With the upcoming World Cup Tournament, which will be held in South Africa, the local cuisine is in the spotlight. Bobotie (Pronounced Ba-booy-ti), which has been long thought to be the national dish of South Africa, is a delicious beef casserole with fruit and curry. If there are packages of the easy and versatile Basic Ground Beef Module in the freezer, you already have a head start on preparation of this delicious dish.

Bobotie has been enjoyed in South Africa at least since the 17th century, where it is mentioned in histories of the Cape. It has become popular, however, all over South Africa and even in other parts of Africa. There are many variations of Bobotie – every family seems to have the “best” recipe – but most recipes call for milk-soaked bread to add moistness, ground meat (mostly beef or lamb, but ground pork can also be used), onions, dried fruit – usually raisins or sultanas, almonds, chutney, lemon juice, and curry powder; before baking, an egg custard is poured over the top. It is a delicious meat-pie type dish, and in some parts of South Africa is baked inside of a pumpkin instead of a casserole dish. Traditionally, this casserole is served with rice on the side.

If there are plans to celebrate the World Cup, Bobotie is a great choice. It can be made ahead and refrigerated or even frozen.

8 Servings

2 slices white bread
1/2 cup milk

4 cups ground beef mixture from the Ground Beef Module
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon apricot jam
1/2 cup fruit chutney
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 to 2 tablespoons curry powder (to taste)

Custard Topping:
1 cup milk
3 eggs


Fresh lemon or bay leaves, for garnish, (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.


2. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.


3. Place the bread and milk in a large mixing bowl; mix well so that the bread is broken up.


4. Add the ground beef mixture, raisins, slivered almonds, apricot jam, chutney, lemon juice, and curry powder; mix well.


5. Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared baking dish.


6. Whisk together the milk and eggs; pour over the ground beef mixture.


7. Bake 50-55 minutes or until the custard is set.


8. Garnish with the lemon or bay leaves, if using.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 464 Calories from Fat 225
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 48% Protein 25% Carb. 26%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 25 g
Saturated Fat 8 g
Cholesterol 166 mg
Sodium 450 mg
Total Carbohydrate 31 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 29 g

Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 4% Calcium 0% Iron 8%