Textual Chef Textual Chef

Misir Wot (Spiced Red Lentil Stew)

A vibrant Ethiopian red lentil stew seasoned with berbere spice blend and niter kibbeh (spiced clarified butter). This protein-rich, aromatic dish is traditionally served with injera flatbread for a satisfying lunch.

55 minMediumServes 4310 cal/serving

EthiopianLunchStovetopVegetarianHigh FiberGluten-FreePork-FreeCorn-Free

Ingredients

  • 2 cups red lentils, rinsed and sorted
  • 3 tbsp berbere spice blend
  • 1/4 cup niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter), or substitute with unsalted butter plus 1/4 tsp each of ground cardamom, coriander, and cinnamon
  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • 4 injera (Ethiopian sourdough flatbread), for serving

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat 1/4 cup or substitute with unsalted butter plus 1/4 tsp each of ground cardamom, coriander, and cinnamon niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter) in a medium-sized pot over medium heat until melted.

  2. 2

    Add 1 finely diced yellow onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

  3. 3

    Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger. Cook for another minute until fragrant.

  4. 4

    Add 3 tbsp berbere spice blend and 2 tbsp tomato paste to the pot. Cook while stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes to toast the spices and develop flavor.

  5. 5

    Add 2 cups rinsed and sorted red lentils to the pot and stir to coat them with the spice mixture.

  6. 6

    Pour in 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

  7. 7

    Cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30-35 minutes until the lentils have broken down and the stew has thickened.

  8. 8

    If the stew becomes too thick, add a little more water to reach your desired consistency.

  9. 9

    Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper to taste.

  10. 10

    Just before serving, stir in 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors.

  11. 11

    Serve hot, garnished with 1/4 cup chopped, for garnish fresh cilantro, alongside 4 for serving injera (Ethiopian sourdough flatbread) for scooping up the stew.

  12. 12

    If injera is unavailable, you can serve with rice or another flatbread like naan.

Questions

Can I make Misir Wot (Spiced Red Lentil Stew) dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1/4 cup niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter), or substitute with unsalted butter plus 1/4 tsp each of ground cardamom, coriander, and cinnamon. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

How long does Misir Wot (Spiced Red Lentil Stew) keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat gently on the stovetop. It also freezes well for up to three months.

Can I halve or double Misir Wot (Spiced Red Lentil Stew)?

Yes. As written it serves 4. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. When doubling on the stovetop, use your widest pan or work in two batches so the food sears instead of steaming.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,512 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More Ethiopian entries

All Ethiopian recipes · All Lunch recipes · All Lentils recipes