We may earn affiliate commissions from websites we link to, at no cost to you. Click here for details.
Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or just looking for something new and exciting, Ethiopian cuisine is an adventure you want to experience.
So grab your fork (or better yet, your hand) and get ready to discover the mouthwatering world of Ethiopian food.
Table of Contents
Ethiopian cuisine is a delicious blend of spices, stews, and curries that come together in a mouthwatering symphony of flavour. What sets this cuisine apart is its unique presentation, where dishes are served on top of a large spongy flatbread called injera.
This bread acts as the meal’s plate and utensils simultaneously, and diners tear off pieces to scoop up the food with their hands.
It’s worth noting that Ethiopians consider the left hand unclean, so be sure to stick to using only your right hand when enjoying this feast.
What’s more, Ethiopia boasts a vast array of vegetarian and vegan options, as many Ethiopians avoid certain foods for religious reasons.
But, when it comes to the meat, you can bet it will be fresh.
Whether you’re a meat-lover, a plant-based eater, or keen to taste it all, Ethiopian cuisine has something to offer everybody.
In Ethiopia, meal times are usually a communal activity. As a result, many popular or traditional Ethiopian dishes are served atop injera; a staple flatbread in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine.
You will not be given utensils to eat foods from Ethiopia, nor do you need them; foods from Ethiopia are to be eaten by hand. Remember, right hand only!
Sure, it may take a little practice – but you get used to it. I do believe that food (from many cultures, not just foods from Ethiopia) tastes better when you eat with just your hands.
Here are a few tips to help you enjoy Ethiopian cuisine like a local:
Eating Ethiopian food with your hands is meant to be a communal experience, so don’t be afraid to dig in and share with your dining companions.
Similar to Indian cuisine, Ethiopians are known for their love of spices.
Berbere is a key ingredient in Ethiopian cuisine, specifically in many meat and vegetable dishes. It is a fiery, aromatic spice blend that typically includes chilli powder, paprika, ginger, garlic, onion, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and other spices.
The recipe for berbere can vary from region to region and even from household to household. Still, it is an essential flavouring agent in many Ethiopian dishes, including stews, sauces, and marinades.
The Amharic term Gursha translates to “mouthful,” “tip,” or “bribe” and involves taking a large piece of food wrapped in injera and placing it in another’s mouth at the table.
The act is reciprocated and is typically performed first for elders or guests as a sign of respect, following traditional rules.
Gursha is a unique and communal aspect of Ethiopian dining culture.
Injera is a sourdough flatbread staple in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. Made from teff flour, a gluten-free grain native to Ethiopia, it has a spongy texture and slightly sour taste.
The batter is fermented for up to three days, which gives it a distinct tangy flavour. Then, the batter is poured onto a hot, circular griddle and cooked into a sizeable spongy pancake-like bread.
As you may have noticed from this list of traditional foods in Ethiopia, most Ethiopian dishes are served on top of or alongside injera.
RELATED POST: Eritrea Travel Tips | 10 Essential Things to Know Before You Go
Yetsom Beyaynetu is a traditional Ethiopian vegetarian platter typically served during fasting periods in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which occur several times a year.
“Yetsom Beyaynetu” translates to “fasting platter” in Amharic ( a Semitic language that is spoken primarily in Ethiopia).
The platter comprises various vegetarian dishes, typically made with lentils, vegetables, and spices. The dishes included in Yetsom Beyaynetu can vary depending on the region and the season.
Still, some typical dishes include gomen (collard greens), atkilt wot (mixed vegetables cooked in a spicy sauce), yekik alicha (split peas cooked with turmeric), shiro (ground chickpea stew), fasolia (green beans cooked with spices), and tikil gomen (cabbage cooked with spices).
Yetsom Beyaynetu is traditionally served on a large platter atop injera and it’s common to be served some extra injera on the side.
Diners tear off the injera pieces and use them to scoop up the different dishes on the platter.
I remember enjoying a particularly memorable Yetsom Beyaynetu whilst visiting the fascinating city of Lalibela for two days.
Misir Wat is a popular Ethiopian dish from red lentils cooked in a spicy sauce.
The dish typically includes a combination of red lentils, onions, garlic, ginger, berbere spice (a mix of chilli peppers, garlic, ginger, coriander, and other spices), and sometimes tomatoes.
The lentils are cooked until soft and then mixed with the spicy sauce, which gives the dish its characteristic deep red colour.
What is traditional Ethiopian food? This dish, Doro Wat, is often considered the country’s national dish. It’s a spicy chicken stew that is rich in flavour, and no surprise that you will find it served with injera.
The dish is made with marinated chicken (from lemon juice and spices) and then simmered in a spicy sauce made with onions, garlic, ginger, and Ethiopian spice blend, berbere.
Berbere spice mix typically includes chilli peppers and this is what gives Doro Wat its deep red colour and fiery flavour.
The sauce also includes tomatoes, which help to give it a rich, thick consistency. Hard-boiled eggs are also a traditional ingredient in Doro Wat, often added to the stew toward the end of the cooking process.
I love this dish; Tibs are such tasty foods from Ethiopia.
Tibs is Ethiopian food typically made with beef, although lamb and goat can be used too.
To make Tibs, small pieces of marinated meat in a mixture of spices, including berbere, and then sautéed with onions, garlic, and sometimes tomatoes.
It is a stir-fry dish that is cooked quickly over high heat, resulting in tender meat that is crispy on the outside.
There are also variations of Tibs, including Awaze Tibs (made with a spicy sauce), Key Wat Tibs ( a spicy beef stew), and Kitfo Tibs (seasoned, raw beef that is cooked quickly over high heat).
Genfo is an Ethiopian porridge made from roasted barley flour. It’s a nourishing meal, usually served as a breakfast dish.
To prepare this tasty porridge, barley flour is roasted in a dry pan until it turns a deep golden brown colour and has a nutty aroma. Next, the flour is mixed with hot water to form a thick, dough-like mixture.
The mixture is then kneaded by hand until it becomes smooth and pliable and is typically served warm.
Genfo is a communal meal, served in a large mound with a hole in the centre, filled with a mixture of niter kibbeh and berbere. This traditional Ethiopian food can be eaten with the hands or with utensils.
Genfo can be served plain or with additional ingredients, such as butter, honey, or salt, and commonly served with a side of yoghurt or milk.
It is a staple food for many Ethiopians, particularly in rural areas.
A tasty Ethiopian stew that I find so comforting. Shiro Wat is made from ground chickpeas, which are first roasted and then ground into a powder.
The powder is cooked with onions, garlic, and spices, including berbere and niter kibbeh, a spiced clarified butter; this is what gives the stew a silky texture.
The result is a thick, hearty stew rich in flavour and typically served with injera.
Shiro Wat is one of the foods from Ethiopia that I highly recommend.
Kik Alicha is a staple food in Ethiopia, often served as part of a larger meal alongside other dishes, such as Doro Wat or Shiro Wat.
Essentially, a dish made from split yellow peas simmered with onions, garlic, and turmeric. It is a warming Ethiopian dish, often served as a regular vegetarian option in Ethiopian cuisine.
Fitfit is a satisfying dish, rich in flavour and texture, and a great way to use leftover injera. Fitfit is a popular breakfast dish or street food in Ethiopia, usually served warm and is often eaten with a cup of tea or coffee.
To make fitfit, pieces of injera are torn into small pieces and mixed with clarified spiced butter and berbere spices.
There are two main versions of fitfit: the one made with injera flatbread, and the other made with unleavened kitcha bread.
The mixture is then heated over low heat until the bread has absorbed the sauce and has softened.
Add boiled eggs, cheese, or cooked vegetables for extra flavour and nutrition.
Siga Wat is a traditional Ethiopian dish similar to Doro Wat but made with beef instead of chicken.
It is a slow-cooked stew that results in tender chicken that melts in your mouth. And yes, you guessed it; it often comes served with injera.
Gomen is a popular Ethiopian dish made with collard greens that have been chopped and simmered with onions, garlic, ginger, and various spices.
It’s a tasty and nutritious dish that’s generally served as a side dish or used as a filling for injera rolls.
Gomen is often paired with other Ethiopian dishes such as doro wat or kitfo to create a well-rounded and satisfying meal.
Kitfo is a traditional Ethiopian dish made from raw minced beef, sourced from high-quality cuts, and spiced with various seasonings. It’s usually eaten with injera, a sourdough flatbread made from teff flour, and other side dishes such as cooked greens or a mild cheese called ayibe.
Some common spices in Kitfo include mitmita (a spicy chilli powder), salt, and niter kibbeh (spiced clarified butter).
In addition to the standard version of Kitfo made from raw beef, there are cooked versions. “leb leb” Kitfo is lightly cooked, while “tibs” Kitfo is cooked through.
Kitcha is a thin unleavened bread, widely popular in both Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine.
The flatbread consists of wheat flour, water, and salt, pressed into a flat dough, then cooked on both sides in a pan with clarified butter.
While kitcha can be eaten as is, it’s often used in a popular Ethiopian breakfast dish called kitcha firfir (or kitcha fit fit).
The kitcha flatbread is torn into small pieces to make this dish and mixed with berbere and niter kibbeh.
Typically, kitcha firfir is served with a dollop of plain yoghurt and paired with hot Ethiopian coffee or tea.
This dish is a delicious and filling breakfast option that is sure to start your day off right!
Deep-fried fish (often tilapia) is fantastic in Ethiopia. First, the eyes are removed from the fish, before being washed in water and cardamom, scored, and then covered in wheat flour and deep-fried.
The preparation of scoring the fish makes it easier to pull pieces off and enjoy; without having to deal with a bunch of bones etc.
Fish is commonly served with fresh bread rolls arrived with a side dish of a green spicy dip (cochocha), which included ingredients such as fresh rosemary, coriander, and chilli.
Buticha is a delicious Ethiopian dip made by blending chickpeas or fava beans with onions, peppers, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, cloves, and other spices. Essentially, it’s Ethiopian hummus; and it’s fantastic!
This easy-to-prepare dish is made by mixing all ingredients until a smooth consistency is achieved.
Buticha is a popular dish in Ethiopian cuisine, usually eaten with bread or injera and served as an entree or a side dish. I loved enjoying buticha in Ethiopia, it reminded me of enjoying a similar dip in Syria (learn more about 9 amazing foods from Syria here) and Egyptian food, to name just a few.
The combination of spices and the creamy texture of chickpeas or fava beans make for a delicious and satisfying dish that is sure to please.
We’re often asked the question, “Which country has the best coffee in the world?” Honestly, that’s a really tough question; especially given that we’re both huge coffee lovers, and we’ve enjoyed it in every country.
Some of our favourite coffee in the world has been in Colombia, Italy, and Australia (our home city of Melbourne), but we do rate Ethiopia as having some of the finest and freshest tasting coffee in the world.
So, if you’re a coffee fan and especially if you enjoy strong coffee; you will love the coffee in Ethiopia.
Coffee drinking in Ethiopia is a social and ceremonious event that’s a mark of friendship and hospitality. The coffee ceremony ritual includes roasting and grinding beans, brewing in a jebena (a flask made of pottery), and serving with snacks, usually fresh popcorn.
Incense such as myrrh and frankincense is burned to ward off evil spirits while the guests converse and enjoy their coffee.
It’s rude to leave without at least three cups as it’s believed to transform the spirit.
Ethiopia is the top coffee producer in Africa and the 5th largest globally, providing around 4% of the world’s coffee.
Unlike other countries, Ethiopians consume as much as 50% of their coffee, reflecting the significance of coffee in their daily lives.
Perhaps now that I’ve published a post about the 10 Best Food Countries in the World (of which you will also find Ethiopia featured), I may need to write about my top 10 countries for coffee too.
If you do visit Ethiopia, don’t miss the opportunity to taste Tej. It’s also known as honey wine, and tej is a traditional Ethiopian alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey and a special kind of hop called gesho.
It has a sweet taste and is typically served in a rounded vase-like container called a berele. Tej is a popular drink during festive occasions, especially weddings and other celebrations. It is also believed to have medicinal properties and is used in traditional Ethiopian medicine to treat various ailments.
Tej is an important part of Ethiopian culture and heritage, and it continues to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
I’m a huge fan of food experiences when I travel and I highly recommend joining some food tours in Ethiopia.
It’s fascinating to learn about Ethiopian food and culture, and the best person that can tell you all about it is a passionate food-loving local.
Going on an Ethiopian food tour is the best way to experience the cuisine, with a local guide showing you the best restaurants, markets, and street food stalls. Since eating Ethiopian food is a communal affair, it’s much more fun to join a group tour and enjoy the company of others.
Have you tried Ethiopian food? Is there a particular Ethiopian food that you absolutely love, and can’t wait to try again? What are your thoughts about the vibrant foods from Ethiopia? Let us know in the comments below!
If you’re planning to travel to Ethiopia, don’t miss taking a day trip to the Simien Mountains, what a stunning place!
We’ve got several comprehensive blogs about travelling in Africa – what a massive continent this is! Have you ever wondered, how many countries in Africa are there? 54 or 55? We cover them in depth in our Ultimate Africa Bucket List.
If you need a little help with packing for Africa, we’ve got you covered! Our Complete Packing List for Africa has all of the essentials for your adventures.
And before you go, it’s worth reading these 17 ESSENTIAL Things to know before travelling to West Africa. We spent the majority of 2019 travelling overland through many countries across Africa, what a journey it was! Read more about it all in a summary of our overland adventures in West Africa.
Be sure to try these 8 Popular West African Dishes and take a look at our detailed Food Map of Africa.
You’ll need to stay connected while travelling in Africa. We recommend eSIM. It’s easy, reliable, and affordable. View eSIMs for travel in Africa here.
Finally, check out our AFRICA Page for detailed blogs about individual countries.
If you’re searching for a place to find our best advice, tips, and suggestions on travel gear and products we use and love, then our Travel Resources Page is for you.
✈️ Flights: We use Skyscanner to book cheap flights worldwide.
🏨 Accommodation: Booking.com is our preferred platform for booking hotels and accommodation.
🏥 Travel Insurance: We recommend Heymondo (Get 5% off Heymondo) & SafetyWing
🚌 Transportation: Trainline is the best website to reserve trains. We use Omio to book transport worldwide. For travel in Asia, we use 12Go.
🚘 Car Rental: We use DiscoverCars to book rental cars worldwide.
👫 Group Tours: G Adventures OR compare multi-day tours worldwide with Tourradar.
📸 Day Tours & Trips: GetYourGuide & Viator are the only two platforms you need.
📚 Lonely Planet: The Best Range of Travel Guides & Ebooks, and FREE Shipping! (use code RACHELDAVEY10 for a 10% discount)
🎒 Luggage: Osprey Farpoint 40L Backpack or Samsonite Luggage Range.
🛄 What to Pack: Don’t forget your Universal charger and a good power bank. To help you pack the essentials, here is our ULTIMATE Packing List for all Travellers.
🐶 Become a House Sitter: Join Trusted Housesitters and enjoy FREE accommodation worldwide. Use our invite to receive 25% off your new membership.
💰 Send Money Anywhere: WISE & Revolut are the best online accounts that let you send money, get paid, and spend money internationally. Both are so easy to use and way cheaper than any bank transfer.
📶 Stay Connected: Airalo eSIM allows you to get connected the moment you land at your destination, and you can avoid those expensive data roaming charges. We LOVE this product! Use promo code NOMAD15 for 15% off ALL eSIMs (new Airalo users only) OR use NOMAD10 for 10% off ALL eSIMs (for existing Airalo users)
✅ Check out our Travel Gear and Travel Resources for more valuable tips to save you money!
1 Comment. Leave new
I love Ethiopia. To be honest, Ethiopian food is exceptional. I planned to go in comming summer, rain season. አትዮጵያ