Chickpea Shiro Wat with Berbere Depth

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-05 · Updated 2026-04-05

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A hearty vegetarian stew made from ground chickpeas simmered in a deeply spiced berbere tomato sauce, perfect for serving with warm injera for a satisfying plant-based meal. This Ethiopian-inspired vegetarian recipe (high-protein), ready in about 35 minutes, pairs chickpea flour, berbere spice blend, yellow onions for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 3, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 20 min Serves 3 Ethiopian cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1/2 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp berbere spice blend
1 large yellow onions
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp niter kibbeh (Ethiopian clarified butter)
3 cups water
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

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Instructions

Step 1: Whisk 1/2 cup chickpea flour with 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl until smooth, then set aside. Finely dice 1 large onion and mince 2 garlic cloves.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp niter kibbeh in a medium pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes until golden brown, then add 2 tbsp berbere spice and 2 tbsp tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until paste darkens.
Step 3: Stir in the chickpea flour mixture and 3 cups water, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened to a porridge-like consistency and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Step 4: Remove from heat, stir in 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving over injera.