A grilled beef burger coated in Ghanaian suya spice, topped with a bright ginger-orange cabbage slaw.
Suya, skewered and grilled meat coated in a dry, peanut-based spice blend called yaji, is a beloved West African street food eaten widely across Ghana and Nigeria, especially after dark from roadside grills. This burger takes that same suya spice mix — ground peanuts, ginger, cayenne, paprika and dried onion — and rubs it onto a beef patty instead of skewered meat, topped with a crunchy cabbage slaw brightened with fresh ginger and orange for a fresh contrast. The yaji spice blend, traditionally made by grinding roasted peanuts with dried chile, ginger and other spices into a coarse powder, is what gives suya its distinctive nutty, spicy crust — pressing it firmly onto the patty before grilling helps it adhere and caramelize rather than falling off. Grilling over high heat develops a real char on the outside while keeping the patty juicy within, echoing the smoky flavor suya gets from an open grill. The slaw, tossed with fresh ginger, orange zest and a little vinegar, cuts through the richness of the spiced beef with genuine brightness, giving the burger real balance.
Serves 4
Combine ground peanuts, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, ground ginger and salt in a small bowl.
Shape the ground beef into 4 patties and press about two-thirds of the spice blend firmly onto both sides of each patty, saving the rest for finishing.
Toss shredded cabbage with fresh ginger, orange zest, orange juice, rice vinegar, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let sit at least 10 minutes.
Grill or pan-sear the patties over medium-high heat, 3-4 minutes per side, until well charred and cooked to your preferred doneness.
Sprinkle the reserved spice blend over the patties right after they come off the heat, while still hot.
Pile the ginger-orange slaw onto the buns, add the spiced patty, and close with the top bun.
Grind the peanuts finely so the spice blend presses evenly onto the patty rather than falling off in chunks.
Press the spice mixture firmly onto the raw patties so it adheres and caramelizes on the grill instead of burning off.
Let the slaw sit at least 10 minutes before serving so the cabbage softens slightly and absorbs the ginger-orange dressing.
Traditional skewer format: cut the beef into cubes, skewer, coat in the yaji spice, and grill as classic suya instead of a patty.
Chicken version: use ground chicken instead of beef for a lighter burger with the same suya spicing.
Extra heat: increase the cayenne in the spice blend for those who prefer suya's traditional intense heat.
Refrigerate cooked patties and slaw separately up to 3 days. Reheat patties gently in a skillet; the slaw is best made fresh but keeps reasonably well refrigerated for a day.
Suya is one of West Africa's most iconic street foods, traditionally made by skewering thin strips of beef and coating them in yaji, a dry spice blend of ground peanuts, chile and other spices, then grilling over an open flame. Though most closely associated with Nigeria's Hausa communities, suya is widely sold and eaten across Ghana as well, especially at night markets and roadside grills.
Yaji is a dry spice blend built on ground roasted peanuts, combined with cayenne or other dried chiles, ginger, garlic and sometimes bouillon powder, giving suya its distinctive nutty, spicy crust.
The peanut is essential to authentic suya spice, so a true nut-free version would lose that signature flavor. If needed for allergies, you could experiment with sunflower seed butter or omit the ground peanuts and rely on the other spices.
It has a real, noticeable heat from the cayenne, true to traditional suya's spiciness. Reduce the cayenne if you prefer a milder burger, or add more for extra heat.
Per serving (310g / 10.9 oz) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
