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Vetkoek with Savoury Mince

South African

Vetkoek with Savoury Mince

The beloved SA street food, made healthier: wholemeal dough that's BAKED instead of deep-fried, filled with lean, veg-packed curried mince.

~65 mintotal~518 kcalper serving~28g protein~61g carbs~17g fat

Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 6.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups wholemeal flour
  • 1 cup white bread flour
  • 2 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1½ cups warm water
  • 500g lean beef or turkey mince
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 1 courgette, grated
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1–2 tsp curry powder
  • Salt & pepper
  • Olive oil for brushing

Cooking Steps

  1. Mix the flours, yeast, salt, oil and warm water into a soft dough; knead 8–10 minutes, cover and prove 1 hour.

  2. Shape into 8 balls, place on a lined tray, brush with olive oil and prove 20 minutes.

  3. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 18–22 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding.

  4. Meanwhile brown the mince, then add onion, garlic, carrot and courgette and soften.

  5. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste and curry powder; simmer 15 minutes and season.

  6. Split the baked vetkoek and fill with the mince.

Optional Enhancements

  • Add lentils to stretch the mince and boost fibre
  • Use lean lamb mince
  • Freeze the baked vetkoek for later

Plant & Growing Tips

  • Wheat: Grows best in cool dry seasons; well-drained soil and full sun; harvest when heads turn golden
  • Onions: Plant sets early spring or autumn; keep weed-free
  • Carrots: Direct sow in sandy soil; thin seedlings
  • Tomatoes: Full sun, compost-rich soil; stake and prune
  • Garlic: Plant late autumn; harvest mid-summer

Natural Pest Control

  • Use garlic-chilli spray to deter caterpillars on carrot tops
  • Marigolds repel nematodes around tomato beds
  • Encourage ladybirds for aphid control
  • Mulch carrots to reduce splitting

Harvest

  • Carrots: Pick young for sweetness
  • Tomatoes: Harvest when fully coloured and slightly soft
  • Onions & Garlic: Harvest when tops dry

Storing & Freezing

Store dough and filling separately in the fridge up to 3 days. Baked vetkoek freeze up to 2 months.

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