Doro Wat is a spicy, highly aromatic stew from Ethiopia. For my vegan version, I stick with tradition to use the two flavor bases — berbere spice mix and niter kibbeh — but use “meaty” vegetables instead of the traditional meat. Vegan, nut-free, gluten-free.
You might also like Ethiopian shiro wat and misir wat.
My vegan version of the classic Ethiopian favorite Doro Wat is a labor of love. It took me upwards of two hours to put together which, to a speed-seeking cook like me, is an eternity and an indulgence.
But this is an indulgence I had long craved. There’s something about the very look of this ravishing, flaming-red dish that stokes my appetite, not to mention the aroma. Doro Wat is often called Ethiopia’s national dish and just inhaling that spice-rich aroma reveals just why it’s so popular. Traditionally it’s made with chicken, but it’s not a hard dish to veganize because all those spices and flavors in there are perfect with “meaty” vegetables like mushrooms or eggplants.
Cooking Ethiopian dishes is always a pleasant revelation to me, both as a cook and as someone who cooks a lot of Indian food. That’s because Ethiopian cuisine couldn’t be more similar to Indian cuisine in its use of spices, yet it couldn’t be more different in technique, and the end results are worlds apart. To put it more simply, an Indian curry contains a lot of the same spices and ingredients that a Doro Wat does, but because you cook them so differently they taste vastly different.
Doro Wat has two flavor building blocks: niter kibbeh, which is butter spiced with garlic, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon, and berbere, a powdered mix of chillies and more spices (there are paste versions of this too). For this recipe I use my wonderful vegan niter kibbeh, made with heart-healthy olive oil. Don’t try to take a short cut and leave out either the niter kibbeh or the berbere because your Doro Wat will then taste like its missing something, which is never a kind thing to do to your tastebuds.
The most tedious part of this recipe was, to me, roasting a pile of onions to a rich brown color with the help of nothing but a little water– it took over an hour. I toned down the heat in this dish because Desi, despite his Indian tastebuds, cannot tolerate too much chilli. If you are a heat-seeker, go ahead and use more red chillies.
Here’s the recipe, just in time for your weekend. Enjoy, all!
More aromatic vegan stew recipes
Recipe card
Vegan Doro Wat
Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan
Doro Wat is a spicy, highly aromatic stew from Ethiopia. For my vegan version, I stick with tradition to use the two flavor bases — berbere spice mix and niter kibbeh — but use “meaty” vegetables instead of the traditional meat. Vegan, nut-free, gluten-free.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Ethiopian
Servings 10 servings
Calories 214 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons berbere
- ¼ cup vegan niter kibbeh
- 8 oz tempeh
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 ½ pounds cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms crimini or portobello, halved or quartered if large
- 3 medium onions , finely chopped
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
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Sprinkle the juice of the lemon on the tempeh cubes and mix.
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Heat a large saucepan. Add the onions and stir. When the onions start looking dry, add ¼ cup of water and cook until the mixture dries up. Keep adding a couple of tablespoons of water each time the onions dry and start to stick, stirring at frequent intervals, until the onions become golden-brown. Like I said earlier, this took me more than an hour on medium heat, but don’t skip this step and hurry to add other ingredients because the roasted onions add a lot of flavor.
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Now add the tomato paste, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes.
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Add the berbere, ½ cup of water, and the Niter Kibbeh. Stir to mix and bring the mixture to a boil.
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Add the mushrooms and tempeh and stir well. Bring the sauce to a boil (add more water if the mixture is very dry), slap a lid on, lower the heat to simmer, and let the mixture cook about 15-20 minutes.
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Add the white wine, if you’re using it, and simmer for another 10 minutes. If you’re not adding wine, skip this step. Check and add salt as needed.
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Serve hot over rice or with some crusty bread. Tip: This tastes even better when you’ve allowed it to stand for a few hours, or overnight, to let the flavors meld together.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 214kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 8gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPotassium: 592mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 606IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 2mg
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About Vaishali
Hi! I’m Vaishali, a journalist turned food blogger. At Holy Cow Vegan I share easy, tasty recipes made with clean, wholesome ingredients that the entire family can enjoy.
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