A sharing plate of lamb suya

Lamb suya

Name: Lamb suya
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Makes 6 skewers with leftover spice mix
Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients: 3 garlic cloves finely chopped; 1 large onion coarsely grated; 1 tbsp paprika; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp cayenne pepper or scotch bonnet powder (to taste); 2 tbsp garlic granules; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp chicken bouillion powder; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 450g boneless lamb shoulder diced; sliced onions tomatoes, jollof rice and plantain, to serve; 50g ground peanuts or peanut powder (see tip); 2 tbsp paprika; 1 tbsp ground ginger; 2 tsp cayenne pepper or scotch bonnet powder; 1 tbsp onion granules; 1 tsp garlic granules; ½ tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried thyme; ½ tsp chicken boullion powder

Jess and Jo Edun

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Makes 6 skewers with leftover spice mix

Easy

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 20 mins

plus 2 hrs marinating

A star rating of 5 out of 5.6 ratingsRate

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Try this popular Nigerian dish of skewered, marinated lamb served with a flavourful peanut spice mix. The succulent, smoky meat has a nutty, spicy finish

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Alternatives

Complete the dish

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Jollof rice

A star rating of 4.2 out of 5.29 ratings

Barbecued plantains

A star rating of 5 out of 5.4 ratings

Grilled lamb suya is a popular West African dish, specifically from Nigeria, of skewered, marinated lamb served with a flavourful peanut spice mix. It is succulent, tender, smoky meat with a nutty, spicy taste-tantalising finish.

Try this popular lamb suya, then try our lamb, aubergine & halloumi hotpot, fragrant lamb kofta curry, lamb bhuna and easy lamb tagine. Next, try our lamb biryani and leftover lamb curry.

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

3 garlic cloves

finely chopped
1 large onion

coarsely grated
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper

or scotch bonnet powder (to taste)
2 tbsp garlic granules
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp chicken bouillion powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
450g boneless lamb shoulder

diced
sliced onions

tomatoes, jollof rice and plantain, to serve

For the suya spice mix

50g ground peanuts

or peanut powder (see tip)
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp cayenne pepper

or scotch bonnet powder
1 tbsp onion granules
1 tsp garlic granules
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp chicken boullion powder

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Nutrition: Per serving

kcal243
fat16g
saturates5g
carbs6g
sugars3g
fibre2g
protein18g
salt0.5g

Method

step 1

To make the marinade, combine the garlic, onion, paprika, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, ginger and bouillion with the oil in a large bowl. Season well with pepper and a pinch of salt. Add the lamb cubes to the marinade and mix well, ensuring the lamb is evenly coated. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hrs or overnight.
step 2

For the spice mix, mix together the ground peanuts, paprika, ginger, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, thyme, chicken bouillion and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and set aside.
step 3

Heat your grill to medium-high heat, or if using a barbecue, wait until the coals are white hot. Thread the marinated lamb cubes onto metal skewers, leaving a little space between each piece. Grill the skewers for 6-8 mins on each side, or until the lamb is browned on the outside and cooked to your desired level. Baste with a little of the marinade during grilling for extra moisture, if you like.
step 4

Remove the lamb from the skewers and immediately coat the lamb with a sprinkle of the suya spice mix, pressing gently to ensure the seasoning sticks. Serve with sliced onions and tomatoes. This dish goes well with any side – we love it with jollof rice and plantain.

Recipe tip

If you’re unable to get peanut powder or ground peanuts, you can blitz 50g unsalted peanuts in a spice grinder to a fine powder.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, June 2025

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A star rating of 5 out of 5.6 ratings

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