Nothing beats the smell of freshly fried vetkoek bubbling away in the kitchen. Crispy on the outside, soft and airy inside, this easy vetkoek recipe uses basic ingredients and a foolproof method to create perfect results every time. Serve these golden pillows with savoury curry mince or sweet jam and cheese for a nostalgic South African treat that never disappoints.
This easy homemade vetkoek recipe creates fluffy, golden deep-fried bread rolls using simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for sweet or savoury fillings, these traditional South African vetkoek are quick to prepare, reliable, and always crowd-pleasing.
How do you eat vetkoek?
Absolutely any which way you want to! Vetkoek are basically deep fried dough balls that leave you with a mouthwatering but subtle flavour. There is just something special about the combination of ingredients and method of cooking. You can enjoyed completely on their own or filled with mince, chicken, vegetarian curry, bacon and eggs, butter and honey, jam and cheese, just cheese…. you could even just stuff pieces of chocolate straight into a hot vetkoek and melt away into your own little heaven as you bite in. The options are endless.
When do you eat vetkoek?
Anytime! Filled with bacon and eggs for breakfast, maybe a little later in the day with something sweet, otherwise a bolognese or any warm saucy dish would work wonders as a filling to create a lunch or dinner meal. Like bread, they are best served fresh and warm but should you want to make batches and store some it is best to freeze them as soon as they are cool and use an airtight container.
This recipe sounds too good to be true, but sometimes there are these amazing little things that are simply too good, but they exist and are just waiting for you to choose the filling.
It is easier than you think!
- 🍞 Vetkoek Dough Preparation
- ⏲ Dough Rising & Proofing
- 🍽 Deep-Frying the Vetkoek
Ingredients
- 1 kg Cake Flour
- 2 to 3 tsp Salt
- 1 packet Dried Yeast 10g (t o ensure success when making vetkoek, the ideal amount of instant dry yeast is 10g (one standard sachet) for every 1kg of flour. If you are using a smaller batch, such as 4 to 5 cups of flour (approx. 500g–600g), use 2 teaspoons (roughly 7g to 10g) of instant dry yeast. )
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional) does work better with the sugar
- 600 ml Water, warm
- Butter
- Oil
Method
🍞 Dough Development
- Mix flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add lwarm water and combine with buttered hands to form a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic (5–7 minutes). Or use your mixer using a dough hook at low speed (1-2), takes roughly 2–5 minutes, saving manual effort while ensuring smooth, elastic gluten development. Use a slow, consistent speed to avoid overheating dough or overwhelming the motor. Dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
🌿 Prove to Perfection
- Cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size (about 45 minutes).
🔥 Golden Fry Finish
- Heat oil to 175°C. Shape dough into small flattened rounds and fry in batches until puffed, golden and light — about 3 minutes per side.
Traditional South African Fried Vetkoek
Ingredients
- 1 kg Cake Flour
- 2 to 3 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 x 10g packet Dried Yeast To ensure success when making vetkoek, the ideal amount of instant dry yeast is 10g (one standard sachet) for every 1kg of flour. If you are using a smaller batch, such as 4 to 5 cups of flour (approx. 500g–600g), use 2 teaspoons (roughly 7g to 10g) of instant dry yeast.
- 600 ml Water warm
- Butter
- Oil
Instructions
- Add the salt and yeast to the flour and stir with one hand and then mix with the lukewarm water. OR Mix warm water, sugar and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to bubble slightly about 5 minutes.
- Sift flour and salt together in a large bowl.
- Pour water over flour mixture, butter your hands and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic 5 to 7 minutes. Or use your mixer with a dough hook and mix the dough at low speed (1-2), takes roughly 2–5 minutes, saving manual effort while ensuring smooth, elastic gluten development. Use a slow, consistent speed to avoid overheating dough or overwhelming the motor. Dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If there are pieces of butter on your hands, just knead it in. Dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth, and let the dough rise in a warm corner until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes, make sure it has doubled enough in volume.
- Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- When the dough is ready, knead it again, buttering your hands again, break a piece off, make a ball according to the size you want and quickly flatten. Fry flattened pieces of dough in the hot oil, 2 to 3 pieces at a time, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. When it feels light, you will know it is cooked.