Vegetarians who haven’t tried Ethiopian food before might be wondering if there’s anything for them on the menu. Fortunately, there are several Ethiopian cuisine you will love as a vegan.

On specific days, most Ethiopians, especially the religious inclined ones don’t consume any animal product, be it meat or milk, just to mention a few.

This is why vegan dishes are much in the country, and you don’t have to worry about finding something to eat. The country is popularly known for cultivating various vegetables and also legumes, all which are perfect for vegans.

Another reason vegan recipes are much in Ethiopia is because of the influence of the orthodox faith in the country. For centuries, the way of life and other aspects of the country have been influenced by Christianity.

There are special days set aside for fasting and on these days, meat or any other food from animal is prohibited.

Do All Ethiopian Restaurants Serve Vegan Dishes?

When you visit an Ethiopian restaurant, the chances of finding a vegan meal is very high. In fact, the vegan dishes will be indicated on the menu.

Most of the time, on the menu, the vegan dishes are referred to as “yetsome megebe.” When translated, it loosely means ‘’food for fasting.’’

As you place your order, you should be expecting to be served in a large platter which usually contains a combination of various vegan foods from your order.

In most cases, the platter is covered with injera bread, the base on which other staples are placed.

With that said, here are some popular vegan friendly Ethiopian dishes:

Shiro Wot

This is a type of Ethiopian stew with strong flavor. Preparing this meal is not difficult, and even if you can order it from an Ethiopian restaurant, you can still make it at home.

Traditionally, this stew is made by mixing water, garlic, onion and berbere into chickpea flour. When ordering for this meal, be sure to ask if they used niter kibbeh (butter) for it. This is because niter kibbeh is used in some restaurants to enhance the flavor.

Atir Kik Alicha

Prepared with turmeric, this Ethiopian stew gained relevance because it serves as an alternative for those that don’t like spicy food.

 

 

Misir Wot

You can’t talk about Ethiopian seasoning without mentioning berbere. This is the main ingredient for preparing Misir Wot (red lentil stew), one of the most popular Ethiopian foods for vegans.

Note that preparing the berbere isn’t that easy because it contains several herbs and spices, most of which are hand-ground.

Ethiopian Appetizers for vegans

If you want to get an appetizer or desserts, then it would be difficult to find one in an Ethiopian restaurant. They hardly serve appetizers because appetizers are not traditional Ethiopian foods.

Nevertheless, you might be lucky to find an Ethiopian restaurant serving sombossas which is a type of vegan appetizer.

Similarly, for desserts, you could find Greek baklava. Originally, honey is added when making the Greek baklava. However, to make it vegan, maple syrup can be used as a substitute for the honey.

Apart from the ones listed above, there are still other vegan-friendly Ethiopian meals. You too can enjoy Ethiopian meals without consuming meat or any animal product.