Ethiopian-Inspired Injera Flatbread with Spiced Lentil Topping

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-12 · Updated 2026-05-12

A lightly fermented injera flatbread topped with a warm, spiced lentil mixture, highlighting essential Ethiopian flavors. This african-inspired vegan (vegan) ready in about 65 minutes pairs teff flour, all-purpose flour, water for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, 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.

Ingredients

• 1 cup teff flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 tsp berbere spice blend
• 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups water (for lentils)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup teff flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 1/2 tsp dry active yeast with 2 cups water until smooth. Cover and leave at room temperature for 24 hours to ferment slightly and develop a tangy flavor.
2. Step 2: For the lentil topping, rinse 1 cup red lentils and place them in a saucepan with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes until tender but not mushy.
3. Step 3: Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 medium diced yellow onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add 2 tsp berbere spice blend and 1 chopped medium tomato to the skillet, cooking for 5 minutes until the tomato breaks down and spices are aromatic.
5. Step 5: Drain lentils if needed and add them to the skillet with the spiced onion mixture. Stir in 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp lemon juice, cooking for another 5 minutes to combine flavors.
6. Step 6: To cook injera, heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour about 1/3 cup of the fermented batter onto the skillet, spreading evenly to form a thin round. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until holes form and the surface is dry. Remove and repeat with remaining batter.
7. Step 7: Serve the warm injera flatbreads topped generously with the spiced lentil mixture.