Vegan Ethiopian Vegetable Tibs with Lentils
A spicy and warm vegan Ethiopian recipe that is both hearty and filling made with stir-fried vegetables that are simmered together in Ethiopian berbere seasoning.
Ethiopian cuisines are one of those cuisines where you can easily find delicious and bold flavored vegan dishes that will leave you perfectly satisfied. Try this recipe if you’re craving a vegan take on the classic beef tibs!
If you’re looking for more vegan stews, give the following recipes a try.
- Creamy pumpkin chickpea yellow curry
- High protein vegan miso udon with TVP meat sauce
- Southern veggie packed vegan green gumbo
What is Ethiopian Tibs
Ethiopian tibs is a traditional Ethiopian dish made of sautéed or stir-fried meat, typically beef, cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, chili peppers, and spices. It’s one of the most popular dishes in Ethiopian cuisine and is commonly served with injera, the soft, sour flatbread. This vegan Ethiopian tibs recipe uses the same flavors as a beef tibs recipe but substitutes the meat for seasonal vegetables and lentils. The vegetables are stir-fried together and then simmered in a stew to allow all the flavors to marinate together.
How to make Vegan Ethiopian Vegetable Tibs
Step 1. Prep the vegetables and pre-cook the lentils
Step 2. Stir-fry the vegetables together
Step 3. Add water and stew for 30 minutes
Step 4. Add balsamic vinegar and serve with salad
Key ingredients & substitutions
- Berbere seasoning – a bold, aromatic spice blend common to Ethiopian recipes. It is typically a mix of chili pepper, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, coriander, cumin, cardamon, cloves, allspice, cinnamon
- Tomatoes – I recommend either camparis or romas. You can also substitute with one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes but don’t add extra water for simmering.
- Onions – I prefer to use red onions which are great for stir-fries but you can also use yellow onions
- Lentils – Lentils are high in protein and fiber! Any type of lentils will work but you may need to adjust your cook time depending on the variety. You can substitute lentils for other types of plant protein such as chickpeas or beans for most vegan Ethiopian recipes
- Peppers – Either serrano or jalapeños. You can add the peppers later on in the cook time to reduce the amount of heat that is released
- Balsamic Vinegar – This really helps cut through the spices so I encourage you to not skip or add some form of acid!
What to serve with vegan vegetable tibs
- Injera bread – Ethiopian tibs are commonly served on top of injera bread, a spongy and tangy flatbread. I like to pick up some fresh injera bread from my local Ethiopian restaurants but you can also buy it frozen from some specialty shops. Rice would also go well with vegetable tibs.
- Salad – a side salad mix of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions with a simple dressing
- Additional vegan Ethiopian dishes – make it a spread of delicious vegan Ethiopian recipes such as Misir Wot and Gomen.
Vegan Ethiopian Vegetable Tibs with Lentils
Ingredients
Method
- Prep the vegetables. If using dry lentils, cook the lentils for 10 minutes in boiling water and then drain the excess water. Cut the eggplant into roughly 1 inch cubes. Slice the red onions, they do not have to be thin. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and slice the mushrooms. Chop up the tomatoes into six equal slices. Dice the garlic and cut the serrano peppers in half lengthwise, removing the seeds.Note: don't worry too much about the size of the cuts, the vegetables will get stir-fried and stewed together so it will get cooked down!
- Stir-fry the vegetables. In a pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Once hot, lower down to medium and add the red onions and garlic. Stir fry until cooked and fragrant (~3 minutes). Add the eggplant and the tomatoes before continueing to stir fry for another 5 minutes. Add the berbere seasoning and make sure everything is coated evening. Add in the pre-cooked lentils and half a cup of water. Nestle in the sprig of rosemary and sliced serrano peppers so that it is covered in the water. Cover the pan and simmer on low for 20 minutes.Note: save adding the serrano peppers until the next step (with the mushrooms)if you prefer less spice.
- Add in the mushrooms. Stir in the mushrooms and cover, simmering for 10 more minutes. This ensures the mushrooms do not lose their texture.
- Serve. Turn off the heat and carefully remove the rosemary and serrano peppers. Stir in the balsamic vinegar which helps cut through the spice! Add in the salt and serve on top of injera bread with a side of salad.
