2023 is here with a bang, and along with it has come the brilliant weather that’s become synonymous with South African summers. Long, languid weekend afternoons by the pool, cocktails, braais, evenings outside – that’s what summer life is all about in South Africa. And with the traditional South African braai comes our favourite part; eating the food, of course!

Now, we know you’re probably already signed up for a new fitness regime and are living in regret from all the festive snacks and puddings you’re bound to have eaten over the last few weeks, and that’s why we’re going to focus on braai slaai! Who says you have to avoid all socials just because you’ve got your heart set on getting fit and fabulous for the rest of the new year? You can enjoy the summer sunshine guilt-free with salads for braai time instead of bread and chips. And we’re not talking just about bland lettuce and tomato ensembles. We’re talking about the type of salads that catch your eye and are so sumptuous that they’ll become the main course.

Let’s look at some of the best braai salad ideas our team has come with!

South African braai salads

Three bean & braai’d leek salad recipe

What you need for the salad (serves 4):

• 2 x sections of leeks
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 x garlic cloves
• Black pepper and salt to taste
• 1 x lemon squeezed
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 x 400 g tin of three-bean mix (drain and rinse these)
• 1 x sheet of tin foil

What you need for the dressing:

• 2 x teaspoons of Dijon mustard
• 2 x tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 4 x tablespoons of olive oil
• 5 g of mint leaves (slice these thinly)

What to do:

• Place the leeks on the piece of foil and drizzle the olive oil over them. Then, season with lemon zest and thyme.
• Wrap the leeks up and place directly onto warm coals in the braai for 30 minutes, checking to see when they are tender (some may have to cook a while longer).
• For the dressing, place all the dressing ingredients, excluding the mint, into a blender and blend until smooth. Once blended, add the mint slices.
• Put the drained and rinsed beans into a bowl, pour the dressing I and season with salt and pepper before mixing well to ensure everything is well coated.
• Pour the beans mix over the leeks and serve!

Coleslaw with a twist

What you need (serves 4):

• 4 x cups of grated green cabbage
• ½ teaspoon of salt to taste
• 2 x medium carrots, also grated
• ¾ cup of mayonnaise
• 2 x red chillies, finely chopped
• ¼ cup of peanuts
• 1 x handful of raisins

What to do:

• Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix really well! That’s it! Serve and enjoy!

Baked bean and banana salad recipe

What you need (serves 4):

• 1 x tin of your favourite brand of baked beans in tomato sauce
• 2 x bananas (must be firm and not bruised – cut them into rounds)
• ¼ cup of mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon of sugar 

What to do:

• Place the baked beans into a salad bowl and then add the banana rounds, mayonnaise and sugar.
• Using a metal or plastic spoon, carefully mix all the ingredients up. Don’t mash the banana.
• That’s it! Ready to serve and enjoy.
• This recipe tastes best if the baked beans are refrigerated before use (you can refrigerate the beans in the tin a few hours prior to making the salad). 

Zesty avocado & chickpea salad recipe

What you need (serves 4):

• 4 x ripe avocados (butter avos are best)
• 1 x lemon
• 2 x red chillies
• Balsamic vinegar
• 1 x tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ red onion, thinly diced

What to do:

• Peel and cut the avocados into bite-size chunks. Place them in a bowl.
• Add a few glugs of balsamic vinegar to the bowl and then slowly and carefully mix the avocado chunks to ensure that they’re fully coated. Let the chunks sit in the vinegar for a while.
• Ensure the onions and chillies are chopped very finely and that the chickpeas are drained and rinsed. Then, add both to a salad bowl and mix well.
• Drain the excess balsamic vinegar off the avocado and add the avocado to the salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• Squeeze the lemon juice generously all over the salad and serve!
• If you’re feeling more adventurous and want a creamier flavour, add a spoon of mayonnaise to the salad!

Our services at FinGlobal are just as zesty as our salad recipes!

It takes skill to whip up a good salad that everyone enjoys. Much the same, it takes skill and expertise to offer the type of services we focus on at FinGlobal. Each of our consultants is well-versed in all things relating to financial emigration and taxes. If you’re heading abroad or are already there earning foreign income, we’re ready and available to assist.

We have more than a decade of experience to rely on, making it simple for us to help you make your financial emigration from South Africa as smooth and hassle-free as possible. Our services include FOREX, tax refunds, financial emigration, tax clearance, tax exit, exchange control, and pension income guidance.

For a helpful chat about your requirements, you can contact our team today! To contact our team, call us at +27 28 312 2764 or email us at info@finglobal.com, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.