Our editor’s favorite store bought suya spice blend is made with fire roasted peanuts and bird’s eye chili.
Suya is arguably the most popular dish in West Africa, at least as far as street food is concerned. And the key ingredient to these meat skewers or kabobs is a heavy portion of suya spice. But you can use this spice blend for so much more!
If you don’t have West African roots and don’t live in a city like Houston or New York, you may not have encountered suya. Some restaurants like Brooklyn Suya add the peanut-based seasoning to beef and other meats before serving it in bowls with other ingredients, including fresh vegetables.
It’s great at dialing up the flavors of everything from pork to soups and adds complexity and intrigue to ingredients that might otherwise fall flat.
For many people of West African descent living outside the region, the best way to enjoy suya is to make the spice mix themselves at home. In addition to peanuts, recipes often call for paprika or cayenne, ginger, and spices like garlic powder and onion powder — though naturally, the specifics vary between households, generations, and across different West African communities.
Tip: You can make your own beef suya skewers at home!
I’m a cultural outsider with no nostalgic or family ties to suya or suya spice. But I have tried a few different commercially available products, and the Bold & Smoky Suya Spice Blend from iLéWA West African Foods is my favorite.
The roasted peanuts, bird’s eye chili, and other ingredients work together to create a blend that’s beautifully aromatic and punchy without being overpowering. By marinating meat and other ingredients in the mix, or even tossing it on popcorn, you can add satisfying, smoky depth to your cooking.
Created by Adégnimika “Adé” Carrena, a chef from Benin, West Africa who now lives in North Carolina, iLéWA’s suya spice is sourced directly from women in and around her hometown, including family members. She also sells a coffee suya rub.
It’s worth checking out iLéWA’s Instagram for recipe inspiration. There you’ll find the much-requested directions for making her Suya Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe or ideas such as suya and wine braised goat with creamy grits and crispy okra or suya coconut curry with cauliflower steaks and plantain gnocchi.
The great news is this suya spice ships nationwide and only costs $10 for a medium-sized, 2.4-ounce bag! And as always, I have to remind you that this isn’t sponsored content or anything other than my genuine endorsement. We just want to help you eat well.
Be sure to check out some of our other Obsessed columns, like this one on our editor’s favorite beef jerky.
Related: check out our conversation with the coauthor of The Contemporary African Cookbook.