepper health
  • Plant marigolds near marrows to reduce nematodes
  • Companion plant rosemary to repel moths
  • Peppers: Harvest green or leave until red/yellow for sweeter flavour
  • Baby Marrows: Pick when 10–15cm long; regular harvesting increases yield
  • Onions: Harvest when tops dry and fall over
  • Mushrooms: Twist gently when caps expand fully

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