This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Atakilt Wat – Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots. Easy spiced side full of amazing flavor. free of Dairy, egg, corn, soy, yeast, nut, gluten, grain.
Seattle has an abundance of Ethiopian food. After Indian, Ethiopian is always the next choice when we want some spice and deep flavors in the meal. The veggie platter filled with 2 to 4 different simmered lentil dishes, greens, simmered okra, cabbage pcarrot wat, all served up over the huge Injera. There are several Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle. A lot of them however are usually a miss when it comes to maintaining the taste and quality of the food. Or maybe I am picky 🙂 Seattle-lites, what is your favorite Ethiopian restaurant?
Atakilt Wat/ Atkilt wot is a cabbage side that is so close to the Indian cabbage dishes and yet has its own flavor profile. The traditional recipe may or may note use uses niter kibeh which is butter/ghee slow-infused with whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, fenugreek, cloves, ginger, garlic etc. by cooking everything on low heat for hours. You can make niter qibe/ kibeh with coconut or olive oil(see my second book for a recipe) and use about a Tbsp in this recipe instead of all the spices and oil. Since I don’t usually have the infused oil ready, I add the spices to oil in the second step to infuse the oil while cooking (indian food style) for my interpretation of atakilt wat. You can omit the spices. Cook the dish at lower heat for best results. Serve with Ethiopian flat breads or other flat breads and lentil stews.
More Ethiopian from the blog.
Steps:
cook the onion, garlic, ginger for 5 minutes.
Add all the spices and cook to infuse the oil to make a quick niter kibeh.
Add the veggies, cover and cook until tender.
Serve hot.
Video:
Atakilt Wat - Ethiopian Cabbage Potato Carrots. Vegan Gluten-free Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil or vegan butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 green chili, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds or powder
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/8 tsp cloves powder
- a generous dash of black pepper
- 3/4 cup sliced carrots
- 2 medium potatoes, chopped, 1.5 loaded cups
- 1/2 head of cabbage, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add 1 tsp oil and heat at medium-low. Once hot, Add garlic, ginger, chili, and onion. Mix, cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the cumin, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Mix and cook for 3 minutes to infuse the oil and to continue cooking the onion to golden.
- Add the carrots, potato and mix well. Add cabbage and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix well, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir once in between.
- Add 1/4 tsp or more salt, and 1 tsp olive oil. Mix in. Deglaze at this time with water if needed Cover and Cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. *
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We made this last night and now have it bookmarked as a favorite! Thanks for this delish dish that’s also budget friendly.
Awesome!! So happy you liked it.
I’m so glad I found this! I had another recipe for Ethiopian cabbage, but it called for half a cup of olive oil. My hubby had a heart attack recently and we have cut way back on oil. I think 2 tsp would be OK! It was always his fave dish, so I will definitely give it a try! Thanks Richa!!
I’m sorry to hear about the heart attack. I hope his recovery is going well!
It is! Thanks!
Fantastic recipe, so tasty! Made it twice now, & preferred the cabbage not *finely* chopped so it stood up better to the carrot/potato. Also once subbed garlic ginger paste from an Indian market (didn’t have fresh ginger) – still great. We like more salt, but you allowed for that, yay! Thanks for another healthy, gorgeous recipe.
So glad you liked it!
I often make this recipe. I add mung beans to boost the fiber and protein. It freezes well too. It’s one of my go- to recipes.
Glad to hear it!
A friend and I made this for people who had never eaten Ethiopian food before, and everyone loved it.
Left out the cumin (allergy reasons) and chilli, increased the spices slightly, and used bok choy and daikon radish instead of the green cabbage and potatoes, and it was perfect.
Thank you for your lovely recipes, here and elsewhere on your site !
awesome! thanks so much for your kind comment!
I’ve been making this recipe for awhile and love it. Most recently I was low on cabbage so I threw in some cauliflower. So. GOOD. You really can’t go wrong with this recipe.
awesome! thanks so much for your kind comment!