Ethiopian food offers a unique and flavorful culinary experience. The cuisine is known for its rich spices, hearty stews, and communal dining style. You’ll find a variety of dishes that showcase the depth and diversity of Ethiopian cooking, from vegetarian options to meat-based meals.
These recipes will introduce you to some of the most popular Ethiopian dishes. You’ll learn how to make staples like injera, a spongy flatbread used to scoop up food, as well as various wots (stews) and vegetable dishes. By trying these recipes, you can bring the tastes of Ethiopia to your own kitchen and explore this exciting cuisine.
Doro Wot is a famous Ethiopian chicken stew. This spicy dish is perfect for special occasions and gatherings.
To make Doro Wot, you’ll need chicken, onions, and berbere spice mix. Cook the onions until they’re soft and caramelized. Add the berbere and let the flavors meld.
Next, add the chicken and simmer until it’s tender. Hard-boiled eggs are often added near the end of cooking.
Serve your Doro Wot over injera, a spongy Ethiopian flatbread. The rich, savory flavors will impress your guests and transport you to Ethiopia.
Kitfo is a beloved Ethiopian dish made with raw or lightly cooked minced beef. You’ll mix the meat with spiced butter called niter kibbeh and mitmita, a fiery spice blend.
To make kitfo, trim the fat from high-quality beef and chop it finely. Add melted niter kibbeh, mitmita, and salt to the meat and mix well.
You can serve kitfo raw (tire) or lightly cooked (leb leb). Traditionally, you eat it with injera, a spongy flatbread. Some also enjoy it with a side of ayib, a soft cheese.
For the best flavor, use freshly ground spices like cardamom in your kitfo. Be sure to use very fresh, high-quality beef from a trusted source.
Shiro is a popular Ethiopian stew made from ground chickpeas. You can prepare this comforting dish easily at home. Start by sautéing onions, garlic, and tomatoes in a pot.
Next, add chickpea flour and whisk in water gradually. Keep stirring to prevent lumps from forming. The mixture will thicken as it cooks.
Season your shiro with berbere spice for authentic flavor. You can adjust the spice level to your liking. Let the stew simmer until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Serve your shiro hot with injera bread for a traditional Ethiopian meal. This protein-rich dish is perfect for vegetarians and vegans.
Misir Wot is a flavorful Ethiopian red lentil stew. You can make this dish easily at home with a few key ingredients.
Start by cooking diced onions in a pot until soft. Add garlic, ginger, and berbere spice for authentic flavor. Berbere is a spice blend that gives Misir Wot its distinctive taste.
Stir in red lentils and diced tomatoes. Add water and let the stew simmer until the lentils are tender. The final texture should be thick and creamy.
Serve Misir Wot hot with injera bread for a traditional Ethiopian meal. It’s a hearty, protein-rich dish that’s perfect for vegetarians and vegans.
Gomen is a tasty Ethiopian dish made with collard greens. You’ll love this healthy and flavorful vegetable side.
To make gomen, start by chopping collard greens. Sauté onions in spiced butter or oil until soft. Add garlic, ginger, and spices like cumin and cardamom.
Mix in the collards and cook until they turn bright green and wilt slightly. The greens should still have a bit of crunch.
Gomen pairs well with other Ethiopian dishes. Serve it alongside injera flatbread for a traditional meal. You can also enjoy it on its own as a light vegetarian option.
Tibs is a popular Ethiopian dish made with sautéed meat and vegetables. You can make it with beef, lamb, or goat. The meat is cut into small cubes and cooked with onions, peppers, and spices.
To prepare tibs, heat oil in a pan and cook the meat until browned. Add sliced onions, garlic, and berbere spice mix. Stir-fry everything together over high heat.
Some recipes include tomatoes or rosemary for extra flavor. Serve tibs hot with injera bread or rice. It’s often enjoyed as a main course or appetizer in Ethiopian cuisine.
Awaze is a spicy Ethiopian sauce that adds heat and flavor to many dishes. You can make it by mixing berbere and mitmita spice blends with a few other ingredients.
To prepare awaze, combine berbere, mitmita, Ethiopian mead (t’edj), salt, and melted niter kibbeh in a mortar. Grind these together until you get a smooth paste.
This versatile sauce goes well with meat dishes like beef tibs. You can use it as a marinade or dipping sauce. Awaze brings a fiery kick and complex taste to your Ethiopian-inspired meals.
Berbere is a key spice blend in Ethiopian cuisine. It’s a mix of many spices, including chili peppers, fenugreek, and paprika.
You can use berbere to add flavor to many dishes. It works well with chicken, beef, lentils, and vegetables.
To make berbere at home, toast whole spices like coriander and fenugreek. Then grind them with other ground spices.
You can adjust the heat level by changing the amount of chili peppers. Start with a small amount if you’re new to berbere. Add more as you get used to the flavor.
Kik Alicha is a comforting Ethiopian split pea stew. You’ll love its mild, savory flavor. To make it, soak yellow split peas overnight.
Cook onions, garlic, and ginger in oil until soft. Add turmeric for a golden color. Mix in the drained split peas and water.
Simmer the stew for about an hour until the peas are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Some recipes add niter kibbeh (spiced butter) for extra richness.
Serve Kik Alicha with injera bread for a filling meal. It’s perfect for cooler days when you want something warm and nourishing.
Chechebsa is a tasty Ethiopian breakfast dish popular in the Oromia region. You’ll love this comforting meal made from torn flatbread mixed with spiced butter.
To make chechebsa, start by preparing a thin flatbread called kita. Cook it on a hot griddle until lightly browned. Then tear the bread into small pieces.
Next, toss the torn bread with melted spiced butter and berbere, a traditional Ethiopian spice blend. This creates a flavorful, slightly spicy mixture.
You can serve chechebsa with yogurt or honey for added sweetness. Some versions include scrambled eggs for extra protein. This filling dish will keep you energized throughout the morning.
Fitfit is a popular Ethiopian dish made with crumbled injera, a traditional flatbread. You can create this tasty meal by tearing injera into small pieces and mixing it with spices and other ingredients.
To make fitfit, you’ll need berbere spice blend, which gives the dish its signature flavor. Mix the crumbled injera with melted butter and berbere in a pan. Cook until the injera is warm and coated with spices.
Some variations of fitfit use sunflower seeds or flaxseed instead of injera. These versions offer a unique twist on the classic recipe. You can also add diced onions and jalapeños for extra flavor and texture.
Genfo is a simple Ethiopian porridge often eaten for breakfast. To make it, you’ll need barley flour and water. Boil water in a pot and slowly add the flour while stirring. Keep mixing until you get a smooth, thick consistency.
Once cooked, shape the genfo into a mound in a bowl. Make a well in the center and fill it with spiced clarified butter. You can add berbere or mitmita spice for extra flavor.
Genfo is typically served hot. You can enjoy it by taking small pieces and dipping them in the spiced butter. It’s a filling and comforting dish that will start your day off right.
Common Ingredients Used in Ethiopian Cuisine
Ethiopian cooking relies on a variety of flavorful ingredients. These include aromatic spices, nutrient-rich grains, and fresh produce that give Ethiopian dishes their unique taste and texture.
Spices and Herbs
Berbere is a key spice blend in Ethiopian cuisine. It combines chili peppers, garlic, ginger, basil, and other spices. This red powder adds heat and depth to many dishes.
Mitmita is another spicy blend. It contains African bird’s eye chili peppers, cardamom, cloves, and salt. Cooks use it to flavor meat dishes and as a table condiment.
Korarima, or Ethiopian cardamom, has a unique taste. It’s often used in spice blends and coffee.
Niter kibbeh is a spiced clarified butter. It’s made by simmering butter with spices like fenugreek, cumin, and turmeric. This flavored butter is used in many recipes.
Essential Grains and Legumes
Teff is a tiny grain native to Ethiopia. It’s the main ingredient in injera, the spongy flatbread eaten with most meals. Teff is gluten-free and high in protein and fiber.
Lentils are a staple in Ethiopian cooking. Red lentils are used to make misir wat, a spicy lentil stew. Brown lentils feature in many other dishes.
Chickpeas are another common legume. They’re used in shiro, a powdered mix of chickpeas and spices. Shiro is cooked into a thick paste and served with injera.
Barley is used in many traditional recipes. It’s the main ingredient in tella, a homemade beer, and in genfo, a thick porridge.
Meats and Vegetables
Beef is popular in Ethiopian cuisine. It’s often used in tibs, a dish of sautéed meat and vegetables. Lamb and goat are also common in many recipes.
Chicken is used in doro wat, a spicy stew considered Ethiopia’s national dish. It’s cooked with berbere spice and served with hard-boiled eggs.
Collard greens are a key vegetable. They’re used in gomen, a dish of chopped greens cooked with spices.
Onions and tomatoes form the base of many Ethiopian stews. They’re cooked down to create a thick, flavorful sauce.
Garlic and ginger are used in most dishes. They add depth and aroma to stews, sauces, and meat dishes.
Traditional Cooking Techniques
Ethiopian cuisine uses time-honored methods to create rich, flavorful dishes. These techniques bring out the best in simple ingredients and create the unique tastes of Ethiopian food.
Slow Cooking Methods
Slow cooking is key in Ethiopian cuisine. You’ll find many dishes simmered for hours to develop deep flavors. Meat stews like doro wat cook slowly until the meat falls off the bone. Lentils and beans also benefit from long, gentle cooking. This method allows spices to blend and intensify.
Slow cooking often happens in clay pots called inseras. These pots help food cook evenly and keep moisture in. You can use a heavy pot or Dutch oven at home for similar results. Start with low heat and let your dish bubble away. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Stewing and Simmering
Stewing and simmering are common in Ethiopian cooking. These methods work well for tough cuts of meat and hardy vegetables. You’ll see them used for dishes like misir wat (red lentil stew) and alicha (vegetable stew).
To stew, you first brown meat or sauté vegetables. Then add liquid and let the pot simmer. The food cooks slowly in its own juices and added liquid. This creates tender meat and soft veggies full of flavor.
Simmering uses less liquid and lower heat than boiling. It’s perfect for delicate ingredients like fish or quick-cooking vegetables. You’ll get tender results without overcooking.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
