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Kenyan

Nyama choma

Non-vegetarian

Goat (or beef) seasoned simply with salt and slow-grilled over charcoal until browned and tender, then served with a fresh tomato and onion kachumbari. A social, weekend favourite in Kenya.

Nyama choma is a Kenyan grilled dish, ready in about 2 hours and made with goat meat, tomato and red onion. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
1 h 30 min
Rest
10 min
Total
2 h
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
291

Ingredients

6 servings

For the kachumbari

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Light a charcoal grill and let it burn down to medium coals. Rub the meat all over with most of the salt.

    Food safety: Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from the salad ingredients.

    Food cooking over a grill
    How it looks · Photo: Malte Luk on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Grill the meat well above the coals, turning every 10–15 minutes, until deeply browned outside and tender within.

    • 90 min
    • medium heat

    Food safety: Cook goat and lamb to at least 63 °C and rest; most nyama choma is cooked well done.

    Low, steady heat matters more than flames; move pieces to the edge if they char too quickly.

  3. Step 3

    While it cooks, mix the tomato (opens in a new tab), onion, cilantro (opens in a new tab), chilli and lime juice (opens in a new tab) with a pinch of the remaining salt for the kachumbari.

    • 10 min

  4. Step 4

    Rest the meat for 10 minutes, then chop into bite-size pieces on a board and serve with the kachumbari.

    • 10 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Kenya · Commonly attributedSwahili for 'grilled meat'; also popular in Tanzania.Also popular in TanzaniaMore food from Kenya
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Grills & kebabs · Main courses
Cooking method
Grilled, Barbecued
Taste
smoky, savoury, fresh
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Low-fat · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Goat meat · Tomato · Red onion · Coriander leaves · Green chilli · Lime juice
Techniques
Grilling · Charcoal grilling

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

291 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 339 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 75%
  • Carbohydrate 6%
  • Fat 19%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy291 kcal86 kcal
Protein52.3 g15.4 g
Carbohydrate4.3 g1.3 g
Net carbohydrate3.3 g1 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1 g0.3 g
Fat5.9 g1.7 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat——
Cholesterol143 mg42 mg
Sodium988 mg291 mg
Salt equivalent2.5 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1149 mg
Calcium
45 mg
Iron
7.4 mg
Magnesium
—
Vitamin A (RAE)
34 µg
Vitamin C
14 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Salt only — the flavour comes from the meat and the slow charcoal fire.

Common mistakes

  • Grilling too close to the coals — the outside burns before the meat is tender.

Serve with

  • Serve with ugali and sukuma wiki, and extra salt and chilli at the table.

Storage

  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; keep up to 3 days.

Reheating

  • Reheat in a hot pan or oven until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Goat meat, ribs or leg, cut into large pieces1500 g
Used in steps 1, 2

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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