Nigerian Scotch Eggs – These scotch eggs are crunchy, spicy, tasty, and meat-free. Handheld and easy to make, this popular African snack is a delicious bite of childhood nostalgia. As anyone who grew up eating this classic comfort food can testify.
A Nigerian scotch egg also goes by African egg roll or African scotch egg. But since Africa is a vast continent, let’s not generalize. These Scotch eggs originated in Nigeria and Cameroon by way of the British.
Some British who settled in Western Africa brought scotch eggs with them. Then, we Africans adapted it to suit our needs with convenient and affordable ingredients. Can we only make a Nigerian scotch egg recipe with meat? I don’t think so! 😜
Traditional scotch eggs enjoy a sausage and breadcrumb coating and then are deep-fried. But if you prefer a meat-free version, definitely try this recipe. The reward is a slightly sweet, spicy, and crunchy exterior that is out-of-this-world good.
Nigerian Scotch Eggs and African Pepper Sauce: A Match Made in Heaven
If there is one thing that you must serve with scotch eggs in Nigeria, it’s African pepper sauce. The spicy sauce enhances the buttery, savory boiled egg and slightly sweet, crunchy outer shell like nothing you’ve ever tasted. Just one bite will have you hooked.
Best of all, you can chop the ingredients, and let them simmer while your eggs boil. Blend it with a touch of oil before frying the dough-wrapped eggs. And now you’ve got a homemade sauce that only costs you about five extra minutes. 😅
Recipe Ingredients
- Eggs – Half a dozen eggs are perfect for this recipe, but feel free to double or triple it if feeding a crowd.
- Dough – Milk, sugar, yeast, flour, butter, and a little water create this recipe’s dough.
- Seasonings – Get together salt, garlic powder, paprika, and white pepper to season the dough.
- Oil – Neutral-flavored oil that can withstand a high temperature works best for deep frying your scotch eggs.
How to Make Nigerian Scotch Eggs
Boil the Eggs
- Boil – Gently place the eggs in a pot of water. Boil them for 10-15 minutes.
- Cool – Remove the eggs and place them in a bowl of ice water for 3-5 minutes to cool.
- Peel – Carefully remove the shells, pat dry, and set aside.
Make the Dough
- Activate Yeast – In a medium bowl, mix the warm water and yeast and set aside for 5 minutes. The yeast should start foaming.
- Make the Dough – Then add the milk, sugar, and salt. Mix in the flour, garlic powder, white pepper, and paprika with a stand mixer or by hand. Next, add the butter and mix well.
- Knead – Turn the wrapper dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
- Make Wrappers – Place the dough on a well-floured surface and roll it out to about an inch thick. Cut out circles by gently pressing a wide-mouthed glass or bowl (4″-5″) into the dough and releasing it. Continue until cutting all dough. You’ll need six circles for six eggs.
- Wrap – Gently wrap the dough around the egg as evenly as possible and pinch the bottom, making sure there are no cracks or openings. Repeat until all eggs are wrapped and set aside.
- Rest – Cover them and let them rest for 30 minutes.
Deep Fry the Scotch Eggs
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large, cast iron skillet over medium-high heat to 350℉ (180℃). It should be hot but not smoking.
- Fry – Gently lower the Scotch eggs into the oil with a slotted spoon. Fry in batches and turn once until golden brown, 5-8 minutes.
- Drain – Remove the Scotch eggs with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with African pepper sauce.
Recipe Variations
- Bake them. Pop these bad boys in a 350℉ (180℃) oven and bake until golden brown. You can also air fry Nigerian scotch eggs.
- Adjust seasonings. Customize the dough’s seasonings with a little nutmeg or other warm spice. Or add something spicy, like cayenne or Creole seasoning.
- Add an extra layer. Traditional scotch eggs add a sausage layer. Almost any ground sausage works to encase the egg before wrapping and frying.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overcrowd the pan to avoid lowering the oil temperature too much for soggy Scotch eggs. 💔
- Don’t skip the resting period. It delivers the crunchiest, fluffiest Scotch egg shells.
- Put your eggs in cool water and let the eggs and water come to a boil together. That promotes even cooking and keeps them from cracking.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Feel free to make Scotch eggs a day or two ahead. Refrigerate them in an airtight container until reheating them to serve.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve freshly fried Nigerian scotch eggs warm or at room temperature.
Refrigerate leftover African egg rolls in an airtight container for 3-5 days. To reheat, air fry Scotch eggs for a few minutes or bake them in a 350℉ (180℃) oven. You could microwave them, but you won’t recuperate the crunch of the fried outer shell, which is the best part, IMO.
What Goes With Nigerian Scotch Eggs
Nigerian Scotch eggs, as a snack, need some flavor-packed sauces. African pepper sauce is my go-to as you’ve probably noticed. But they also go beautifully with Caribbean pepper sauce or Peruvian green sauce.
My son even loves them with my homemade burger sauce. But for a complete meal, serve them with some steamy jasmine rice or put them atop a chef’s salad.
More Amazing African Recipes to Try
- African Peanut Stew
- Nigerian Fried Rice
- Mandazi (East African Doughnuts)
- Spicy Oxtail Stew
- Nigerian Buns
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”zX6e3mcd” upload-date=”Tue Aug 07 2018 11:48:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”African Egg Roll” description=”African Egg Roll / Scotch Eggs – Crunchy, spicy, tasty and meat-free. Portable, easy to make and great anytime!”]
This blog post was originally published in March 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Nigerian Scotch Eggs
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Ingredients
- 6 eggs boiled
- ¼ cup (60ml) water, lukewarm
- ½ teaspoon (2g) yeast
- ⅓ cup (80ml) whole milk
- 1½ tablespoons (18g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (7g) salt
- 2 cups (240g) flour
- ½ teaspoon (1.5g) granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon (1g) paprika
- ¼ teaspoon (1g or less) white pepper
- 2 ounces (58g) unsalted butter or margarine
- oil for deep-frying
Instructions
- Gently place the eggs in a pot of water. Boil them for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the eggs and place them in a bowl of ice water for 3-5 minutes to cool.
- Carefully remove the shells, pat dry, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix the warm water and yeast and set aside for 5 minutes. The yeast should start foaming.
- Add the milk, sugar, and salt. Mix in the flour, garlic powder, white pepper, and paprika with a stand mixer or by hand. Next, add the butter and mix well.
- Turn the wrapper dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
- Place the dough on a well-floured surface and roll it out to about an inch thick.
- Cut out circles by gently pressing a wide-mouthed glass or bowl (4-5") into the dough and releasing it. Continue until cutting all dough. You'll need six circles for six eggs.
- Gently wrap the dough around the egg as evenly as possible and pinch the bottom, making sure there are no cracks or openings. Repeat until all eggs are wrapped and set aside.
- Cover them and let them rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large, cast iron skillet over medium-high heat to 350℉ (180℃). It should be hot but not smoking.
- Gently lower the Scotch eggs into the oil with a slotted spoon. Fry in batches and turn once until golden brown, 5-8 minutes.
- Remove the Scotch eggs with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with African pepper sauce.
Tips & Notes:
- Don’t overcrowd the pan to avoid lowering the oil temperature too much for soggy Scotch eggs.
- Don’t skip the resting period. It delivers the crunchiest, fluffiest Scotch egg shells.
- Put your eggs in cool water and let the eggs and water come to a boil together. That promotes even cooking and keeps them from cracking.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
grace says
pls immaculate the paprika and white pepper is it compulsory or wat other ingredient can be replaced with it
ImmaculateBites says
Grace,you may leave out these ingredients . However, replace with any preferred mild spices. Let me know how it works for you.
mikish says
Hello Emma, thanks for your wounderfull teachings in the kitchen. You are a model for me. Pls wish to know how this can be stored and for how long?
ImmaculateBites says
Oh thanks. The longest time, I have stored this has been a month. Wrap it up neatly first in plastic wrap, then in foil paper. When ready to eat reheat in the oven until warm about 15 minutes or more or you can make and freeze , then remove and fry when ready to eat. Let me know how it works for you.
Labelle says
I have searched high and low for this exact recipe….my cravings thank you, dear sister!
ImmaculateBites says
Let me know how it works for you Labelle
Debbie says
In the UK there’s self raising flour and plain flour. I’m not sure Which would work best for this recipe? Thanks.
ImmaculateBites says
Plain flour.
Debbie says
In the UK there’s self raising flour and plain flour. Which would work best for this recipe? Thanks.
mimi says
Hi there, this simply looks delicious. Can I use batter instead of dough? If yes, what’s do recipe? Thanks.
ImmaculateBites says
Mimi, I have never made this with batter so don’t have a recipe.
Shanna says
never heard of it but i am going to try it this evening but with meat inside, hope it will work! 2 cups of flour something like 250 g of flour? Do you use bread flour or all purpose? Do you knead the dough for long?
ImmaculateBites says
Shanna,I use all purpose flour . You only knead the dough for 1-2 minutes. let me know how it works out for you.
prisca says
wahoo, sis Ima, yr recipe is greatly inrich and modified from the one I know. I’m going try as soon as I can. keep up
Anita says
I have been looking for this recipe for as long as I can remember. You are officially my hero 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
Your hero??? what a compliment. Thanks so much. Let me know how you like it.
Elsa says
Hello! these look lovely 🙂 I used to love scotch eggs when I lived in Freetown. I like your version – it’s simpler!
ImmaculateBites says
Doesn’t it bring remind you of your hometown ? Whenever, I make it people always have fond memories to share. Elsa, thanks for taking the time to comment.
KatieSilverSpring says
OMG, something else the non-Scottish have stolen from us. I hope you understand satire (some people these days don’t).
All I can say is, they look “neater” than the traditional Scottish egg, which would make me pick them over my grand’s.
ImmaculateBites says
We sure picked a good one to steal. Thanks for stopping by!
Jeannie Tay says
Hi! I love eggs and your version of scotch eggs look absolutely fabulous! I think the dough is rolled out to 1 inch thick is not right? Cannot be so thick!
ImmaculateBites says
You are right! 1 inch is too tick ,about a 1/4 of an inch would work. Thanks Jeannie.
kelsey says
Bake for how long and what degree. Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Brush the egg roll with oil or butter then bake at 350 degrees for about 22 minutes or more depending on your oven or until golden brown.
kelsey says
When do you cover the dough to rise. Before you wrap the egg or after the egg has been wrapped.
ImmaculateBites says
After wrapping the egg.
Melissa says
Omg! We make this in my country but we use either crushed cassava or potato to rap the egg and we simply call them “egg balls” lol
Prince says
Really what are your ingredients and procedures