Oven-Baked Bobotie with Spiced Apricot and Sultana

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-03 · Updated 2026-05-03

A traditional South African baked dish combining savory spiced ground beef with sweet dried apricots and sultanas, topped with a creamy egg custard. This african-inspired beef ready in about 65 minutes pairs ground beef, bread slices, milk for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 kg ground beef
• 2 slices bread slices
• 1 cup milk
• 2 medium onions
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/4 cup sultanas
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Soak 2 slices of bread in 1 cup of milk for 5 minutes until softened, then squeeze out excess milk and crumble the bread into small pieces.
2. Step 2: Finely dice 2 medium onions. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions for 5-7 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 kg ground beef to the skillet with the onions, stirring and breaking up the meat, cooking for 8-10 minutes until browned and no longer pink.
4. Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes to allow the spices to release their aroma.
5. Step 5: Add the crumbled bread, 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots, and 1/4 cup sultanas to the meat mixture, stirring to combine evenly. Remove from heat.
6. Step 6: In a separate bowl, beat 3 large eggs with the milk reserved from the bread soaking until well combined.
7. Step 7: Transfer the meat mixture into a greased ovenproof dish, then pour the egg and milk mixture evenly over the top.
8. Step 8: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the custard topping is set and golden brown.
9. Step 9: Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.