ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in Eritrea
Five dishes to try in Eritrea, the most typical first. Four are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Eritrea
Zigni ዝግኒ
Spicy berbere stew of beef or lamb, eaten with injera.
How to have it: The centerpiece of an Eritrean meal; eat with your right hand, using injera to scoop.
Injera እንጀራ
Spongy, sour flatbread that serves as plate and cutlery.
How to have it: Often made from a mix of teff and other grains in Eritrea; stews are poured on top.
Shiro ሽሮ
Stew of ground chickpeas or broad beans simmered with onion and berbere.
How to have it: A cheap everyday meal and the usual order on fasting days; served bubbling in a clay pot.
Kitcha fit-fit ቂጫ ፍትፍት
Torn flatbread tossed with spiced butter and berbere, served with yogurt.
How to have it: A breakfast dish in Asmara cafés, often eaten with a spoon of yogurt.
Ful ፉል
Mashed fava beans topped with onion, tomato, chilli, oil and yogurt.
How to have it: The everyday breakfast in Asmara; scoop it with fresh bread rolls.
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Questions
What food is Eritrea famous for?
Zigni (spicy berbere stew of beef or lamb, eaten with injera) comes first on our list, followed by Injera, Shiro, Kitcha fit-fit and Ful.
What is the national dish of Eritrea?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Eritrea is Zigni: spicy berbere stew of beef or lamb, eaten with injera. The centerpiece of an Eritrean meal; eat with your right hand, using injera to scoop.
Which dishes in Eritrea are vegetarian?
Four of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Injera, Shiro, Kitcha fit-fit and Ful. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.