Classic Tomato Bredie Recipe | Cape Malay Lamb Stew

This classic Cape Tomato bredie (stew) is a nostalgic recipe from my childhood and is pure comfort in a bowl. This much-loved Cape Malay dish is considered by many to be one of our national South African dishes. The stew is gently spiced rather than curried, and the lamb braises entirely in the juices of the tomatoes, onions and aromatics. The result is a concentration of flavour around the ingredients with no distractions.

A bit about my recipe

I spent a long time researching classic tomato bredie recipes before developing this one. Arina du Plessis, food editor at Landbou, pointed me towards versions by Barbara Joubert, Trudie van Zyl, and Annatjie Melk. I also looked up Fatima Sydow’s recipe, which uses less tomato but more tomato paste (and water). She added whole allspice berries and omitted the bay leaves. I read Dine van Zyl’s recipe from her Great Boerekos book, too.

In the end, I used my friend Ilse van der Merwe’s recipe from her beautiful Timeless South African Cookbook as my jumping-off point. Her version uses fresh tomatoes with whole cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and fresh ginger, and it was the one that felt closest to what I wanted.

From there, I made a few tweaks. I added ground ginger alongside the fresh ginger for a deeper, warmer note. A touch of paprika and cumin adds earthiness without pulling the dish away from its roots. A tablespoon of red wine vinegar is intended to add a lift to the fatty lamb. I bloomed the spices in the cooked onions and then cooked the tomato paste before adding the tomatoes. I prefer to get that raw taste out, but many recipes add it later. 

I used four potatoes in the dish, as per Ilse’s recipe (and many others), but I think three would be more than enough. You can of course leave the potatoes out altogether.

What I did not add is stock or water. Some recipes include it, but I am firmly in the no-stock camp. It makes sense in recipes that use a lot of tomato paste. The all-tomato gravy is what makes tomato bredie taste like tomato bredie, and adding liquid dilutes that.

The spices and why whole is better

Using whole cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom pods gives you a softer, more aromatic spice flavour than their ground versions. The spices perfume the stew as it cooks without becoming sharp or dominant. Do not substitute ground spices here if you can avoid it. If you do not like having whole spices in your dish, place them in a little muslin bag. For me, this is not a problem, and the bay and cinnamon can be removed.

White pepper is the other non-negotiable for me. It has a floral, earthy flavour that is completely different from black pepper and is essential to the dish. Use it in the cooking and serve extra at the table. It is what I remember clearly from eating tomato bredie as a child, and it remains the detail that makes the whole thing taste right for me. I like to freshly grind my own.

Next time, I might add two whole allspice berries, as Fatima did, but this would just be for nuance.

Choosing the right cut of meat for tomato bredie

Traditionally, tomato bredie uses lamb or mutton on the bone, and the bone does add flavour and body to the gravy. The most commonly used cuts are lamb neck chops, lamb knuckles, lamb rib chunks, or a combination of these. The meat cooks until it falls off the bone, regardless of which cut you choose, so go with what your butcher has or what looks best on the day.

Generally, I tend not to like overly fatty cuts of meat on the bone, but somehow, encountering bits of bone and sinew in the dish is part of the charm. 

I used a combination of lamb neck chops and lamb knuckles. If you use neck chops, snip through the fat and connective tissue around the edges with scissors before browning. This prevents the chop from curling up in the pan, which stops the surface from browning evenly. A good brown on the meat is one of the most important steps in this recipe and is worth the extra attention.

Look for pieces with a good ratio of meat to fat. Fatty cuts are traditional, and the fat bastes the meat during the long cook, but excessively fatty pieces can make the gravy greasy. A quick trim before browning helps.

On the tomatoes

Since tomatoes are not always at their best in winter, I used 800 grams of fresh tomatoes combined with one 400-gram tin of chopped peeled tomatoes, and this combination worked very well. If your fresh tomatoes are good and ripe, use all fresh. If they are pale and watery, go with all tinned or a mix of tinned chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. The dish is forgiving on this point. Sugar is needed in this dish to balance the tomatoes’ acidity. You may need to add a little more depending on what tomatoes you use.

Instant Pot versus stovetop

I cooked this tomato bredie in my Instant Pot Pro to cut the cooking time significantly. Fifty minutes at high pressure gives you fall-off-the-bone tender lamb with a thick, well-developed gravy. If you do not have a pressure cooker, the stovetop method works just as well. It takes longer, around one and a half to two hours at a low simmer, but the result is identical.

One practical note on browning: this recipe uses a large quantity of meat, and browning it all in the Instant Pot would take a very long time, given the limited surface area. I found it far more efficient to use a large frying pan alongside the Instant Pot for browning, then transferred everything to the Instant Pot. 

If you are cooking on the stovetop in a large casserole, you can brown the meat in batches directly in the casserole.

What to serve with tomato bredie

Steamed basmati rice is the classic accompaniment and the one I grew up with. The white pepper in the bredie and the clean, nutty flavour of basmati work together in a way that feels right. Yellow rice would also be excellent here, particularly if you add a few cardamom pods and a cinnamon stick to the rice water. I plan to try this next time. I am loving my new rice cooker right now.

The gravy is thick and needs something to soak into, so do not skip the rice. Crusty bread alongside would not go amiss either.

Make ahead and leftovers

Like most slow-braised stews, tomato bredie gets better the next day. The spices deepen, the gravy thickens, and the flavours settle into each other. 

For more South African dishes, check out my full collection of South African recipes.

FAQs for Tomato Bredie

What is tomato bredie?

Tomato bredie is a classic South African stew with Cape Malay origins. It is made with lamb or mutton on the bone, fresh or tinned tomatoes, onions, and whole spices. The defining characteristic is that no liquid is added: the meat braises entirely in the tomato and onion juices. The result is a thick, richly flavoured gravy with tender, falling-off-the-bone meat. It is traditionally served with steamed basmati rice and white pepper.

What is the difference between bredie and curry?

Bredie is a Cape Malay-origin stew that is gently spiced rather than heavily spiced. It uses whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom to perfume the dish rather than ground spice blends like a curry. The flavour is warm and aromatic but mild, and the dish is tomato-forward rather than spice-forward. A curry typically uses a more complex spice paste and often includes coconut milk or stock. Bredie is simpler and more restrained.

What cut of meat is best for tomato bredie?

Lamb or mutton on the bone is traditional and gives the best flavour. Lamb neck chops, lamb knuckles, and lamb rib chunks are the most commonly used cuts. The meat cooks low and slow until it falls off the bone, so any of these cuts will work well. A combination of two cuts, such as neck chops and knuckles, gives you a good mix of textures. Chat to your butcher if you are unsure what to ask for.

Can you make tomato bredie without a pressure cooker?

Yes. The stovetop method in this recipe works just as well and gives an identical result. It takes around one and a half to two hours at a gentle simmer rather than fifty minutes under pressure. Make sure the lid fits well to keep moisture in, and check occasionally that the tomato mixture has not caught on the bottom of the pot.

Can you use tinned tomatoes for tomato bredie?

Yes. Tinned chopped peeled tomatoes work very well, particularly in winter when fresh tomatoes are often pale and watery. You can use all tinned, all fresh, or a combination of the two. I used 800 grams of fresh tomatoes and one 400-gram tin of chopped peeled tomatoes, which gave an excellent result. Tomato puree combined with tinned tomatoes also works if you want a deeper, more concentrated gravy.

Do you add water to tomato bredie?

No. This is what makes tomato bredie distinctive. The meat braises entirely in the juices from the tomatoes and onions, with no added stock or water. This concentrates the flavour and gives you a thick, intensely tomatoey gravy. Some older recipes call for a small amount of stock, but the no-liquid approach is traditional and yields better results.

Can you freeze tomato bredie?

Yes, tomato bredie freezes very well. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The flavour holds well through freezing, and the texture of the meat is largely unaffected.

What is the best way to reheat tomato bredie?

Reheat gently on the stovetop over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add a small splash of water if the gravy has thickened too much in the fridge. You can also reheat it in a covered casserole dish in the oven at 160°C / 320°F for 20 to 30 minutes. Avoid microwaving if possible as it can make the meat tough.

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