Grilled Maasai-Spiced Beef Skewers with Pili Pili Sauce
Tender beef cubes marinated in traditional Maasai spices, grilled and served with a spicy East African pili pili chili sauce. This African-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs beef sirloin, paprika, ground cumin for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 lb, cut into 1-inch cubes beef sirloin
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 soaked in water for 30 minutes wooden skewers
- 3, chopped red chili peppers
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp salt (for sauce)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (for sauce)
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 1 lb beef sirloin cubes with 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Toss well to coat and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Step 2: While the beef marinates, prepare the pili pili sauce by blending 3 chopped red chili peppers, 2 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 cup olive oil in a food processor until smooth; set aside.
- Step 3: Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread the marinated beef cubes evenly onto the 8 soaked wooden skewers.
- Step 4: Grill the beef skewers for 3-4 minutes per side, turning to develop a charred crust and cook to medium rare or desired doneness.
- Step 5: Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with the spicy pili pili sauce drizzled on top or as a dipping accompaniment.









