Slow-Simmered Ethiopian Berbere Chickpea Stew

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-03 · Updated 2026-05-03

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 drafted and published.

A richly spiced chickpea stew infused with traditional Ethiopian niter kibbeh and berbere, perfect for a warming plant-based meal. This Ethiopian-inspired vegan recipe, ready in about 105 minutes, pairs dried chickpeas, water, yellow onion, finely diced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 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.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 90 min Serves 4 Ethiopian cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas
4 cups water
3 tablespoons niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter)
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 tablespoons berbere spice blend
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water or vegetable broth

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Instructions

Step 1: Soak 1 cup dried chickpeas overnight in 4 cups water, then drain and rinse thoroughly.
Step 2: Heat 3 tablespoons niter kibbeh in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 large finely diced yellow onion and sauté for 8 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
Step 3: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon minced ginger and cook for 2 minutes until aromatic.
Step 4: Add 2 tablespoons berbere spice blend and 2 tablespoons tomato paste, stirring constantly for 3 minutes to release the spices' flavors.
Step 5: Add the soaked chickpeas, 2 cups water or vegetable broth, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 to 1.5 hours until chickpeas are tender and stew thickens.
Step 6: Adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed, then serve warm, ideally with injera or rice.