Cameroonian Soya (Grilled Beef) Made Without Skewers

Cameroonian Soya is the ultimate street-food grilled meat — spicy, smoky, and impossible to ignore. This simple, flavorful snack or appetizer comes together in about 30 minutes and is perfect for a casual weekend treat.

I love making soya at the end of the week. It’s an easy recipe that pairs wonderfully with a cold drink. This version, learned from a friend, skips skewers to save time — the meat is simply seasoned and broiled, giving you all the charred flavor without the fuss.

There is a short recipe video embedded in the recipe card below if you prefer to watch the steps.

What Is Cameroonian Soya?

Soya is a popular street food across Cameroon consisting of spiced, grilled meat. Vendors sell it on skewers or as steak slices cut into bite-size pieces. In French it is often called les brochettes. The signature seasoning — soya spice or soya pepper — blends peanuts, ginger, hot pepper, and other aromatics to create a distinctive, nutty, and spicy crust.

The dish has roots in the Hausa culinary traditions of northern Cameroon and northern Nigeria. In Nigeria a similar preparation is commonly known as suya.

Ingredients For Cameroonian Soya

The core components are beef, soya spice, and oil. For best results, include the following:

• Beef: Choose a cut with good fat marbling for flavor and tenderness — chuck steak or chuck roast work well.
• Soya spice (soya pepper): Also called kankan in Cameroon, this peanut-based spice blend gives soya its characteristic flavor. It can be bought ready-made or prepared at home.
• Olive oil or neutral oil: Adds moisture and helps the seasoning adhere. Vegetable oil or canola also work.
• Dried spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, and ginger powder boost the savory profile.
• Contri onion (rondelles) powder: A unique dried onion product used in Cameroonian cooking. If you can’t find it, omit it — the recipe still tastes great.
• Bouillon powder: A little chicken or beef bouillon deepens the savory taste.
• Salt and pepper: White or black pepper works; white pepper is traditional if available.

Note: Soya spice typically contains peanuts. Omit it if there are peanut allergies.

How To Make Cameroonian Soya Without Skewers

1. Cut the beef into thin, bite-size slices. Place in a large bowl.

2. Add oil, soya spice, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, bouillon powder, salt, and pepper. Toss until the beef is evenly coated.

3. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Arrange the seasoned beef in a single layer across the rack so air can circulate and fat can drip away.

4. Preheat your oven to the low broil setting. Broil the beef on low for about 15 minutes, then flip pieces as much as possible and broil another 5 minutes until nicely charred. Watch closely during broiling to avoid burning.

If you prefer, you can also cook soya on an outdoor grill or in an air fryer — adjust times to match your equipment.

Serving

Soya is traditionally served with thinly sliced raw onions and extra soya spice on the side. A Cameroonian pepper sauce (hot sauce) is an excellent accompaniment that adds heat and moisture. The contrast of fresh onions with charred, spiced meat is irresistible. Serve warm as an appetizer or snack — it also works well on party platters and festive menus.

Expert Tips

• Use the oven broil (low) setting so the top heating element mimics an open grill for that charred exterior.
• Keep a close eye while broiling; the top element can brown food quickly.
• Choose beef with good marbling — the fat, locally called “tandong” in Cameroon, adds flavor and juiciness.

Recipes FAQs

More Cameroonian Recipes

Here are other popular dishes from Cameroon to try alongside soya:

• Cameroonian Jollof Rice (family-style recipe)
• Sweet Fried Plantains — a breakfast staple
• Groundnut Soup — a hearty peanut stew
• Poulet DG — a delicious chicken-and-plantain dish

More Beef Recipes To Try

If you make this Cameroonian soya recipe, please leave a rating and a comment below — I love hearing from readers!