Pap with Tomato and Onion Sauce

Name: Pap with Tomato and Onion Sauce
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 1l water; 250g fine white maize meal; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 onions, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 400g tinned chopped tomatoes; 1 green pepper, diced; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp soft light brown sugar; 1 red chilli, finely chopped

Firm, fluffy maize meal pap with a smoky tomato and onion sauce, the staple of every South African braai.

Time35 min
LevelEasy
Costabout £0.70 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

4 servings

Ingredients

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1 lwater
250 gfine white maize meal
1 tbspolive oil
2onionssliced
2garlic clovescrushed
400 gtinned chopped tomatoes
1green pepperdiced
1 tspsmoked paprika
1 tspsoft light brown sugar
1red chillifinely chopped

Method

1
Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Cook the onions and pepper for 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, chilli and paprika and cook for 1 minute.
8 min
2
Add the tomatoes, sugar and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 15 minutes until thick and rich.
15 min
3
Meanwhile, bring the water and 1 tsp salt to the boil in a heavy pan. Pour in the maize meal in a steady stream, whisking, until smooth.
4
Turn the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until thick and no longer gritty.
20 min
5
Spoon the pap onto plates, make a well in the middle and pour in the sauce.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.