Lamb Sausages (Merguez)
Spice up your next BBQ with homemade Lamb Sausages (Merguez). These spicy sausages offer a taste of North Africa and are surprisingly quick and easy to make – no casings needed. Harissa and freshly toasted spices provide authentic flavors, perfect for grilling or instantly flavoring other ground lamb recipes.
My first taste of Merguez sausages was a memorable one: a rustic, off-grid cabin in France, holidaying with my bestie’s French family as a teenager. Grilled over a wood-fired barbecue, it took me years to realize those delicious small sausages were actually lamb—quite an adventure for my then-simple salt and pepper German palate!
Bold lamb can take on a lot of flavor, and so can my palate now. This traditional North African lamb sausage is heavily spiced with harissa paste and freshly toasted spices for maximum flavor. Merguez is a staple in Maghrebi cuisine – the Western part of North Africa – which includes the culinary traditions of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya.
I often make a batch of these easy hand-formed sausages for summer BBQs or a quick midweek meal. Similar to chorizo sausages, Merguez can also add instant flavor to other sausage recipes such as my lamb shakshuka, lamb pinwheels, and lamb wraps.
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Lamb Sausages (Merguez)
Ingredients
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp harissa paste
Instructions
- Dry toast the whole fennel, coriander, and cumin seeds in a clean and dry pan over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent them from burning. Remove the toasted seeds from the pan and place them onto a clean plate the moment they're fully toasted. This will take about 2-3 minutes.1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- Let the toasted seeds cool and grind them with a mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder. If you let the seeds cool, the oils harden a little, which stops them from sticking together in the grinder.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ground lamb, freshly ground spices, remaining spices, harissa paste, and fresh garlic. Mix to combine with your hands or a large spoon.1 lb ground lamb, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 2 garlic cloves, 3 tbsp harissa paste
- Wet your hands with water and shape the ground meat into equally-sized sausages. For breakfast sausages, I prefer 2-inch lengths to prevent breakage. Place them on a clean plate or in a storage container. Pan-fry in 1 tbsp of olive oil or grill them for about 4 minutes on both sides or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). Let them rest briefly for the juices to distribute and serve on their own, as lamb kebabs, or spicy hot dogs.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and substitutions
- Lamb – Grass-fed and finished ground lamb shoulder works best as its fat keeps the sausages moist. You can use freshly ground lamb from the store or grind your own using a meat grinder or food processor. Make sure to freeze the meat slightly before grinding it to avoid it from getting too warm during the process.
- Harissa – I use homemade harissa paste but you can choose store-bought paste with limited additives for convenience as well. You can typically find it in the condiment section of your supermarket or at specialist store such as Trader Joe’s. Harissa paste varies in terms of consistency and heat levels a lot so make sure you choose one that suits your taste.
- Spices – Dry toasting whole spices including cumin, coriander, and fennel, and grinding them freshly adds another test but I think the extra fresh flavors are worth it. Use ground spices for convenience.
Step-by-step photos: merguez sausages
Toast the spices.
Grind the spices.
Combine everything in a medium-sized bowl.
Shape the lamb mixture into sausages.
