Protein-topped sheet-pan focaccia
Suya-Spiced Beef & Onion Focaccia (Nigerian-Inspired)
Nigerian yaji — a nutty, smoky suya spice of ground peanut, ginger, chili and paprika — over pre-cooked beef and onion on an airy focaccia.
- Total
- 4.3 hr
- Hands-on
- 35 min
- Hydration
- 80%
- Skill
- intermediate
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Toss pre-cooked sliced beef and onion with yaji (suya spice), scatter over a dimpled focaccia, bake at 230°C/450°F for 20–24 minutes, and dust with more yaji after baking.
Why this works
Beef will not cook through in a focaccia bake, so it is cooked first and only glazed on top; yaji's ground peanut can scorch, so a portion is added after baking; the onion sweetens against the chili and the open crumb carries the savory oil.
The schedule
~45m hands-on of 4.3h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 45m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1h
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 10m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix the dough
Whisk flour and yeast. Add water and 40 g oil, then salt. Mix to a shaggy, very sticky dough.
Look for: Wet and sticky, pulling off the bowl in strands.
- 2
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds over 90 minutes, then rise until doubled and bubbly.
Look for: Domed, bubble-dotted surface that jiggles when nudged.
- 3
Season the beef
Toss the sliced cooked beef and onion with 15 g oil and 1.5 tbsp yaji until coated.
Look for: The beef looks rust-red and smells strongly of peanut, ginger and chili.
Avoid: Use fully cooked beef — the bake only warms and glazes it, it does not cook raw meat through.
- 4
Pan and proof
Oil the sheet pan. Stretch the dough to the edges, resting if it resists. Proof until puffy, about 1 hour.
Look for: The dough relaxes to fill the pan and springs back slowly.
- 5
Dimple and top
Dimple the dough with oiled fingers. Scatter the yaji beef and onion evenly, leaving bare dough showing between.
Look for: The beef sits on top with gaps of dimpled dough between the slices.
- 6
Bake
Bake at 230°C/450°F for 20–24 minutes until the edges are deep gold and the base is crisp.
Look for: Golden crust; onion tips lightly charred and the beef edges glazed.
Avoid: Watch the topping — the ground peanut in yaji can darken quickly; tent with foil if it browns too fast.
- 7
After baking
Cool a few minutes, dust with the remaining 2 tsp yaji, and add fresh red onion, tomato and a squeeze of lime — the classic suya garnish.
Look for: The fresh yaji stays nutty and aromatic; the raw onion and lime cut the richness.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Airy and open under the spiced beef.
- Crust: Crisp oil-fried base; glazed, peanut-dusted beef on top.
- Height: About 3 cm tall.
- Color: Deep gold crust; charred onion tips.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter, scorched topping | Ground peanut in yaji burning at high heat | Tent with foil if it browns fast and add a fresh dusting of yaji after baking. |
| Tough, dry beef | Over-cooked before topping, then baked again | Cook the beef to medium, slice thin, and pull the bake as soon as the base crisps. |
| Flat peanut flavor | All the yaji baked in | Reserve some yaji to dust on after baking for the fresh nutty aroma. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best fresh. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days (contains cooked beef).
Freezing: Freeze plain focaccia only; the fresh garnish and beef are best not frozen.
Reheating: Re-crisp in a 200°C/400°F oven 6–8 minutes until the beef is hot throughout.
Contains wheat/gluten and PEANUTS (yaji is peanut-based). Check with guests before serving.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
Fresh — buy local
- Meat / seafood (opens Amazon) ↗ — From a butcher or deli; pre-cook before topping.
- Onions (opens Amazon) ↗ — A kitchen staple; buy fresh.
- Fresh tomatoes (opens Amazon) ↗ — Best bought fresh and local, in season.
- Lime (opens Amazon) ↗ — A common item; buy fresh or from your pantry.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- What is yaji / suya spice?
- Yaji is the Nigerian spice mix used for suya — ground roasted peanut with ginger, chili, paprika, garlic and salt. Suya itself is spiced grilled skewered meat sold as street food.
- Is this suya?
- No — suya is grilled skewered meat. This is an Italian focaccia seasoned with the same yaji spice and topped with pre-cooked beef, so it borrows the flavor, not the dish.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/suya-spiced-beef-onion-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.