Spicy Ethiopian Zigni Wat with Ground Beef
A fiery Eritrean-inspired ground beef stew slow-cooked with berbere and tomatoes for a robustly flavored dish. This African-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs ground beef, yellow onion, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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 lb ground beef
- 1 medium (6 oz), finely chopped yellow onion
- 4, minced garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp berbere spice mix
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup (fresh or canned) diced tomatoes
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 medium finely chopped yellow onion and sauté for 7-8 minutes until softened and golden.
- Step 2: Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 3: Stir in 3 tbsp berbere spice mix and 3 tbsp tomato paste, cooking for 2 minutes to bloom the spices.
- Step 4: Add 1 lb ground beef and cook over medium heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
- Step 5: Pour in 1 cup diced tomatoes and 1 cup water, stirring well to combine.
- Step 6: Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the beef.
- Step 7: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot with injera or rice.







