A grilled beef patty coated in suya spice, the peanut-and-chile blend behind Nigeria's famous grilled skewers.
Suya is Nigeria's best-known street food, thin strips of beef skewered and grilled over open flame, coated generously in yaji, a spice blend built from ground roasted peanuts, ginger, cayenne and other warm spices. This burger takes that same yaji seasoning and works it into a ground beef patty, giving the burger suya's signature nutty, smoky heat without needing skewers or an open grill. The peanut component in yaji does double duty: it adds a toasty, slightly savory depth and helps the spice coating cling to the meat, similar to how it clings to thinly sliced suya beef. Because ground peanuts burn easily over high heat, these patties are best cooked over medium rather than screaming-hot heat, giving the spice crust time to set without scorching before the inside is done. Topped simply with sliced onion, tomato and extra yaji spice, this burger channels suya's smoky, peanut-forward character into a format that's easier to manage than juggling skewers over a grill, while still delivering the same craveable spice hit.
Serves 4
Mix ground peanuts, cayenne, paprika, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, cloves and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside a spoonful for garnish.
Mix two-thirds of the yaji spice blend into the ground beef, kneading gently until evenly combined. Avoid overworking the meat.
Divide into 4 patties about 3/4 inch thick, pressing a slight dimple into the center of each to keep them from puffing up while cooking.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Cook patties 5 to 6 minutes per side until well browned and cooked to 160°F (71°C) internally.
Keep the heat at medium rather than high -- the ground peanuts in the spice blend can scorch and taste bitter over very high heat.
Toast the buns lightly, then build the burgers with a patty, sliced onion, tomato and a final sprinkle of the reserved yaji spice.
Grind the peanuts finely rather than leaving them chunky -- a coarse grind can make the patties fall apart when flipped.
Don't skip the reserved spice for garnish; a final dusting on the assembled burger gives a much stronger suya flavor than seasoning the meat alone.
If the patties feel loose after shaping, chill them for 15 minutes before cooking to help them hold together on the grill.
Chicken suya burger: use ground chicken thigh instead of beef, and cook to 165°F (74°C).
Skewer style: skip the bun entirely and thread thin strips of beef onto skewers, coating in the same yaji blend and grilling over high heat.
Extra spicy: double the cayenne, or add a pinch of ground chile de árbol for more heat.
Refrigerate cooked patties up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat. Raw seasoned patties can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 2 months.
Suya originated with the Hausa people of northern Nigeria and has since spread across the country and West Africa as a beloved grilled street food, with the peanut-based yaji spice blend as its defining feature.
Ground roasted peanuts give a better texture, but in a pinch, a tablespoon of natural peanut butter worked into the spice mix can approximate the flavor, though the coating won't be as crisp.
You can substitute ground roasted cashews or sunflower seeds for a similar toasty texture, though the flavor won't be identical to traditional suya.
Ground nuts burn faster than plain spices, so keep the heat at medium and watch closely -- if the outside is browning too fast, lower the heat rather than shortening the cook time.
Per serving (300g / 10.6 oz) · 4 servings total
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