ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in Ethiopia
Five dishes to try in Ethiopia, the most typical first. Three are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Ethiopia
Injera እንጀራ
Spongy, sour teff flatbread served under and alongside every stew.
How to have it: Tear it with your right hand to scoop food; diners share one large platter.
Doro wat ዶሮ ወጥ
Spicy chicken stew in berbere and spiced butter with hard-boiled eggs.
How to have it: The festive dish for holidays like Ethiopian Christmas and Easter; restaurants serve it year-round.
Kitfo ክትፎ
Minced raw beef dressed with spiced butter and mitmita chilli.
How to have it: Ask for 'leb leb' if you want it lightly warmed; comes with soft cheese and greens.
Shiro ሽሮ
Thick stew of ground chickpeas or broad beans with onion and berbere.
How to have it: Cheap and filling; a standard order on Wednesdays and Fridays when many people fast.
Beyaynetu በያይነቱ
Platter of several vegan stews and vegetables arranged on injera.
How to have it: Known as fasting food; the easiest vegan meal in the country, available at most restaurants.
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Questions
What food is Ethiopia famous for?
Injera (spongy, sour teff flatbread served under and alongside every stew) comes first on our list, followed by Doro wat, Kitfo, Shiro and Beyaynetu.
What is the national dish of Ethiopia?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Ethiopia is Injera: spongy, sour teff flatbread served under and alongside every stew. Tear it with your right hand to scoop food; diners share one large platter.
Which dishes in Ethiopia are vegetarian?
Three of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Injera, Shiro and Beyaynetu. 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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Tick off every dish you try in Ethiopia
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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.