Ethiopian Tibs, Spiced Pan-Fried Meat
Tibs is seared over very high heat in a matter of minutes — the opposite of wat, which takes hours. The meat is cut into small cubes and goes into the pan in batches, because crowding makes it stew in its own juices rather than brown.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Calories
- 420
Tibs is the best-known Ethiopian dish after doro wat, served at celebrations and in restaurants. Meat seared fast with onion, peppers and rosemary, served on injera. The quickest Ethiopian dish you can make.
Method
-
1
Dry the meat
Pat the meat cubes dry with a towel and season with salt and pepper. Wet meat stews instead of browning.
⏱ 6 min -
2
Spiced butter
Melt the ghee over low heat with the cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric for two minutes until fragrant.
⏱ 3 min -
3
Sear the meat
Turn the heat to its highest and add half the meat in a single layer. Leave it a minute without stirring, then stir for two minutes until browned. Lift it out and repeat with the rest.
⏱ 8 min -
4
The vegetables
In the same pan add the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies and stir for 3 minutes over high heat — they must stay crisp.
⏱ 4 min -
5
Combine
Return the meat and add the berbere, rosemary, peppers and tomatoes, and stir for just 3 minutes.
⏱ 4 min -
6
Serve
Serve immediately while sizzling, with injera or bread and a squeeze of lemon.
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Tips that actually matter
- Small batches over high heat — crowded meat stews in its own juices.
- Dry the meat before searing — the most important step for browning.
- The onion and peppers stay crisp — tibs is not a slow-cooked dish.
- Fresh rosemary is the Ethiopian signature in tibs — it is absent from wat.
People also ask
What is the difference between tibs and wat?
Wat is a slow braise with a thick sauce that takes hours (like doro wat). Tibs is a fast sear over high heat in minutes, and the meat stays in firm pieces with no sauce.
What is niter kibbeh?
Ethiopian butter spiced with cardamom, fenugreek, turmeric and ginger. The recipe above makes a quick version of it that works well.
Can I make it without berbere?
Yes — there is a version called 'tibs alicha' made without berbere, using only turmeric, milder in taste and suitable for children.
Cook mode
Ethiopian Tibs, Spiced Pan-Fried Meat
-
1
Dry the meat
Pat the meat cubes dry with a towel and season with salt and pepper. Wet meat stews instead of browning.
-
2
Spiced butter
Melt the ghee over low heat with the cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric for two minutes until fragrant.
-
3
Sear the meat
Turn the heat to its highest and add half the meat in a single layer. Leave it a minute without stirring, then stir for two minutes until browned. Lift it out and repeat with the rest.
-
4
The vegetables
In the same pan add the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies and stir for 3 minutes over high heat — they must stay crisp.
-
5
Combine
Return the meat and add the berbere, rosemary, peppers and tomatoes, and stir for just 3 minutes.
-
6
Serve
Serve immediately while sizzling, with injera or bread and a squeeze of lemon.
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