This Ethiopian lentil stew is made with veggies and hearty potatoes simmered in berbere-spiced red lentils, for a healthy and flavor-packed dish that's totally doable on a busy weeknight.
If you go to an Ethiopian restaurant you should find something on the menu that looks something like this dish, but it would be called misir wat, and it would be incredibly delicious. I had no idea when I first tried that dish how easy it was to make at home, but here it is, something very no-fuss that you can easily cook up on a weeknight in one pot.
It shouldn't have really been a surprise though. I know red lentils are super easy to work with. Red lentil soup and red lentil chili are a couple of my favorite weeknight dinners.
I threw some extras into my stew, just because I like extras. The potatoes, tomatoes and spinach wouldn't be found in traditional versions of the dish, at least as far as I'm aware, but who doesn't love potatoes, tomatoes and spinach?
My other reason for the additions was to make up for the lack of injera, which is a big spongy sourdough tasting pancakey thing that this dish would normally be served with. If you can get your hands on one (or make it), I say go for it. It's delicious. I'm a bit challenged in that department, so I've been known to seek out creative swaps.
As you can see, I threw some turmeric rice into the meal as well. It's March, so winter is almost over and I'm going to carbify my meals as much as possible while I still have the cold weather as an excuse. If you'd like to go that route, just cook up some basmati with oil and a pinch of turmeric.
The key to making this meal so tasty and easy is Ethiopian berbere spice, which I definitely recommend having on hand, as it turns everything in it's path to delicious. I was lazy this time and bought mine online, but you can also make your own.
By the way, if you're looking for more cozy African stew deliciousness, check out my African peanut stew recipe.
More Global Stew Recipes
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Spicy Ethiopian Lentil Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ tsp. freshly grated ginger
- 1-2 tbsp. berbere spice blend, to taste, I went with 2 tablespoons but I like lots of spice
- ½-1 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste, optional
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups dried split red lentils
- 1 (14 oz. or 400 gram) can diced tomatoes
- 3 medium red potatoes, about ¾ lb. total, diced
- 3 cups fresh spinach leaves, sliced and lightly packed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, berbere spice and cayenne and sauté 1 minute more.
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Add broth, lentils, tomatoes and potatoes. Stir a few times, raise heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and allow to cook until lentils are very soft and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in spinach and continue to cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes.
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Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a bit more berbere and cayenne, if desired.
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Serve.
Hi there! I just tried out this recipe for lunch. I didn't have potatoes which I was upset about because I know other have said the potato really adds something special to it. But instead of potato, I used a block of tofu that I cubed. It was amazing!!! I hope to try it with potatoes at some point though!
Tofu sounds like a great addition! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I got interested in hearing about Ethiopian stews from the S6 finish of the Blacklist, when all of the task force members, exhausted from their near death experience at the hands of Anna McMahon, were gathered at a favorite underground cage that Red Reddington knew of that served them french toast kebabs with real butter and maple syrup to dip them in and a bowl of Ethiopian stew. I guess you have to have be a concierge of crime to know how to replenish lost calories from trauma.
My very non-vegan husband, halfway through his first plate full, between bites:
"This is GOOD. We need to have this again, a lot. Is there more?" 😊
Good Sunday Morning, just tried this and I is very good. Can't wait to share it with family
I'm so glad you like it! I hope your family does too!
Unless I’m just not seeing it in the recipe looks like you serve this over rice. It has a yellow color to it. What type of rice did you use? I’m definitely going to make it but just wondering if the type of rice matters. Thx!
I used basmati rice cooked with a pinch of turmeric for color. :) You can use pretty much any variety of rice though. Enjoy!
I use brown basmati rice cooked in the instant pot. "brown basmati rice contains more fiber, phosphorus, zinc, and B vitamin" according to WebMD. I struggle with consuming enough iron and protein, so this is a delicious solution. It's a standard recipe in our home, and I even freeze some to take on camping trips.
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I used fresh tomatoes and added carrot (I love carrots) and it was absolutely delicious. Next time, I will add 3tbsp of Berber spice.
That sounds delicious! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!
Agreed! Great recipe. I added twice as much Berbere as it called for and we loved it!
This is a brilliant recipe. I've actually made it countless times since I first discovered this page a couple years ago. It always turns out sooo delicious. It is wholesome, healthy, hearty. I could easily eat this every week.
I'm so glad you like it! Thanks so much Josie!
I love this recipe and I’ve made it several times. Today I tweaked it a bit, through in some carrots and a tablespoon of peanut butter and made it in my instantpot! It turned out delicious!
That sounds delicious! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Friend sent me this recipe, turned out great! No adjustments needed. Definitely a new easy work night staple. Thanks!
Awesome!! I'm glad you like it!
Could you share how long you cooked in the instant pot? Thanks!
Made this today as today is Ash Wednesday:)
Hubby is a carnivore, smelled this when he walked in the door, I heard him say.. Hmmm that’s smells fantastic!
HahahHa, i said your meat dish is in the fridge, he said no way man!
Lol
He loved it.. thank you so much for this easy flavourful dish!!
Keep them coming, I will convert this guy😂
One of the best Vegetrian dishes I have ever eaten! So delicious!
Yay! Glad you like it! Thanks Paul!
Can you use brown lentils instead?
Possibly, but you'd need to make lots of adjustments - brown lentils take longer to cook, they need more liquid, and shouldn't be cooked with tomatoes (which prevent them from softening). They also cook up a lot firmer, so you'd end up with a stew that has a very different texture from this one.
What type of rice is in the picture?
It's basmati rice cooked with a bit of turmeric. :)
This recipe is insanely hearty and delicious - my omni hubby and parents LOVE it. Thank you!
Woo hoo!! Glad it's a hit!
I just printed this recipe and plan to make this stew, on Saturday. I am so excited to find it.
I hope you enjoy it!
Do you cover the pot once you add the lentils?
Nope! :)
This had great flavor and is so versatile! I didn't have any potato but I used the last of a bag of TVP. I was also trying to use up some kale so that went in as well. Since kale is a bit tougher I mixed it in a bit earlier that the spinach is suggested. Delish!
Sounds like a wonderful meal! Glad you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe. I've made it several times.
The third time I made it, I used sweet potato instead of red potatoes. It was delicious.
Thanks for sharing!
I need to try this with sweet potato - sounds wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Barrett!
Even my friend who is not very supportive of my vegan lifestyle had to admit this is pretty good. From his mouth it means it's fantastic, and I absolutely agree. Thanks!!
Yay! That's so great to hear! Thanks Nina!
Yes, I have to agree with the comments above. I have been making this for over a year now and love it. I too have added either carrots or sweet potatoes for a change. They are old too as is the original recipe. Thanks for keeping it real and affordable.
I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Thanks Liz!
This is delicious and has become a regular on the family menu and work potluck. I skip the rice and occasionally serve with quinoa. Thanks for sharing.
I bet it's great with quinoa! Glad you're enjoying it. Thanks Cindy!
I made this last night. It was easy to make and was absolutely delicious. I think it's my new favourite winter night comfort food! As there are already potatoes and lentils in it, i didn't need the extra rice as it's very filling.
I made this for the first time this evening, and it was wonderful! I used the full 2 tablespoons of berbere and 1 tsp of cayenne, and it was just the right spice level for us. I got adventurous and decided to try making injera to serve with it, because I wanted the whole no-silverware experience, so I used cauliflower instead of potatoes. After all the anticipation of 4 days letting the batter ferment, I couldn't get the injera to cook right, and come out of pan in full pieces, so we had to resort to forks. I'll try it again next time. This stew is a keeper!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I've had a hard time with injera myself. The last time I made it I cheated and used a mix of teff and whole wheat flour, and it turned out well. :)
I have now made this two nights in a row my family absolutely loves this the first time I use the red potatoes the second time I used sweet potatoes both were delicious
It's currently simmering on the stove and developing its flavors. It is VERY good!
The only modification I made was to use fire-roasted tomatoes and I also added some Moroccan preserved lemon for a bit of a citrus taste, but without the bit that comes from fresh ones.
I baked some honeyed cornbread to go with it; to get away from the obvious sides of rice, couscous, and with having to shelter-in-place; I'm not going out to buy injera.
Thanks for this recipe!
I made this today and can’t stop eating it. Changes I made - water sautéed instead of using oil and made a Berbere spice mix with less cayenne. Thanks for a great recipe!
What a delicious dish. I didn't have cayenne so I substituted red pepper flakes for pops of heat. Yum!!!Thanks for sharing... This will absolutely become a staple at our house. My son who's not vegan loved it!!
Would you recommend adding some cardamom?
I think that would be a nice addition!
Fantastic winter food
Thank you so much for this recipe and for introducing me to berbere spice! I love it.
I made this tonight and found it delicious AND flexible. I used one cup of red lentils and three cups of frozen diced potatoes. Because my berbere spice from Penzeys already contains cayenne, I left that out. Finished with a shower of baby kale/baby chard/baby spinach. Thank you for this recipe!
So I've been making a point to learn more vegan/vegetarian recipes the last few months -- I'm still a meat-eater, but I understand that a meat-heavy diet is horrible for the environment and want to do better. Let me just say that at no point while enjoying this recipe did I even remotely miss any meat or animal products. This recipe is AMAZING. The berbere spice makes it so, so flavorful, and it has that level of heat that smacks you in the face but doesn't make it so you physically can't eat more. I made some turmeric rice to go with mine, and it was perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe because it's now going to be a staple in my meatless cooking repertoire.
I started making this for my vegan kiddo. But it’s so good, I eat it too. Sometimes I add the turmeric rice, a great addition. Kiddo hasn’t been home in a while. I forgot how easy this is to make! Going to try sweet potatoes next time. Thanks!
So good...but DAY-UM!!! Okay, next time? I'm using only 1/2 tsp cayenne. My vegetable broth was mild and whipped up on the fly, so I'll plan ahead and ramp that up a bit next time so I don't need to add as much salt afterward. Added JUST a touch of black pepper for flavor only. I didn't have any red potatoes, so went with Yukon Gold - worked out just fine, though a bit softer. Also no fresh spinach, only frozen. A tip for anyone using frozen? Put it in the microwave for a little bit, just to get it warm, then squeeze out the water and measure it. One 8 oz. bag frozen done this way is roughly the equivalent of 3 cups of tightly-packed fresh leaves.
INSTANT POT:
Sauté function - add oil (I used one 1Tbsp vegan butter and 1Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and when it begins to sizzle, add the diced onion (I used red onion, which is more traditional for a messir-wot, but yellow onions will work well and give a slightly sweeter taste). Once soft, add the garlic and spices. Sauté until fragrant, then add the rest of the ingredients (EXCEPT the spinach) - you may wish to cut the 4 cups of broth down to about 3 3/4 if you like a thicker stew).
Manual setting - high pressure for 12 minutes. Make sure vent is sealed. Natural release (let sit untouched) for 8-10 minutes, then release remaining pressure and immediately stir in spinach.
Easy, filling, and very satisfying on this cold, snowy Monday!
Fantastic Recipe. I just made this for my family. I only used a Tablespoon of Berbere spice (Because my Wife is not a fan o spicy food) and used a full pound of potatoes because I am Irish and never enough potatoes... and didn't measure the spinach, but anyway.. This was great. Served it with Brown Basmati rice, and my wife went back for seconds... I liked it too (Though next time I will try adding an extra half Tablespoon of Berbere spice). Great dish, and every new spice profile adds to us feeling like we are not just getting lentils (or other pulse) and brown rice for dinner. Thanks!!!
All these glowing comments, I tripled the recipe and glad I did! Amazing!! I did sub hanna sweet potatoes for the reds and kale for the spinach. I ran out of Berbere so I just tossed in the mix of what it was made of as I went. Came out sweet and hot/spicy!! Great stew to serve with organic flour tortillas torn in triangles in place of injera, and some steamed rice. Grateful!!
Loved this recipe! So straight forward and easy to make and I love that you get a third of your protein needs in one serving. For low carb, I replaced the potatoes with cauliflower and it still came out great and stewy. Thank you for sharing!
Made this the other day. Very exotic spice profile. I highly recommend opening a window and turning on a fan while you cook if you don't want your house to smell like a spice bazaar for a day or two. This is a really hearty and filling dish. Great with naan bread or over rice or couscous.
I absolutely loved this. Made great leftovers for lunch also. I am so glad I found your site. Can't wait to try more recipes.
This was delicious! Amazing flavor and hearty on a cool day. Thanks for the recipe!
This was fantastic. Even the non vegans I the house said it tasted amazing. Thanks so much