This South African sweetcorn bake, known locally as “paptert,” is a comforting maize meal tart that’s become a braai-side staple across the country. Combining creamy sweetcorn, sharp cheddar, and hearty maize meal, it strikes that perfect balance between a cornbread and a savory custard tart. Best of all, it comes together with just one bowl and a handful of pantry staples, making it as practical as it is delicious.
If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing side dish that’s equal parts humble and irresistible, this cheesy sweetcorn bake delivers. Rooted in South African braai culture, paptert takes simple maize meal and transforms it into a golden, custardy bake studded with sweetcorn, chickpeas, and melted cheddar. It’s the kind of dish that disappears fast at any gathering, yet takes only minutes of hands-on prep.
Few dishes capture the spirit of a South African braai quite like paptert, a maize meal tart loaded with sweetcorn and cheese. This version puts a modern twist on the classic by folding in chickpeas, onion, and red pepper for extra texture and flavor, while keeping the traditional creamy, golden-baked finish that makes paptert so beloved. Whether you’re new to South African cuisine or recreating a family favorite, this recipe is refreshingly simple to make.
Ingredients
- 1 cup maize meal
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 375 ml buttermilk
- 170g butter melted
- 1 tin creamed sweetcorn
- 1 tin kernel corn drained
- 1 tin chickpeas drained and roughly chopped
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1 red pepper finely diced
- 170g cheddar cheese grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients — Whisk maize meal and baking powder together.
- Whisk wet ingredients — Combine eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter until smooth.
- Add the filling — Stir in creamed sweetcorn, kernel corn, chickpeas, onion, and red pepper. Combine and layer — Fold wet into dry until just moistened. Layer half the batter, half the cheese, then the rest of the batter and cheese on top.
- Bake and rest — Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes until golden and firm. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Option 2: Easy Cheesy Sweetcorn Bake with Maize Meal (Traditional Paptert)
Equipment
- 1 Oven dish
Ingredients
- 1 cup maize meal
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 375 ml buttermilk
- 170g butter melted
- 1 tin creamed sweetcorn
- 1 tin kernel corn drained
- 1 tin chickpeas drained and roughly chopped
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1 red pepper finely diced
- 170g cheddar cheese grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep your dish: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Generously butter your oven dish, or coat it with cooking spray — this bake likes to cling, so don't skimp here.
- Build the dry base: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 cups maize meal and 0.8 teaspoons baking powder until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 large eggs, 1.5 cups buttermilk, and 170 grams butter, melted together until smooth and glossy.
- Fold in the filling: Add the 1 tin creamed sweetcorn, 1 tin kernel corn, drained, 1 tin chickpeas, drained and roughly chopped, 1 cups onion, finely diced, and 0.5 cups red pepper, finely diced to the wet mixture. Stir gently to combine — you want everything coated, not battered into submission.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold together with a light hand, stopping as soon as everything is just moistened. Overmixing here will toughen the bake, so resist the urge to keep stirring.
- Layer and top: Spoon half the batter into your prepared dish and spread level. Scatter over half the 1.5 cups cheddar cheese, grated. Add the remaining batter, smooth the top, then finish with the rest of the cheese for that golden, bubbling crust.
- Bake until firm: Bake uncovered until the top is golden and the centre feels firm to the touch.
- Rest before serving: Remove from the oven and let the bake rest — this allows it to set fully and makes for cleaner, neater slices.
Notes
- Chef's tip: For an extra-crisp cheese crust, finish under the grill for the last 2-3 minutes of baking. Serve warm alongside grilled meats at your next braai, or on its own with a fresh green salad.