🇪🇹 Ethiopian · Beef & Lamb Dishes
🥘 Ethiopian Beef with Vegetables
ሥጋ ከአትክልት — Siga ke-Atkilit
Ethiopian Beef and Vegetables — beef stewed with potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and onions in a mild Ethiopian spice sauce. The everyday balanced meal — the vegetables moderate the heat and provide variety to the typical all-meat wat.
Beef with vegetables is the everyday family meal of urban Ethiopia — nutritionally complete, more affordable than a pure meat wat, and slightly milder in spice than the traditional wats. It reflects the modern Ethiopian kitchen adapting to urban life.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large pot
- 500g beef — stewing cuts, cubed
- 2 medium potatoes — cubed
- 2 carrots — sliced
- 2 onions — diced
- 3 tomatoes — diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp berbere
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp salt
Method
- Brown beef in oil. Remove.
- Cook onions until golden. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, berbere, tomatoes.
- Return beef. Add water. Simmer covered 30 minutes.
- Add potatoes and carrots. Simmer 20 more minutes.
- Season.
Chef Tips
- Add potatoes and carrots after the beef is nearly tender.
- Lighter spicing than Key Wat — this is an everyday dish.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding vegetables too early — they overcook.
The Science
Potato starch dissolves into the sauce during cooking — naturally thickening without any added starch.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Complete balanced meal.
- Multiple vitamins from vegetables.
- High protein from beef.
Cultural Note
Beef with vegetables is modern urban Ethiopia's everyday dinner — the family meal that bridges traditional Ethiopian cooking with the nutritional awareness of the contemporary city.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate 4 days.
Reheating: Gently.
Serve with: Injera (ETH001), As a standalone meal