The Perfect Crispy Light Vetkoek (bread rolls)

Nothing beats the smell of freshly fried vetkoek bubbling away in the kitchen. Crispy on the outside, soft and airy inside, this easy vetkoek recipe uses basic ingredients and a foolproof method to create perfect results every time. Serve these golden pillows with savoury curry mince or sweet jam and cheese for a nostalgic South African treat that never disappoints.

This easy homemade vetkoek recipe creates fluffy, golden deep-fried bread rolls using simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for sweet or savoury fillings, these traditional South African vetkoek are quick to prepare, reliable, and always crowd-pleasing.

How do you eat vetkoek?

Absolutely any which way you want to! Vetkoek are basically deep fried dough balls that leave you with a mouthwatering but subtle flavour. There is just something special about the combination of ingredients and method of cooking. You can enjoyed completely on their own or filled with mince, chicken, vegetarian curry, bacon and eggs, butter and honey, jam and cheese, just cheese…. you could even just stuff pieces of chocolate straight into a hot vetkoek and melt away into your own little heaven as you bite in. The options are endless.

When do you eat vetkoek?

Anytime! Filled with bacon and eggs for breakfast, maybe a little later in the day with something sweet, otherwise a bolognese or any warm saucy dish would work wonders as a filling to create a lunch or dinner meal. Like bread, they are best served fresh and warm but should you want to make batches and store some it is best to freeze them as soon as they are cool and use an airtight container.

This recipe sounds too good to be true, but sometimes there are these amazing little things that are simply too good, but they exist and are just waiting for you to choose the filling.

It is easier than you think!

1. 🍞 Vetkoek Dough Preparation
2. ⏲ Dough Rising & Proofing
3. 🍽 Deep-Frying the Vetkoek

Ingredients

• 1 kg Cake Flour
• 2 to 3 tsp Salt
• 1 packet Dried Yeast 10g (t o ensure success when making vetkoek, the ideal amount of instant dry yeast is 10g (one standard sachet) for every 1kg of flour. If you are using a smaller batch, such as 4 to 5 cups of flour (approx. 500g–600g), use 2 teaspoons (roughly 7g to 10g) of instant dry yeast. )
• 1 tbsp sugar (optional) does work better with the sugar
• 600 ml Water, warm
• Butter
• Oil

Method

🍞Dough Development

• Mix flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add lwarm water and combine with buttered hands to form a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic (5–7 minutes). Or use your mixer using a dough hook at low speed (1-2), takes roughly 2–5 minutes, saving manual effort while ensuring smooth, elastic gluten development. Use a slow, consistent speed to avoid overheating dough or overwhelming the motor. Dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. 

🌿 Prove to Perfection

• Cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size (about 45 minutes).

🔥 Golden Fry Finish

Heat oil to 175°C. Shape dough into small flattened rounds and fry in batches until puffed, golden and light — about 3 minutes per side. (A Good Tip that works – Add a little butter to the oil, it just makes it crispier) Adding a small amount of butter to cooking oil is a widely praised culinary technique used to achieve a crispy, golden-brown exterior while enhancing flavour.

Irene Muller

The Perfect Crispy Light Vetkoek

A traditional vetkoek is essentially a deep fried ball of dough that can be eaten as is or with practically any filling of your choice.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: South African

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 kg cake wheat flour
• 3 tsp salt
• 1x 10g Yeast of dry yeast
• 600 ml warm water
• 1 tbsp butter
• oil
• 1 tbsp sugar

Method

 

Ready-made dough

1. Place dough in the fridge until ready to start baking then preheat the oven to a low temperature of 70 degrees Celsius/158 degrees Fahrenheit (make sure the oven is at a very low temperature, decrees the heat if necessary)
   
2. Prepare an oven tray with a non-stick spray (Cook & Spray)When ready, remove the dough from the fridge and start breaking off a handful of dough, to start the next pre-shaping step, called rounding, is optional, that is, for example, to round or roll each dough portion(s) into the basic shape of the final vetkoek (bread roll)
3. Place each dough on the prepared oven tray, place in a very low-temperature oven until the dough has doubled in size
4. When ready, pour oil into a large saucepan, about ⅓ filled, heat the oil for about 5 minutes before the frying time and do not make it too hotA
5. Add one tablespoon of butter and stir (Best TIP ever)
6. Place a piece of dough into the oil to test the heat (Slight bubbles around the dough, is an indication that the oil has warmed enough to be used)
7. When the oil is ready, lift a risen dough carefully and place it into the warm oil, with the risen side (top) going in first, which will cause the flat side (bottom) to rise and puff out to make a round Vetkoek
8. Continuously spoon oil over the dough and allow to color on the one side for about 5 minutes and turn
9. Fry for a further 5 minutes, or until golden brown then remove from the oil with a draining spoon and drain on a paper towel or brown paper

Making your own dough

1. Mix warm water, sugar and yeast in a small bowl, let stand until yeast softens and begins to bubble slightly about 5 minutes
2. Sift flour and salt together in a large bowl, pour water over flour mixture, butter your hands and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic 5 to 7 minutes and if there are pieces of butter on your hands, just knead it in. or, Or use your mixer with a dough hook and mix the dough at low speed (1-2), takes roughly 2–5 minutes, saving manual effort while ensuring smooth, elastic gluten development. Use a slow, consistent speed to avoid overheating dough or overwhelming the motor. Dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth, and let the dough rise in a warm corner until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes, make sure it has doubled enough in volume
4. Knock the dough down and roll into a roll and cut into equal pieces, then roll each piece into a ball and place them onto a well, greased tray, to be able to lift the risen balls
5. Cover with greased plastic and allow to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes, when ready, pour oil into a large saucepan, about ⅓ filled
6. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Not too hot, add one tablespoon of butter and stir (Best TIP ever)  – Add a little butter to the oil, it just makes it crispier) Adding a small amount of butter to cooking oil is a widely praised culinary technique used to achieve a crispy, golden-brown exterior while enhancing flavour.
7. Place a piece of dough into the oil to test the heat (Slight bubbles around the dough, is an indication that the oil has warmed enough to be used)
8. When the oil is ready, lift a risen dough carefully and place it into the warm oil, with the risen side (top) going in first, which will cause the flat side (bottom) to rise and puff out to make a round Vetkoek
9. Continuously spoon oil over the dough, allow to color on the one side for about 5 minutes and turn then Fry for a further 5 minutes, or until golden brown
10. Remove from the oil with a draining spoon and drain on a paper towel or brown paper