My misir wat (also spelled misir wot or yemisir wat) is the red lentil stew on almost every Ethiopian and Eritrean vegetarian platter. I make it vegan with olive oil, cook the onions low and slow, and fry the berbere with tomato before the lentils go in. It takes 45 minutes and comes out thick enough to scoop with injera!
Ethiopian red lentil stew, made vegan for weeknights
I first had it in Addis Ababa, where no vegetarian platter seems complete without it. Back home, I made it the traditional way with niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter), but settled on this simpler vegan version for weeknights.
Misir means lentils and wat means stew in Amharic. The dish comes down to split red lentils, berbere, and a base of onion, garlic and tomato. Berbere is Ethiopia’s chili spice blend, with fenugreek, garlic and cardamom, and it gives the stew its color and kick. Two things decide how it tastes. The onions need time to turn soft and sweet, and the berbere needs to fry with the tomato paste in oil before any water goes in.
On a platter, it sits next to atakilt wat, the turmeric cabbage and carrots, and shiro wot, a smooth chickpea stew. Make all three and you have an Ethiopian vegetarian dinner at home.
Red lentils, berbere and the tomato base
Full ingredient list and quantities are in the recipe card.
- Split red lentils break down as they simmer and give the stew its creamy, spoonable texture. Green or brown lentils hold their shape. Canned lentils work in a pinch: build the base as written, cut the water way back, then stir in two drained 15-ounce cans and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.
- Berbere carries the flavor, so buy a good one from an Ethiopian market or a well-stocked spice shop. If you can’t find it, paprika, coriander and chili powder get you close.
- Indian red chili powder adds heat on top of the berbere. I use Kashmiri, and cayenne or plain paprika work depending on how hot you like it. For a milder pot, use 1 teaspoon.
- Tomato paste and canned diced tomatoes add depth and color. Use plain diced tomatoes with no added flavors. Out of paste? Here are my tomato paste substitutes.
- Olive oil keeps it vegan. Niter kibbeh is the traditional fat and gives a deeper, buttery flavor if you’re not cooking vegan.
- Ground cardamom is optional and adds a soft warmth against the berbere.
Shruthi’s TOP TIPS
Tips for a thick, creamy lentil stew
- Cook the onions low and slow until soft and translucent. This step builds the flavor base.
- Fry the tomato paste and berbere in oil for a few minutes, until the raw, tinny smell is gone.
- Lentils cook at different speeds depending on their age. Stir every 5 minutes and add water 2 tablespoons at a time if the pot looks dry.
- You can halve the oil, but don’t go lower. The base needs to fry, and with less oil an enameled Dutch oven keeps the bottom from scorching.
- Let the stew rest 10 minutes off the heat. It thickens as it sits.
How to make misir wat
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes, adding a splash of water if it sticks.
- Add the garlic and red chili powder and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste for 30 seconds, then add the diced tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of the berbere. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down.
- Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the cardamom.
- Add the rinsed lentils, water and salt, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low.
- Stir in the remaining berbere, cover, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the stew is thick and spoonable. Add water 2 tablespoons at a time if it gets too thick.
How to serve misir wat
Spoon it onto injera and tear off pieces to scoop it up. No injera? Serve it over microwave rice, or do what one reader did and scoop it with naan. The lentils carry 19 grams of protein a serving, so the plate only needs a vegetable dish or two and a bright massaged kale salad for a full Ethiopian vegetarian feast. For kids or anyone who avoids heat, cut the red chili powder to 1 teaspoon and let the berbere do the rest.
Variations
- Stir in 2 cups of baby spinach for the last 2 minutes.
- For a creamier pot, stir in ½ cup of coconut milk at the end. My coconut red lentil curry takes that idea all the way.
- For a mild, turmeric-yellow stew without berbere, look to alicha. My kik alicha makes it with yellow split peas.
- A spoonful of plain yogurt on top cools the heat (it won’t be vegan).
Storage and reheating
I’ve kept it in the fridge 3 to 6 days in an airtight container, which makes it a good one to cook ahead for a crowd. It firms up as it chills, so reheat it on the stove with a few tablespoons of water. I don’t recommend freezing it, because the texture changes.
More African recipes
To prepare an easy vegetarian African feast at home, try these other recipes inspired by Ethiopian cuisine
Shiro Wat (Ethiopian Chickpea Stew)
Gomen Wat (Spicy Ethiopian Greens)
Ethiopian Cabbage
Misir Wat (Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced, substitute 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder, heaping, but adjust to spice tolerance
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste, tube preferred
- 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons berbere spice, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, optional
- 1½ cups red lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, adjust to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add a splash of water if onion starts to stick.
- Add garlic and red chili powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes and 1 tablespoon berbere spice. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until tomatoes begin to break down.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and ground cardamom (if using). Stir to combine.
- Add rinsed lentils, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon berbere spice. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until lentils are soft but still have a bit of texture. Add more water 2 tablespoons at a time if mixture becomes too thick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Serve hot with flatbread, injera, or rice.
Notes
- Cooking time depends on the age of your lentils. Older lentils take longer, so check every 5 minutes and add water as needed.
- Berbere is essential here. Find it at Ethiopian markets or well-stocked grocery stores.
- For milder heat, reduce the red chili powder to 1 teaspoon.
- For extra greens, add 2 cups baby spinach in the last 2 minutes. For a creamier pot, stir in ½ cup coconut milk at the end. A spoonful of plain yogurt cools the spice.
- Keeps 3 to 6 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water. Freezing changes the texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you used canned lentils?
Hi Jennifer. Yes, you can use canned lentils in a pinch, but a few tweaks. This recipe is built around dried red lentils, which break down as they simmer and give Misir Wot its signature creamy, spoonable texture. Canned lentils are already cooked and tend to be a firmer variety (usually brown or green), so they’ll stay intact rather than melting into the stew.
If you want to use them, build the base as written through the tomato and berbere step, but cut the water way back since canned lentils won’t absorb 3 cups. Drain and rinse two 15-oz cans, stir them in at the end, and simmer just 5–10 minutes to heat through and soak up the berbere. Mash some against the side of the pot if you want it creamier. The flavor will still be lovely, just a slightly different texture than the original. Hope that helps!
Can we replace fresh tomatoes for canned ones?
Yes, you can use diced tomatoes!
I’m making a feast of several different dishes for a mid-sized event that won’t be held at my house, so I need to make things in advance. I’m curious why you don’t recommend freezing this dish- I’m trying to figure out which dishes I should make when. Thanks!
You could freeze the dish for a short amount of time, but I find that the texture can be impacted when freezing. But if its only for a few days, you can also just store in the fridge.
Thank you! Would it be okay to make the dish on a Wednesday evening, refrigerate, and then (reheat on stove and) serve it Sunday lunchtime?
I’ve made and stored this in the fridge anywhere from 3-6 days, so I think it should be alright. Make sure to cool it down and then store in an airtight container and then taste-test before you serve just to make sure it’s still good!
Is the red chili powder you use the same as cayenne or something different? Thank you
I use Indian (Kashmiri) red chili powder, but you can definitely use cayenne or plain paprika based on your spice tolerance!
I love lentils so much so I had to try this. The flavor of this Misir Wot was unbelievable! Cannot wait to make it again, it makes the greatest lunch.
My first time trying Ethiopian cuisine. The berbere spice blend adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the dish. Delicious!
What the heck where has this food been all my life?! Haven’t served it up yet but I just had a li’l taste off the stove and holy moley it’s phenomenal. This is my first time cooking/eating Ethiopian food and I feel like this has opened up a whole new world for me! Will absolutely make again!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was easy and delicious!
Really wonderful flavor. I cut the oil in half to reduce fat and left the tomato paste out, because I forgot to buy some. It still came out very rich and yummy!
This is one of the best recipes I’ve ever tried. It was 10/10 perfect! Thanks so much for creating this. It’s going to be my go to recipe for red lentils from now on.
So tasty!!! I love getting misir wot from my local Ethiopian restaurant and it was so rewarding being able to recreate it at home. This is probably my favorite way to cook red lentils – I love Indian dal and red lentil soups of all kinds, but something about scooping up this thick stew with injera is just unbeatable. It’s wonderful to see how cultures around the world make use of this mighty legume. Thanks! 🙂
VERY good (as in “I’ll probably dream about this dish tonight” good). I also made the Ethiopian cabbage recipe and they were delicious together. I can’t get my hands on injera, so I ate with naan!
Thank you so much for this! I love having this with naan too!
Excellent! Followed as written and served it with injera! So good!
Glad you liked it!
About how much does this recipe make in cups/quarts? Trying to figure out serving sizes. Thank you!
It’ll make about 3-4 cups of cooked Misir Wot as written! 🙂
Top-notch flavor, affordable, pantry-friendly ingredients, easy one-pot preparation, nutrient-dense, and vegan. I grew up eating a lot of animal products, but have been on a personal mission to expand my vegan recipe repertoire. I am so grateful for this recipe, Shruthi! It has become a dish that I make regularly.
Thank you so much for sharing – much appreciated, and so glad you like it!
Thanks for sharing. Do you have any advice on how to make it lower fat (4 tbsp oil per cup six servings)?
Hi Abi – you’re welcome to reduce the amount of oil, but I wouldn’t cut it more than half (since the flavor development actually requires the ingredients to be “fried” in oil somewhat). Traditional recipes use up to 1/3 or even 1/2 cup of oil for this recipe, so I’ve already reduced it some. If you do cut it to 2 tablespoons of oil, I recommend that you use an enameled Dutch oven (or another similar non-stick pot) to make the recipe to avoid the bottom of it getting burned. Hope this helps!
Love this recipe – I’ve made it three times. I leave out the chili powder and onions due to my partner’s preferences, and it turns out perfectly each time. Thanks so much for sharing it.
That’s so awesome! Thanks for sharing, and so glad you love it!