Suya-Spiced Mixed Nuts

Drawing inspiration from chef Simileoluwa Adebajo’s Chicken Suya recipe, F&W associate editorial director Chandra Ram coats mixed nuts with butter and suya spice for a Nigerian-inspired riff on a popular bar snack that’s hot, sweet, and salty. If you’re planning to reserve the nuts for later use, be sure to let the nut mixture cool completely before storing. Set a bowl of them out whenever you’re entertaining and watch as they disappear.

To make these highly snackable nuts, start by blending a chicken bouillon cube, paprika, ginger, garlic, onion, cayenne, and black pepper in a spice grinder until finely ground. To bring out the warm, aromatic notes of each spice even further, we like to toast the mixture in a dry skillet until it smells nutty and fragrant. To finish, toss with warm, buttered nuts and brown sugar until the nuts are evenly coated. Take our advice: Make a double batch of the spice blend and use it to season meats for grilling, too. 

Frequently asked questions

What is suya?

The suya spice blend is popular across West Africa, particularly in Nigeria. This aromatic blend typically includes peanut butter or peanut powder, paprika, ground ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and a chicken bouillon cube. While we love tossing it with pre-salted mixed nuts, it’s delicious on just about anything savory.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Toasting the spices helps to open the aromatics and creates a perfumed, delicate spice blend. There are two easy ways to toast spices: dry-roasting them or cooking them in oil (a process known as tempering). Suddenly, cumin is more earthy, coriander more floral.

Make ahead

Let cool fully to room temperature before storing. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.