Sujuk is a dry, spiced beef sausage popular across the eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans. What it tastes like, how to cook it, and where to try it at Kybelle.
What is sujuk? Sujuk (also spelled sudjuk) is a dry, spiced beef sausage, popular across the eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans. It's garlicky, warmly spiced and fries to crisp edges in a minute or two. You'll find it on our Mediterranean Breakfast and as a side at Kybelle, so here's a short guide to what it is, what it tastes like and how to cook it.
What sujuk is made of
Sujuk is usually made from minced beef mixed with a generous amount of garlic and spices. Cumin and red pepper are common, and some makers add fenugreek or other spices. The mix is stuffed into a casing, often shaped into a long horseshoe, then left to dry and cure. The result is firm and dense, a little like a salami, and it keeps well.
What does it taste like?
Savoury, garlicky and warmly spiced, with a gentle tang from the curing. Some sujuk has a little chilli heat, but it's about flavour more than fire. When it hits a hot pan, the fat renders out and the slices go crisp at the edges.
How to cook sujuk
- Slice it into rounds or on the diagonal, about half a centimetre thick.
- Put the slices in a cold, dry frying pan; sujuk releases its own fat, so you don't need oil.
- Heat the pan and fry for a minute or two on each side, until the edges crisp and darken.
- Crack eggs straight into the spiced fat, or serve the slices with eggs, bread and tomatoes.
Sujuk vs chorizo
People often compare the two because both are cured, spiced sausages that fry beautifully. Chorizo is usually pork and gets its colour and smoky taste from paprika. Sujuk is usually beef, with garlic and cumin doing more of the work. If you like chorizo with your eggs, sujuk is well worth a try.
Ways to eat sujuk
- Fried with eggs, the classic breakfast
- With grilled halloumi, olives and bread
- On toast with tomatoes
- Sliced into a sandwich or wrap
Mediterranean Breakfast with sujuk 
Cilbir Eggs (add sujuk if you like) 
Shakshouka (add sujuk if you like)
Sujuk at Kybelle
Our Mediterranean Breakfast brings sujuk together with crisp filo pastry, a freshly cooked egg, grilled halloumi, olives, sautéed mushrooms and blistered cherry tomatoes, with honey, clotted cream and artisan bread. You can also add Garlic Beef Sujuk Sausage as a side to any plate, including our full English breakfast.
Try it at Kybelle
- Mediterranean Breakfast, £15.90
- Cilbir Eggs with sujuk, £16.40
- Shakshouka with sujuk, £17.00
- Garlic Beef Sujuk Sausage as a side, £2.50
New to cilbir? Read what cilbir eggs are, or see our Mediterranean breakfast in Shoreditch page.
Find Kybelle
Kybelle Café & Brunch, 62 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3QR, about four minutes' walk from Old Street station. Breakfast, brunch and lunch are served all day, dogs are welcome and there's outdoor seating. Get directions on Google Maps.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am–4pm · Saturday and Sunday 9am–5pm. Walk-ins only — no booking needed, just turn up.
See the full menu · Directions & opening hours
Questions people ask
What is sujuk made of?
Usually minced beef with plenty of garlic and spices such as cumin and red pepper, stuffed into a casing and dried. Recipes vary from maker to maker.
Is sujuk spicy?
It's well spiced and garlicky, and some versions have a little chilli warmth, but it's not usually very hot.
How do you cook sujuk?
Slice it into rounds and fry it in a dry pan for a minute or two each side, until the edges crisp.
Is sujuk the same as chorizo?
No. Both are cured, spiced sausages, but chorizo is usually pork with smoked paprika, while sujuk is usually beef with garlic and cumin.
Can I add sujuk to my breakfast at Kybelle?
Yes. Garlic Beef Sujuk Sausage is a side (£2.50), and you can add it to Cilbir Eggs or Shakshouka.
What is sujuk?
A dry, spiced sausage, usually made from beef with garlic and spices. Ours is the Garlic Beef Sujuk Sausage, a £2.50 side.