This utterly simple but appetizing Ethiopian Lentil Stew uses red lentils, berbere spice blend and niter kibbeh to create vibrant flavor that will linger on your tastebuds for a long, long time!
Ethiopian lentil stews are loaded with flavor and texture and one of my favorites is Misir Wot, which uses two spice blends--mekelesha and berbere--to create amazing flavor. But because we've been cooking up dishes with the spice and oil blends we just made, berbere and vegan niter kibbeh, I want to share with you another easy Ethiopian red lentil stew that uses just these two blends, specifically, and is just as delicious.
This is a super simple stew to make and although it uses the same spices as the shiro wot you will be amazed by how different they taste. They even complement each other nicely on the same plate.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]Why you will love this recipe
- Simple and one-pot. This is strictly a no-fuss recipe, and it needs just a few ingredients. It's perfect for weeknights.
- Healthy. Loaded with red lentils and good-for-you spices, this spicy Ethiopian lentil stew is as nourishing as it is delicious.
- Nut-free, gluten-free, soy-free and vegan. The stew is suited to all diets. It's also quite kid-friendly.
Ingredients
- Red lentils (pink lentils). Soaked for an hour before cooking for best results. These are the coral-hued lentils that go by "masoor dal" in India.
- Vegan niter kibbeh. This spiced oil blend with notes of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and allspice, is a vegan version of the spiced butter or ghee used in Ethiopian recipes, It adds so much flavor to the lentils and it's also pretty simple to make.
- Red onions. You can use yellow onions or white onions but red onions, which have a spicier flavor, are great here.
- Ginger garlic paste. If you don't have ginger garlic paste ready crush six cloves garlic with a one-inch knob of ginger into a paste.
- Tomatoes
- Spices: Ethiopian berbere spice blend, ground coriander and ground cumin.
How to make Ethiopian lentil stew
1. Add diced onions to a dry saucepan set over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of salt and saute until onions become soft and start to brown.
2. Stir in a tablespoon of the vegan niter kibbeh and ginger garlic paste. Saute for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes to the saucepan and mix them in. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes turn very soft and pulpy.
4. Stir in the berbere spice mix, ground coriander and ground cumin. Mix and let the spices cook with the tomatoes and onions for a couple of minutes.
5. Stir in the lentils and add two cups of water or vegetable broth. Mix, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are very tender and soft. If needed add more water and/or reduce heat to medium low.
6. Toward the end of cooking you can stir in the other tablespoon of niter kibbeh, if you like, for even more flavor. Also add more salt as needed. The lentil stew is ready when it is very thick and bubbly and you see a few droplets of oil at the top. Turn off heat and serve the Ethiopian lentils hot or warm.
Serving suggestions
- Serve the red lentil stew with Ethiopian injera bread or any flatbread.
- Serve it over rice for a fantastic Ethiopian meal.
- Eat it by itself!
Recipe FAQs
You don't have to, but it will reduce the time needed to cook the lentils quite a bit. If you don't have time to soak the lentils, add about 5-10 minutes more of cooking time.
If you use my berbere spice blend recipe, you likely will find this stew pleasantly spicy but not too spicy (unless you absolutely cannot tolerate heat). If you like spicy food, you can add some cayenne or paprika along with the other spices.
The consistency of most Ethiopian stews is very thick, so you can easily scoop them up with a piece of injera. But in your kitchen follow just one rule -- you need to love it! So if you like the lentil stew soupier add more water.
To make the recipe in an Instant Pot use the saute function for steps 1-4. After adding in the lentils in step 5 add three cups water or vegetable stock, click the lid in place and set the lentils to pressure cook for 10 minutes.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: The stew can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze: This Ethiopian lentil stew freezes very well. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to four months.
- Reheat: If you have the time, thaw the stew in the refrigerator or for a few hours, then heat on the stove top or in the microwave. Add a little water if the stew is too thick.
More vegan stew and soup recipes
If you love this Ethiopian lentil stew, check out more vegan soup and stew recipes on Holy Cow Vegan!
Ethiopian Lentil Stew
Equipment
-
Saute pan or saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils (soaked for up to an hour. Drain out all water before use).
- 2 tablespoons vegan niter kibbeh (divided)
- 1 medium red onion (finely diced)
- 1 heaping tbsp ginger garlic paste (you can also crush 6 cloves garlic with a 1-inch knob of ginger into a paste)
- 2 medium tomatoes (finely diced)
- 1 tablespoon berbere
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt to taste
Instructions
-
Add diced onions to a dry saucepan set over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of salt and saute until onions become soft and start to brown.
-
Stir in a tablespoon of the vegan niter kibbeh and ginger garlic paste. Saute for a couple of minutes.
-
Add the tomatoes to the saucepan and mix them in. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes turn very soft and pulpy.
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Stir in the berbere, ground coriander and ground cumin. Mix and let the spices cook with the tomatoes and onions for a couple of minutes.
-
Stir in the lentils and add two cups of water. Mix, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are very soft and mushy. If needed add more water and/or reduce heat to medium low.
-
Toward the end of cooking you can stir in the other tablespoon of niter kibbeh, if you like, for even more flavor. Also add more salt as needed. The stew is ready when it is very thick and bubbly and you see a few droplets of oil at the top. Turn off heat and serve hot or warm.
Notes
- You don't have to soak the lentils, but soaking will reduce the time needed to cook the lentils quite a bit. Drain out all of the soaking water before adding the lentils to the pot.
- If you use my berbere spice blend recipe, you likely will find this stew pleasantly spicy but not too spicy (unless you absolutely cannot tolerate heat). If you like spicy food, you can add some cayenne or paprika along with the other spices. You can add more berbere as well but taste the stew before you do.
- The consistency of most Ethiopian stews is very thick, so you can easily scoop them up with a piece of injera. But in your kitchen follow just one rule -- you need to love it! So if you like the lentil stew soupier add more water.
- You don't need a garnish but if you want to you can chop up some cilantro and add to the stew after turning off heat.
- Refrigerate: The stew can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze: This Ethiopian lentil stew freezes very well. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to four months.
- Reheat: If you have the time, thaw the stew in the refrigerator or for a few hours, then heat on the stove top or in the microwave. Add a little water if the stew is too thick.
Nutrition
The post Ethiopian Lentil Stew appeared first on Holy Cow Vegan.
The post Ethiopian Lentil Stew appeared first on Holy Cow Vegan.
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