Our Favourite Snoek Fish Recipes: 5 Delicious Ways To Eat It
Snoek is Cape Town’s go-to fish—it’s in everything from quick weekday meals to smoky braais in the backyard.
Snoek is to Cape Town what a boerie roll is to Heritage Day—essential. This sleek, silver fish swims wild in cold West Coast waters and ends up on weekday supper plates and weekend braai grids. Snoek fish has got a rich, oily flesh thanks to its appetite for sardines and anchovies, and that means loads of omega-3 goodness. Shop-bought snoek is often flecked: filleted from the back and the innards removed. It freezes well, making it a great freezer staple. And when it’s time to cook, there’s more than one way to do it. We’ve rounded up our go-to snoek recipes worth trying.
Here’s what’s inside:
Fried Snoek Fish
If you’ve never had snoek before, fried is where to start. It’s the easiest way to fall in love with this fish. You’ll find it pan-fried with a simple coating of flour or spice in many households. But in Cape Town takeaways, battered snoek rules the menu. Deep fried until golden, this version is often paired with hot chips — soft-centred, vinegary potato cuts. Fried snoek and chips is still one of the most comforting meals on offer along the coast.
Braaied Snoek
Snoek fish makes a healthy alternative to meat at a braai. It can be cooked flat between the braai grid, seasoned with garlic, herbs and a squeeze of lemon, or stuffed between the fillets with things like onions, peppers and tomato slices, then wrapped in foil and grilled slowly.
Snoek Breyani
This is one of those dishes you make when your family comes over. Snoek breyani takes fish, pieces, lentils and spice-packed rice, and brings them together into a warm, layered dish.
Pickled Fish
Pickled fish is traditionally eaten around Easter. You fry the fish first, then soak it in a sweet-and-sour curry sauce made with onions, bay leaves and peppercorns. Leave it to sit for a day or two in the fridge so the flavour really sinks in. Serve cold, straight from the bowl, with hot cross buns or a slice of bread on the side.
Seafood Paella
Paella is a Spanish dish, but we’ve found a way to make it our own. Swap the meat for seafood and throw in some flaked snoek alongside prawns, mussels and calamari. Everything cooks together with rice until the flavours mix.
cSmoorsnoek
Smoorsnoek is made by flaking smoked snoek and braising it slowly with onions, tomatoes and spices. The dish is often served with pap, rice or even slices of bread. The name comes from the Afrikaans word smoor, meaning to stew or braise.
Dried Snoek
Dried snoek fish, also called snoek biltong, is salty, chewy and totally addictive to some. It’s made by salting the fish and letting it dry in the open air. If you’re a snoek eater, you either love dried snoek or you really love it — there’s no in-between.
Smoked Snoek
Smoked snoek is cooked while it’s being smoked, so it tastes like fish and wood and has a flaky texture. You can eat it as is, toss it into smoorsnoek, or add it to a salad or sandwich. However you serve it, the smoky taste comes through every time.
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