Recipe Misir Wat: Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew
Perhaps double the recipe if you like leftovers, because these Ethiopian style lentils will be just as delicious tomorrow too. Bonus points if you make a feast of it with some Ethiopian-spiced greens and rice!
You will need
Serves 4
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or sub water)
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3cm piece of ginger, grated finely
- 1 tablespoon berbere spices
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2-3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tomatoes, chopped roughly and finely
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
To serve (optional)
- Rice or injera bread*
- Ethiopian-spiced greens
Recipe: Rainbow Nourishments
Directions
-
Step 1
Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes or until slightly soft. Add the garlic, ginger and berbere spices and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant.
-
Step 2
Add the red lentils, vegetable stock, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Boil for 5 minutes then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer the lentils for 20 minutes or until tender.
-
Step 3
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, injera bread, Ethiopian-spiced greens or as desired.
Hot tip!
*Injera is a sour fermented flatbread with a slightly spongy texture, traditionally made of teff flour. It’s used similarly to Indian Naan bread — to scoop up all the delicious flavours of several shared dishes!
Recipe: Rainbow Nourishments
More recipes like this

Directions
-
Step 1
Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes or until slightly soft. Add the garlic, ginger and berbere spices and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant.
-
Step 2
Add the red lentils, vegetable stock, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Boil for 5 minutes then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer the lentils for 20 minutes or until tender.
-
Step 3
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, injera bread, Ethiopian-spiced greens or as desired.
Hot tip!
*Injera is a sour fermented flatbread with a slightly spongy texture, traditionally made of teff flour. It’s used similarly to Indian Naan bread — to scoop up all the delicious flavours of several shared dishes!
You will need
Serves 4
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or sub water)
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3cm piece of ginger, grated finely
- 1 tablespoon berbere spices
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2-3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tomatoes, chopped roughly and finely
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
To serve (optional)
- Rice or injera bread*
- Ethiopian-spiced greens