Step-by-Step Recipe: Spicy Ethiopian Stew
It’s fall in the Midwest, which means that temperatures are dropping. When a cold virus hit my household last weekend, the combination of chilly weather and illness meant one thing: stew. This couldn’t just be any ordinary stew. It also needed to have some spice. Not only that, but it had to be simple. I also wanted to try something new.
With just a little searching, I found the perfect solution: Spicy Ethiopian Stew. The recipe has been adapted from Connoiseurus Veg
This is a vegan, gluten free, nut free recipe with lentils as the protein, so it would work well if you happen to be entertaining—so long as your guests can handle a little bit of spice. And it is ready in about 30 minutes!
What’s really special about this recipe is the use of the berbere spice blend. It adds that North African flavor I was looking for (and really clears the sinuses!). While the potatoes in this recipe are not typical for this recipe, the starch is a nice addition to the stew to make it more filling.
Follow this recipe step-by-step to have a quick, delicious, and spicy stew for any occasion.
Spicy Ethiopian Stew Recipe
Photo: Lindsay Moeller
- 1.5 C dried lentils
- 3 C spinach leaves
- . 75lb red potatoes
- 1-14 oz can diced tomatoes
- .5 red onion, diced
- 1 T berbere spice blend (I purchased mine from Penzey’s)
- 1 T cayenne pepper
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Turmeric to taste
- 4 C vegetable broth
- 3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Basmati rice
- Before turning on your stove: dice your onion, rinse and slice your red potatoes into bite-sized pieces, measure your spices, mince your garlic, grate your ginger, slice your spinach and set them all aside. Open the can of diced tomatoes.
- Add your oil to your pan and let it heat for a minute or two on medium heat. Add your onion and sauté until soft, about five minutes.
- Add the spices (berbere, cayenne pepper, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper) and let sauté for two minutes more.
- Add 4 C of vegetable broth, .75 lbs of diced red potatoes, 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, 1.5 C of lentils and bring to a simmer. Put the lid on your pan and let all of those flavors mingle for about 30 minutes.
- While stew is simmering, prep the rice. Add olive olive to sauce pan and then add 90-second basmati rice. Add turmeric to taste and color.
- After the 30 minutes of simmering are up, you have one thing left to do: add the spinach to the dish and put the lid back on the pan for two minutes. When the two minutes are up, stir the spinach into the dish.
Ingredients:
Protein:
1.5 C dried lentils
Veggies:
3 C spinach leaves
. 75lb red potatoes
1-14 oz can diced tomatoes
.5 red onion, diced
Spices:
1 T berbere spice blend (I purchased mine from Penzey’s)
1 T cayenne pepper
3 cloves of minced garlic
2 tsp grated ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
Turmeric to taste
Base:
4 C vegetable broth
Other:
3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Side:
Basmati rice
Step-by-Step Directions for Spicy Ethiopian Stew
Before turning on your stove: dice your onion, rinse and slice your red potatoes into bite-sized pieces, measure your spices, mince your garlic, grate your ginger, slice your spinach and set them all aside. Open the can of diced tomatoes.
Now, you’re ready to get cooking!
Photo: Lindsay Moeller
First, add your oil to your pan and let it heat for a minute or two on medium heat. Add your onion and sauté until soft, about five minutes.
Next, add the spices (berbere, cayenne pepper, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper) and let sauté for two minutes more.
Photo: Lindsay Moeller
Now add 4 C of vegetable broth, .75 lbs of diced red potatoes, 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, 1.5 C of lentils and bring to a simmer. Put the lid on your pan and let all of those flavors mingle for about 30 minutes.
Photo: Lindsay Moeller
Photo: Lindsay Moeller
While your stew is simmering, you can prep your rice if you’d like a side. Since I was sick and running low on energy, I simply dumped a package of 90-second basmati rice into a second pan and added a splash of olive oil. I turned the stove on low and added turmeric until I got the yellow color I wanted. Turmeric is one of my favorite parts of this recipe, as it is a strong antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory effects, among other health benefits.
Photo: Lindsay Moeller
After the 30 minutes of simmering are up, you have one thing left to do: add the spinach to the dish and put the lid back on the pan for two minutes. When the two minutes are up, stir the spinach into the dish.
Photo: Lindsay Moeller
Next: plate your dish and enjoy!
Let us know how delicious the dish was in the comments.
Written by Lindsay Moeller
Lindsay Moeller is marketing and communications professional who moonlights as a freelance writer with a big appetite for cultural experiences and any and all types of food. She lives in Iowa with her husband, daughter, and two cats. She has yet to meet a country’s cuisine she doesn’t like.