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Zimbabwean Sadza with Beef and Greens

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Zimbabwean sadza with beef, a smooth mound of white maize porridge beside tender beef and tomato relish with braised greens, on a simple ceramic plate in natural window light.
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Sadza is Zimbabwe’s familiar maize staple, served here with a tender beef and tomato relish plus braised greens. The firm porridge is made for scooping up the savoury stew.

Simmer the beef until tender while the tomato relish thickens, then cook the maize meal slowly and stir it until smooth and firm.

Add the maize meal gradually to bubbling water and keep stirring to prevent lumps; the final sadza should hold its shape on the plate.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the sadza with the beef relish and greens, using pieces of sadza to scoop up the stew.

A wooden spoon shaping smooth sadza beside a pot of beef and greens, with maize meal, tomatoes, onion, and collards on a worn kitchen surface.

Recipe Notes

Store the beef and sadza separately for up to 3 days. Reheat sadza with a little water in a covered pot.

Zimbabwean sadza with beef, a smooth mound of white maize porridge beside tender beef and tomato relish with braised greens, on a simple ceramic plate in natural window light.

Zimbabwean Sadza with Beef and Greens

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Smooth Zimbabwean maize sadza served with tender beef, tomato relish, and leafy greens.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Zimbabwean
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Beef relish
  • 2 lb beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 medium tomatoes chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef stock low sodium
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Sadza and greens
  • 2 cups white maize meal finely ground
  • 6 cups water divided
  • 1 lb collard greens finely sliced
  • 1 medium tomato chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion sliced
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven
  • Heavy saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Whisk
  • Chef’s knife

Method
 

Cook the beef relish:
  1. Season the beef with half the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches.
  2. Add the onion and cook for 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, remaining seasoning, and stock.
  3. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 60 to 70 minutes, until the beef is tender and the relish is thick.
Make sadza and greens:
  1. For the greens, heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and tomato and cook for 5 minutes. Add the collards and a pinch of salt, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until tender.
  2. Bring 4 cups of the water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Whisk the maize meal into the remaining 2 cups of cool water, then whisk the slurry into the boiling water.
  3. Reduce the heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, adding more maize meal a spoonful at a time and stirring firmly until the sadza is thick, smooth, and pulls from the sides of the pan.
  4. Shape the sadza into mounds and serve with the beef relish and greens.

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 43gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 780mgFiber: 8gSugar: 9g

Notes

  • A wooden spoon with a sturdy handle makes the final stirring easier.
  • Keep the beef at a gentle simmer so it becomes tender without drying out.

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