Nigeria | Snack

Suya

Nigerian suya, thin beef skewers coated in yaji, the smoky Hausa spice blend of kuli-kuli, chile, ginger, onion, garlic, and salt.

Country
Nigeria
Region
West Africa
Time
65 min
Serves
4
Level
easy
Explore Nigeria recipes Open Street Food
Recipe overview

What to know before you cook

Use this overview to check the occasion, serving ideas, regional context, and cooking commitment before you begin.

When to cook it

Best for Evening snack and street food. Plan on a easy cook and about 65 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Raw onion, tomato, cabbage, cucumber, extra yaji, or jollof rice

Follow the collection

Street Food is the easiest collection to explore after this dish. Street Food

Regional lane

Northern Nigerian table. Hausa and northern dishes made with grains, rice swallows, dried spices, groundnut, baobab leaves, and street foods.

Chef watch-outs
  • Skipping the resting time after grilling.
  • Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
  • Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.
How you know it is ready
  • The surface should be deeply colored while the center stays juicy.
  • The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
  • Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
Pantry lane

palm oil, crayfish, iru or ogiri, scotch bonnet, melon seed

Chef board

Build the table around Suya

Raw onion, tomato, cabbage, cucumber, extra yaji, or jollof rice

Best route from here

Northern Nigerian table

Collections to keep cooking
Nigerian Regional Table Northern Nigerian Comforts West African Street Food
Servings 4

Scale the dish before you shop, then use the checklist while you cook.

How to cook it

Step-by-step method

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to Nigeria
5 steps 50 min prep 15 min cook 65 min total easy
1
Make the yaji spice
Combine groundnut powder, cayenne, ginger, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Kitchen noteToast the groundnuts in a dry pan first for deeper flavour.
2
Prepare the meat
Thread thinly sliced beef onto wooden skewers. Brush with oil and coat generously with yaji spice on all sides.
Kitchen noteSoak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning.
3
Marinate
Let coated skewers rest for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
Marinate 30:00
4
Grill the suya
Grill over high charcoal heat, turning every 2-3 minutes, until charred on edges but juicy inside. About 8-10 minutes total.
Grill suya 10:00
5
Serve
Sprinkle extra yaji spice over the grilled suya. Serve with sliced onions, tomatoes, and fresh cabbage.

Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.

Keep exploring

Cook around Suya

Follow country, category, collection, time, and pairing paths without turning the recipe page into a link farm.

Jollof Rice recipe from Nigeria Nigeria Main dish Jollof Rice Nigerian party jollof rice cooked in a fried tomato-pepper base with stock, thyme, curry powder, bay leaves, and a smoky bo... Time95 min ServingsServes 6 DifficultyMedium DietGluten Free RegionWest Africa Open recipe Nigeria Breakfast Masa Northern Nigerian fermented rice cakes cooked in small wells until lightly crisp outside and soft inside. Time65 min ServingsServes 6 DifficultyMedium DietVegetarian RegionWest Africa Open recipe Nigeria Breakfast Akara Nigerian black-eyed pea fritters blended with onion and pepper, whipped light, then fried until crisp outside and fluffy in... Time70 min ServingsServes 6 DifficultyMedium DietVegan RegionWest Africa Open recipe Nigeria Stew Efo Riro A Yoruba spinach and pepper stew cooked with palm oil, locust beans, crayfish, and assorted meats or fish. Time60 min ServingsServes 6 DifficultyMedium DietGluten Free RegionWest Africa Open recipe
Browse AfroKitchen Explore Nigeria recipes